Canadian Internet Registration Authority

What Canadian Internet Registration Authority does

Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is a not-for-profit, member-based organization founded in 2000 and headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, that operates Canada's country-code top-level domain (.CA) registry. CIRA manages 3,426,339 .CA domains — a base that grew 0.98% year-over-year in FY25, outpacing the global ccTLD average of 0.3% — and routes domain sales exclusively through a network of certified registrars. The organization also runs a CIRA Anycast DNS infrastructure that handles an average of 67.85 billion DNS queries per day and is used by 37% of all top-level domains on the internet, including 39 country-code TLDs.

CIRA's product portfolio has expanded well beyond registry operations into a branded "CIRA Cyber Stack" of subscription cybersecurity services targeting the MUSH sector (Municipalities, Universities, Schools, Hospitals) and Canadian SMEs. The stack includes CIRA XDR (Extended Detection & Response launched May 1, 2025 after a beta with eight stakeholders), CIRA MDR (24/7 managed detection and response), CIRA DNS Firewall, CIRA Cybersecurity Awareness Training, CIRA Canadian Shield (a free DNS-based privacy and malware-blocking service with 3.28M users), and Anycast DNS services. CIRA also operates Hello Registry, a joint venture with SIDN (the Dutch registry for .NL) that provides a next-generation registry platform to community-minded TLDs globally and currently manages more than 10 million domains across .NZ, .IE, .NL, .SG, .SX, .CROWN, .ECO, and .KIWI.

CIRA's revenue is generated primarily through wholesale .CA domain registration fees, subscription contracts for enterprise cybersecurity services, and licensing/royalty income from Hello Registry, with all surplus reinvested into operations, infrastructure, the Net Good community grants program ($12.9M invested across 232 projects since 2014), and policy engagement. The organization is governed by a multistakeholder Board elected by its 14,088 members, holds ISO 27001 certification, and is a co-founder of the Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism. GTM is hybrid: channel-partner-led for .CA domains via certified registrars, direct enterprise sales for cybersecurity into the MUSH sector, and global B2B licensing for Hello Registry.

Name

Canadian Internet Registration Authority

Legal name

Canadian Internet Registration Authority

Website

https://cira.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CIRA is a Canadian not-for-profit, member-based organization that operates the .CA country-code top-level domain registry and provides a portfolio of subscription cybersecurity services (XDR, MDR, DNS Firewall) and a global registry platform (Hello Registry) to other TLD operators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domain Registry & Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) (HDABAHAC)

Keywords

• Domain registry services
• Cybersecurity solutions
• DNS infrastructure
• Managed detection response
• TLD management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. .CA Domain Registration: Revenue from managing Canada's country-code top-level domain. Domain registration fees collected through a network of certified registrars who remit a portion to CIRA. At end of FY25, there were 3,426,339 .CA domains under management with 0.98% year-over-year growth.
2. Cybersecurity Services: Revenue from CIRA's cybersecurity portfolio including DNS Firewall, MDR, XDR, Cybersecurity Awareness Training, and Anycast DNS services. CIRA protects nearly 7.5 million users across hospitals, schools, universities and businesses in Canada.
3. Registry Services for gTLDs: Revenue from providing registry platform services to other TLDs globally through the Hello Registry joint venture with SIDN. Platform serves multiple country-code TLDs including .NZ, .IE, .SG, and others.
4. Net Good Program: Community investment initiative funded by CIRA's commercial revenues. Invested $12.9M since 2014 across 232 projects to improve internet access, safety and policy in Canada. Not a revenue generator but integral to mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CIRA manages the .CA country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry on behalf of all Canadians, operating one of the world's most reliable DNS infrastructures handling 67.8 billion queries per day. Beyond registry services, CIRA provides a portfolio of cybersecurity products (XDR, MDR, DNS Firewall, Anycast DNS, Cybersecurity Awareness Training, and free CIRA Canadian Shield) targeting Canadian organizations, and offers registry platform services to other TLDs globally through its Hello Registry joint venture with SIDN.

Product overview

CIRA (Canadian Internet Registration Authority) operates as a not-for-profit, member-based organization that manages Canada's .CA country-code top-level domain and provides a portfolio of cybersecurity and registry services. The core offering is .CA domain registration and management, supported by a comprehensive cybersecurity product suite branded as the 'CIRA Cyber Stack' — which includes CIRA XDR (Extended Detection & Response), CIRA MDR (Managed Detection & Response), CIRA DNS Firewall, CIRA Cybersecurity Awareness Training, CIRA Canadian Shield (free DNS privacy service), and Anycast DNS infrastructure. CIRA also operates Hello Registry — a joint venture with SIDN — providing registry platform services to TLD operators worldwide. Additional offerings include the Internet Performance Test (IPT) for measuring internet quality in Canada, and Net Good Grants for community internet projects. The portfolio spans from consumer-facing free services (Canadian Shield) to enterprise-grade managed security (XDR, MDR) and global registry infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIRA Canadian Shield: Free DNS firewall service for Canadian households that blocks malware, ransomware, and phishing threats
• Hello Registry
• CIRA Cyber Stack
• Net Good

Products and services

• .CA Domains CIRA manages the .CA country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry on behalf of all Canadians. The service includes domain registration, WHOIS lookup, To Be Released (TBR) domain auctions, and registry lock to protect domains from unauthorized transfers. Domains are sold exclusively through a network of certified registrars.
• CIRA XDR
• CIRA MDR
• CIRA DNS Firewall
• CIRA Canadian Shield
• CIRA Cybersecurity Awareness Training
• CIRA Anycast DNS
• CIRA TLD Anycast
• Hello Registry
• Internet Performance Test (IPT)
• Registry Services for gTLDs
• ccTLD Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.98% .CA domain growth rate, outpacing global ccTLD average of 0.3%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025CIRA and ISED signed a new agreement to formalize their working relationship, establishing clear parameters for collaboration on internet policy and digital infrastructure matters affecting Canadians.
• SIDN (Dutch ccTLD Registry)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Strategic partnership with SIDN (Dutch registry operator for .NL) to create Hello Registry - a jointly developed next-generation registry platform. The partnership combines CIRA's 25+ years of .CA registry experience with SIDN's TLD operations to serve community-minded TLDs worldwide. .NL migration onto the platform expected to complete in 2026. Hello Registry brand unveiled at ICANN81 in Istanbul. The platform now manages 10M+ domains across multiple TLDs including .NZ, .IE, .SG, .SX, .CA, .Crown, .Eco, and .Kiwi.
• DigitalNWTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to use CIRA's Internet Performance Test to provide neutral data on internet access speeds in Northwest Territories. DigitalNWT found that 28 of the territory's 33 communities are underserved in digital connectivity.
• National Capital FreeNetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner$250,000 two-year partnership to support the CommuniFi Community WiFi Network pilot project in Ottawa's Vanier neighbourhood, helping bridge the digital divide with free WiFi and digital skills support.
• Olnet (Onion Lake Cree Nation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIRA funded the community's work with SaskTel to improve connectivity, moving the main network hub and installing fibre optic lines to improve affordable connectivity for the community and its school children.
• Canadian TLD Operators (.NZ, .IE, .SG, .SX, .CROWN, .ECO, .KIWI)coreTechnology or IntegrationMultiple TLDs operate on CIRA's registry platform, representing 37% of all top-level domains on the internet. The Hello Registry platform serves these community-minded TLDs with world-class DNS infrastructure.
• CIRA Canadian Shield UsersminorOthersFree cybersecurity service protecting Canadian households from malware, ransomware and phishing. 3,278,059 users as of end of FY25.
• TCCM (A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIRA co-founded TCCM - a coalition of technical operators from across the globe advocating for an evolved multistakeholder approach to internet governance. Group has surpassed 40 operators and is participating in UN dialogue around future of internet governance.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Identity Digital: Operates registry services for 240+ new gTLDs. Directly comparable as a TLD registry services provider competing for the same global TLD market that Hello Registry targets.
• Nominet: UK's .uk ccTLD registry operator, a not-for-profit similar to CIRA's structure. Highly comparable as a national ccTLD registry that has expanded into cybersecurity services (Nominet Cyber) and DNS infrastructure for the UK market.
• SIDN: Dutch registry operator for .NL and CIRA's joint venture partner in Hello Registry. Directly comparable as a national ccTLD registry that has expanded into broader internet services and co-developed the Hello Registry platform.
• Public Interest Registry (PIR): Operates the .org registry and has expanded into broader internet infrastructure. Comparable as a not-for-profit registry operator with similar mission-driven governance and expansion ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• Verisign: Operates the .com and .net registries, the largest TLD registry globally. Directly comparable to CIRA as a registry operator with massive scale and Anycast DNS infrastructure serving a dominant share of global TLD traffic.
• Cloudflare: Provides authoritative DNS, DDoS protection, and a broad cybersecurity platform including Zero Trust and XDR-like capabilities. Comparable to CIRA on DNS infrastructure scale and increasingly on enterprise cybersecurity, though with much broader product scope.
• GoDaddy Registry: Operates registry services for 200+ TLDs and is a major registrar channel for .CA. Comparable as both a registry backend provider competing with Hello Registry and a CIRA registrar partner.

Regional players

• Afnic: French .fr ccTLD registry operator. Comparable as a European national ccTLD registry providing registry services and increasingly cybersecurity and DNS infrastructure services in its home market.
• SWITCH: Swiss .ch ccTLD registry operator that has expanded into broader internet and cybersecurity services for Swiss universities and research institutions. Comparable as a European national ccTLD registry with research/education sector focus.

Emerging players

• DNSimple: Provides managed authoritative DNS and domain services to businesses. Comparable as a specialized DNS infrastructure provider, though smaller in scale and focused on SMB/developer market rather than TLD-level Anycast.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ciranews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ciranews
• Facebookfacebook.com/cira.ca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-internet-registration-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/ciradotca
• TikToktiktok.com/@cira.ca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments16 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Internet Registration Authority