What Is Registry? Domain Glossary

Why it matters

Every TLD has one registry. Verisign runs .com, for example. Registries set wholesale prices, own the rules for their extension and publish the records that make a domain work. You never buy from a registry directly. You buy through a registrar. This matters in a sale because registry rules, such as premium pricing and transfer limits, can change what a buyer pays or how fast a domain moves. Buyers should check the extension's registry before bidding on an unfamiliar TLD.

Source: icann.org

Where we use this term

Related terms

Registry operator: The organization that runs the master database for one top-level domain and has a contract with ICANN or a country authority. It sets wholesale prices and rules for that extension, and it works through registrars.
Registrar: A registrar is a company that sells domain registrations to the public. It checks that a name is available, sends the registration to the registry, collects owner details and lets the owner manage settings afterward.
Top-level domain (TLD): The top-level domain is the last label in a domain name, the part after the final dot. In icann.org, the TLD is org. It sits at the top of the naming hierarchy of the Domain Name System.
Verisign: Verisign is the company that runs the .com and .net registries. It also maintains the DNS root zone under an agreement with ICANN. It reported 166.6 million .com registrations in mid-2026.
Registry premium: A registry premium is a domain that the registry operator prices above standard registration fees. The registry sets the higher price, and the registrar passes it on to the buyer.

All 205 terms

Why it matters

Where we use this term

Buying or selling a domain?