The fourth quarter of 2017 closed with 332.4 million domain name registrations across top-level domains (TLDs), said a recent report of Verisign, a US-based domain name and internet security provider.

This marked an increase of 1.7 million domain names as of December 31, 2017, which equates to a growth rate of 0.5 per cent over the third quarter of 2017. Domain name registrations have grown by 0.9 per cent, year over year.

The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of approximately 146.4 million registrations in the domain name base in the fourth quarter of 2017. This represents a 2.9 per cent increase year over year. As of December 31, 2017, the .com domain name base amounted to 131.9 million registrations, while the .net domain name amounted to 14.5 million registrations.

New .com and .net registrations totalled nine million during the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to 8.8 million in the same period in 2016.

The report, titled “Domain Name Industry Brief”, aims to provide internet users throughout the world with statistical and analytical research and data on the domain name industry.

Verisign ensures the security, stability and resiliency of key internet infrastructure and services, including the .com and .net domains, and two of internet’s root servers, as well as performs the root zone maintainer function for the core of internet’s Domain Name System. — VNS