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Afilias

Full company profile

uuid000b1th

Namestring
Afilias
Legal namestring
Identity Digital Inc.
Websiteurl
afilias.info
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2012
Descriptiontext

Afilias is a wholly owned subsidiary of Identity Digital Inc. (formerly Donuts Inc., founded 2012; rebranded 2021) and serves as the legacy registry operator that was integrated into Identity Digital following the 2017 acquisition. The company provides back-end domain name registry services, DNS, IDN, and RFID services, with historic ownership of high-value legacy TLD contracts including .info and .biz, plus a broader portfolio spanning 400+ domain extensions across industries such as Business, Education, Financial, Healthcare, Legal, Travel, Sports, Retail, Real Estate, Tech, and Entertainment.

Identity Digital's product platform is organized around three core service lines: Registrar Services for domain resellers, cloud-based Registry Services providing the backend infrastructure powering its TLD portfolio, and a Reseller Program enabling third parties to add Identity Digital domains to their product suite. The technology foundation is a cloud-based registry infrastructure with anti-abuse tooling, industry-leading uptime, and supplementary services including DNSid (DNS security), Premium Catalog (high-value domains), WHOIS Access, and RDDS Layered Access. Notable scale signals include 86% Fortune 50 brand adoption and Inc. 5000 recognition.

The business model is recurring subscription-based domain registration, monetized through a three-tier channel architecture: Registrar partners who offer Identity Digital domains to end customers, Registry backend operations, and Reseller arrangements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span Fortune 50 / Enterprise companies (brand protection), Startups and growth companies (descriptive domain SEO positioning), and the Registrar/Reseller/Registry channel itself, supported by vertical industry-specific TLD targeting and content-led marketing including Anti-Abuse and Investor Insights reports.

Short descriptiontext

Afilias, a wholly owned subsidiary of Identity Digital Inc., operates back-end domain name registry services as part of the world's largest domain extension portfolio (400+ TLDs), serving enterprises, registrars, and resellers globally through cloud-based registry infrastructure.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
251–500
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
HQ citystring
Dublin
HQ countrystring
Ireland
HQ regionstring
Europe
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
domain registry services, DNS services, IDN services, RFID services, top-level domains
NAICS code3 codes
  • Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services5182
  • Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services518
  • Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services519290
SIC code1 code
  • Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc.7370
Product category
Domain Registry Services
Social media profiles3 records
GTM motion1 record

Each record includes

Type, Description, Source

Revenue model1 record
1Domain Registration Services
TypeSubscription Recurring
Description

Revenue generated from registrar, registry, and reseller domain registration services across a large portfolio of new domain extensions

identity.digital
Marketing channels5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components5 values
Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeSoftware
Software
Brand1 record
1DNSid
Description

DNS security and intelligence platform referenced at dnsid.ai

identity.digital
Core offering1 text field

Afilias provides back-end domain name registry services, DNS, IDN (Internationalized Domain Names), and RFID services. Operating as part of Identity Digital, Afilias powers the technical infrastructure for top-level domain registries including legacy TLDs such as .info and .biz, and supports a portfolio of 400+ domain extensions distributed through registrars, resellers, and registry partners worldwide.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Quantifiable outcome1 of 2 values shown
  • Sites using descriptive domains achieve first-page Google rankings within 3 months of launch
+1 more record
Product overview1 text field

Identity Digital operates a comprehensive domain name services platform consisting of three core service lines: Registrar Services for domain resellers, Registry Services providing cloud-based domain infrastructure, and a Reseller Program for partners. The platform offers the world's largest portfolio of domain extensions (400+ TLDs) including descriptive domains (.life, .flights, .coffee) and industry-specific domains (.doctor, .lawyer, .realestate). Additional products include a Premium Catalog for high-value domain names, DNSid for DNS security, WHOIS Access, and RDDS Layered Access for data services. The company publishes quarterly Anti-Abuse Reports and annual Investor Insights Reports, targeting Fortune 50 companies, startups, and domain investors.

Scale indicator3 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move6 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight6 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers10 records
1Tucows
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Operates a registrar and reseller platform (Hover, Enom) and historically wholesale domain services. Comparable as a domain distribution intermediary though vertically integrated as a registrar/reseller rather than a registry.

2CentralNic Group
TypeDirect peer
Description

Operates a portfolio of new gTLD registries and provides registry backend services. Directly comparable in TLD portfolio breadth and registrar-driven distribution model.

3GMO Registry
TypeDirect peer
Description

Operates multiple new gTLDs (.shop, .tokyo, .ninja) and provides registry platform services. Directly comparable as a new-gTLD portfolio operator.

4Radix Registry
TypeDirect peer
Description

Operates a portfolio of new gTLDs including .online, .store, .tech, .site. Comparable new-gTLD portfolio operator competing for the same descriptive-domain customer segment.

5Nominet
TypeRegional player
Description

Operates the .uk country-code registry and related services. Comparable registry operator but focused on the UK ccTLD market with a different geographic footprint.

6GoDaddy Registry
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Operates registry services as part of GoDaddy's broader domain and hosting platform. Comparable backend registry capability, but bundled within a much larger registrar and web services incumbent.

7Cloudflare Registrar
TypeEmerging player
Description

Operates a registrar at-cost service and significant DNS infrastructure. Comparable in the DNS and domain services layer and a potential channel partner or competitive disruptor to incumbent registry economics.

8Public Interest Registry (PIR)
TypeDirect peer
Description

Operates the .org registry and offers registry services to other TLDs. Directly comparable registry operator with similar backend infrastructure and registrar channel model.

9Verisign
TypeDirect peer
Description

Operates the .com and .net registries, the dominant generic TLDs globally. Directly comparable as a registry operator serving registrars and managing the internet's core addressing layer.

10Identity Digital (parent brand reference)
TypeOthers
Description

Listed separately because the subject company 'Afilias' is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Identity Digital; included for completeness given the data explicitly identifies this parent-subsidiary structure.

Market position
Strengths5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat6 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights7 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Named customers3 records

Each record includes

Name, Industry, Type, Use case, Source, UUID

Segment4 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile3 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Feature3 records

Each record includes

Title, Differentiator, Description, Source

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles11 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

Subsidiaries2 records

Each record includes

Name, Acquired on, Relationship type, Type, Business focus

No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A4 records

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

Afilias

Domain Registry Servicesafilias.info

Afilias, a wholly owned subsidiary of Identity Digital Inc., operates back-end domain name registry services as part of the world's largest domain extension portfolio (400+ TLDs), serving enterprises, registrars, and resellers globally through cloud-based registry infrastructure.

What Afilias does

Afilias is a wholly owned subsidiary of Identity Digital Inc. (formerly Donuts Inc., founded 2012; rebranded 2021) and serves as the legacy registry operator that was integrated into Identity Digital following the 2017 acquisition. The company provides back-end domain name registry services, DNS, IDN, and RFID services, with historic ownership of high-value legacy TLD contracts including .info and .biz, plus a broader portfolio spanning 400+ domain extensions across industries such as Business, Education, Financial, Healthcare, Legal, Travel, Sports, Retail, Real Estate, Tech, and Entertainment.

Identity Digital's product platform is organized around three core service lines: Registrar Services for domain resellers, cloud-based Registry Services providing the backend infrastructure powering its TLD portfolio, and a Reseller Program enabling third parties to add Identity Digital domains to their product suite. The technology foundation is a cloud-based registry infrastructure with anti-abuse tooling, industry-leading uptime, and supplementary services including DNSid (DNS security), Premium Catalog (high-value domains), WHOIS Access, and RDDS Layered Access. Notable scale signals include 86% Fortune 50 brand adoption and Inc. 5000 recognition.

The business model is recurring subscription-based domain registration, monetized through a three-tier channel architecture: Registrar partners who offer Identity Digital domains to end customers, Registry backend operations, and Reseller arrangements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span Fortune 50 / Enterprise companies (brand protection), Startups and growth companies (descriptive domain SEO positioning), and the Registrar/Reseller/Registry channel itself, supported by vertical industry-specific TLD targeting and content-led marketing including Anti-Abuse and Investor Insights reports.

Afilias firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Afilias
Legal name
Identity Digital Inc.
Website
https://afilias.info
Company type
Private
Founded year
2012
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
251–500 employees
Short description
Afilias, a wholly owned subsidiary of Identity Digital Inc., operates back-end domain name registry services as part of the world's largest domain extension portfolio (400+ TLDs), serving enterprises, registrars, and resellers globally through cloud-based registry infrastructure.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where Afilias is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Dublin
HQ country
Ireland
HQ region
Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

Afilias business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Software
Cost components
Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

  1. Domain Registration Services: Revenue generated from registrar, registry, and reseller domain registration services across a large portfolio of new domain extensions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Afilias product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Afilias provides back-end domain name registry services, DNS, IDN (Internationalized Domain Names), and RFID services. Operating as part of Identity Digital, Afilias powers the technical infrastructure for top-level domain registries including legacy TLDs such as .info and .biz, and supports a portfolio of 400+ domain extensions distributed through registrars, resellers, and registry partners worldwide.

Product overview

Identity Digital operates a comprehensive domain name services platform consisting of three core service lines: Registrar Services for domain resellers, Registry Services providing cloud-based domain infrastructure, and a Reseller Program for partners. The platform offers the world's largest portfolio of domain extensions (400+ TLDs) including descriptive domains (.life, .flights, .coffee) and industry-specific domains (.doctor, .lawyer, .realestate). Additional products include a Premium Catalog for high-value domain names, DNSid for DNS security, WHOIS Access, and RDDS Layered Access for data services. The company publishes quarterly Anti-Abuse Reports and annual Investor Insights Reports, targeting Fortune 50 companies, startups, and domain investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

  • DNSid: DNS security and intelligence platform referenced at dnsid.ai

Quantifiable outcome

  • Sites using descriptive domains achieve first-page Google rankings within 3 months of launch
  • +1 more outcomes

Companies that use Afilias

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Afilias technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Afilias partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Afilias competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Tucows: Operates a registrar and reseller platform (Hover, Enom) and historically wholesale domain services. Comparable as a domain distribution intermediary though vertically integrated as a registrar/reseller rather than a registry.
  • GoDaddy Registry: Operates registry services as part of GoDaddy's broader domain and hosting platform. Comparable backend registry capability, but bundled within a much larger registrar and web services incumbent.

Direct peers

  • CentralNic Group: Operates a portfolio of new gTLD registries and provides registry backend services. Directly comparable in TLD portfolio breadth and registrar-driven distribution model.
  • GMO Registry: Operates multiple new gTLDs (.shop, .tokyo, .ninja) and provides registry platform services. Directly comparable as a new-gTLD portfolio operator.
  • Radix Registry: Operates a portfolio of new gTLDs including .online, .store, .tech, .site. Comparable new-gTLD portfolio operator competing for the same descriptive-domain customer segment.
  • Public Interest Registry (PIR): Operates the .org registry and offers registry services to other TLDs. Directly comparable registry operator with similar backend infrastructure and registrar channel model.
  • Verisign: Operates the .com and .net registries, the dominant generic TLDs globally. Directly comparable as a registry operator serving registrars and managing the internet's core addressing layer.

Regional players

  • Nominet: Operates the .uk country-code registry and related services. Comparable registry operator but focused on the UK ccTLD market with a different geographic footprint.

Emerging players

  • Cloudflare Registrar: Operates a registrar at-cost service and significant DNS infrastructure. Comparable in the DNS and domain services layer and a potential channel partner or competitive disruptor to incumbent registry economics.

Others

  • Identity Digital (parent brand reference): Listed separately because the subject company 'Afilias' is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Identity Digital; included for completeness given the data explicitly identifies this parent-subsidiary structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Afilias social profiles

Digital presence

Afilias financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Afilias leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Afilias subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries2 records

Afilias funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Afilias M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A4 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Afilias

What does Afilias do?

Afilias provides back-end domain name registry services, DNS, IDN (Internationalized Domain Names), and RFID services. Operating as part of Identity Digital, Afilias powers the technical infrastructure for top-level domain registries including legacy TLDs such as .info and .biz, and supports a portfolio of 400+ domain extensions distributed through registrars, resellers, and registry partners worldwide.

Is Afilias a public or private company?

Afilias is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was Afilias founded?

Afilias was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.

Where is Afilias based?

Afilias is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.

How does Afilias make money?

One revenue line is on record: domain Registration Services.

Who are Afilias's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Tucows and GoDaddy Registry. Direct peers are CentralNic Group, GMO Registry, Radix Registry, Public Interest Registry (PIR) and Verisign. Nominet is listed as a regional player. Cloudflare Registrar is listed as an emerging player. Identity Digital (parent brand reference) is listed as an others.

Does Afilias have an API?

No public API is recorded for Afilias.

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Live signals
Wikipedia.io: Difference between revisionsThe .io domain, originally delegated to the Internet Computer Bureau and later sold to Afilias, Donuts, and Ethos Capital, faces potential extinction due to a UN ruling that sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago belongs to Mauritius. The UK announced in October 2024 its intention to transfer sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, which would extinguish the British Indian Ocean Territory and the associated .io country-code top-level domain. This development follows ongoing complaints from the Chagos Refugees Group regarding revenue repatriation and human rights violations linked to the domain's administration.SlashdotVerisign Is Finally Bringing .web Domains To the InternetVerisign has finally delegated the .web top-level domain into the DNS root after a decade of legal battles, clearing the way for public registrations later in 2026. The .web extension attracted a record $135 million winning bid in a 2016 ICANN auction by Nu Dot Co, which was secretly funded by Verisign, triggering years of disputes with rival bidder Afilias (later acquired by Donuts). The launch positions .web as a potential alternative to .com, though questions remain about competition given Verisign's existing control over both .com and .net.PR NewswireChange in doMEn's Board of Directors - Randy Haas, CFO Donuts, appointedRandy Haas, CFO of Donuts Inc., has been appointed to the Board of Directors of doMEn d.o.o., the registry for Montenegro's national domain .ME, replacing founding board member Desiree Miloshevic Evans. The board change follows Donuts' acquisition of Afilias in December 2020, which made Donuts the second largest domain registry globally and brought the company into the doMEn public-private partnership alongside GoDaddy and local partner ME-net. The partnership has generated 36.4 million EUR in government revenue over 13 years, representing 47% of the company's gross revenue.PR NewswireDonuts Acquires AfiliasDonuts Inc. has completed its acquisition of Afilias, Inc., combining two leading top-level domain (TLD) registry operators under one corporate structure. The companies will continue operating with no significant short-term changes for registrars or registry services clients, while developing an integration plan. The acquisition price was not disclosed, and both companies emphasize that security, stability, and reliability remain their top priorities during the transition.PR NewswireDonuts Inc. to Acquire Afilias, Inc.Donuts Inc., a global leader in next-generation top-level domains, has entered into an agreement to acquire Afilias, Inc.'s registry business for an undisclosed sum. The transaction, which excludes Afilias' mobile software and registrar businesses, is expected to close in Q4 2020 pending regulatory approval. Afilias operates authoritative directories and DNS services for over 200 top-level domains including .info, .global, and .mobi.PR NewswireAfilias Joins Global Encryption Coalition to Promote Internet SecurityAfilias, the world's second largest domain name registry, has joined the Global Encryption Coalition to advocate for strong internet encryption standards. The company also signed an open letter opposing the US Senate's 'Lawful Access to Encrypted Data Act S. 4501,' arguing that mandated backdoors would compromise user privacy and security.PR NewswireILOVE.PR - Lanzamiento de dominios de primer nivel para la industria de las relaciones públicasnic.PR and its technology partner Afilias launched 64,000 new first-level .PR domain names on April 27, 2020. The release targets the public relations industry by making specific keywords like ILOVE.PR available for registration. This expansion allows PR professionals to secure distinct web addresses using the .PR extension.PR NewswireILOVE.PR - Prime Domains Released for the PR Industrynic.PR and its technology partner Afilias announced the release of 64,000 prime domain names ending in .PR, originally reserved for years. The release targets public relations professionals with category-relevant terms such as ILOVE.PR and GIG.PR to help differentiate their businesses online.PR NewswireBlacknight Chooses Afilias for Managed DNS with AnycastAfilias announced that Blacknight has selected its Managed DNS service with Anycast technology to enhance service stability and security for hosted domain customers. The partnership leverages Afilias' global network, which supports over 20 million domain names, to provide high capacity, DDoS mitigation, and reduced latency for Blacknight's clients.PR Newswire¡El dominio de Internet .PR cumple 30 años!Gauss Research Laboratory, Inc., the registry operator for Puerto Rico's .PR top-level domain, and its technology partner Afilias announced that the .PR domain will reach its 30-year service milestone on August 27, 2019. The domain received a major technical upgrade in early 2018 when Afilias enabled the EPP protocol, automating name creation and management, which has since driven distribution growth by more than 50%. A new authorized nameserver will be activated in Puerto Rico in 2020 to further improve local service speeds.