Verisign is poised to potentially raise the wholesale price of .com domains in 2026. Up until now, it was believed that Verisign would not be able to implement such an increase due to the timing and structure of its contracts. The last price hike took place in September 2024, marking the end of a previous contract period, with expectations that no further increases would occur in 2025 or 2026.
However, after being challenged on this assumption during NamesCon, a closer examination of the contractual language revealed a more complex picture. The September 2024 increase corresponded to an amendment made in 2018 to the Cooperative Agreement with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which had permitted price increases under certain conditions.
Notably, while Verisign froze prices during the 2020 pandemic, following that, it consistently raised prices by 7% at the end of each contract year following the amendment. The last increase tied to the preceding six-year contract, which lasted from 2018 until late 2024, occurred in September 2024.
On November 29, 2024, the NTIA renewed its agreement with Verisign, stating in a blog post that no wholesale price increases would be permitted until September 1, 2026. However, there appears to be conflicting information between this statement and the concrete terms outlined in Verisign’s amended contract with ICANN, indicating the possibility of a price increase as early as October 26, 2026.
According to this contract, the pricing year is defined from October 26 to October 25, allowing for the prospect of a price rise after that date. Consequently, industry observers are anticipating a potential increase from $10.26 to $10.97 if Verisign provides the necessary six-month notice ahead of any price changes.
The situation remains fluid as discussions continue regarding the specifics of the contract and the implications for the domain registration market moving forward.
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