TLD Market Analysis 2025: Beyond .com

The TLD Landscape Today

The domain extension market has never been more diverse. With over 1,500 TLDs now available, businesses have unprecedented choice—but also complexity—in selecting their domain extension.

This analysis breaks down the current state of the TLD market, identifies emerging opportunities, and provides strategic guidance for 2025 and beyond.

Market Share Overview

.com Dominance Continues: Despite years of predictions about .com's decline, it remains the undisputed leader:

• 37% of all registered domains
• 52% of commercial websites
• Highest consumer trust and recognition
• Continued price stability

The Big Three:

TLD	Market Share	YoY Change
.com	37%	-0.8%
.cn	12%	+2.1%
.de	4%	+0.3%

.com is slowly declining in share, but absolute registrations continue growing. New registrations are increasingly distributed across alternative TLDs.

Fastest Growing TLDs

By Registration Growth:

1. .ai (+287% YoY)
2. .app (+45% YoY)
3. .io (+38% YoY)
4. .dev (+34% YoY)
5. .online (+28% YoY)

By Revenue Growth:

1. .ai (premium pricing driving revenue)
2. .xyz (high volume)
3. .io (stable premium pricing)
4. .co (corporate adoption)
5. .app (developer market)

TLD Pricing Trends

Premium TLDs

TLD	Avg Registration	Avg Renewal	Trend
.ai	$80-150	$80-150	Increasing
.io	$30-60	$30-60	Stable
.co	$25-35	$25-35	Stable
.app	$15-20	$15-20	Decreasing
.dev	$15-20	$15-20	Decreasing

Standard TLDs

TLD	Avg Registration	Avg Renewal	Trend
.com	$9-15	$12-18	Slight increase
.net	$10-15	$12-18	Stable
.org	$10-15	$12-18	Stable
.info	$3-8	$15-20	Stable

.ai Pricing Note: The .ai registry (Anguilla) has significantly increased wholesale prices, and registrars have passed this on to consumers. Expect continued premium pricing.

Category-Specific TLD Performance

Technology

• .io remains the de facto tech startup TLD
• .ai is growing faster but at higher price point
• .dev gaining traction for developer tools
• .tech underperforming expectations

E-Commerce

• .com still strongly preferred
• .store growing but slowly
• .shop limited adoption
• Country codes (.de, .co.uk) strong in local markets

Finance

• .com nearly mandatory for trust
• .finance growing for fintech
• .money limited adoption
• .bank restricted but valuable

Creative/Media

• .tv established for video
• .fm standard for audio/podcasts
• .design growing for agencies
• .studio moderate adoption

Regional TLD Insights

North America

• .com dominates (60%+ of new commercial registrations)
• .io popular among startups
• .ai adoption highest in tech hubs

Europe

• Strong ccTLD preference (.de, .co.uk, .fr, .nl)
• .eu usage declining post-Brexit complications
• .io and .ai growing among tech companies

Asia-Pacific

• .cn dominant in China
• .com preferred for international brands
• Local language IDN domains growing
• Short numeric domains highly valued

New gTLD Opportunities

Undervalued TLDs to Watch

1. .health - Healthcare tech growth
2. .green - Sustainability movement
3. .xyz - Gaining legitimacy (used by Alphabet)
4. .club - Community/membership platforms
5. .live - Streaming and events

Overpriced/Risky TLDs

1. Most city TLDs (.nyc, .london) - Limited adoption
2. Most generic TLDs (.website, .site) - Low trust
3. Some industry TLDs (.lawyer, .doctor) - Restrictions limit use

Strategic Recommendations

For Startups

Primary Domain:

• Target .com if available under $10K
• .io as strong alternative for tech
• .co for professional appearance
• .ai if AI-related product

Defensive Registrations:

• Secure .com and .ai variations
• Key misspellings
• Consider .net/.org for brand protection

For Enterprise

Portfolio Strategy:

• Maintain .com as primary
• Secure all major TLD variants
• Monitor trademark-relevant new gTLDs
• Consider premium .ai acquisition

Regional Strategy:

• Register key ccTLDs for target markets
• Local language domains where relevant
• Unified redirects to primary domain

For Investors

High Potential:

• Short .ai domains (4-6 letters)
• .io domains with tech terminology
• Premium .xyz names (with development)
• Personal name .com domains

Avoid:

• Random new gTLD speculation
• Long descriptive domains
• Most city TLDs
• Trademark-risky domains

2025 TLD Predictions

1. .ai will become a top-10 TLD by registration volume

   • Driven by AI company formation and existing brand acquisitions

2. .com premiums will continue rising

   • Scarcity of quality names driving prices up 10-15% annually

3. ccTLD Renaissance

   • Privacy-conscious businesses adopting .ch, .is, etc.
   • Regional pride driving local TLD adoption

4. New gTLD Consolidation

   • Underperforming TLDs may be sunset
   • Successful ones will see registrar competition/lower prices

5. IDN Domains Growing

   • International/non-Latin character domains
   • Particularly in Asia and Middle East

Conclusion

The TLD market is maturing but still evolving. While .com remains king, strategic use of alternative TLDs can provide competitive advantage, cost savings, and brand differentiation.

The key is matching your TLD choice to your audience expectations, industry norms, and long-term brand strategy.