The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

What The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority does

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) coordinates the Internet's globally unique identifiers across three functional areas: Domain Names (DNS root zone management, .int and .arpa registries, and IDN practices), Number Resources (allocation of global IP address and Autonomous System number pools to Regional Internet Registries), and Protocol Assignments (central registries for protocol names and numbers maintained in conjunction with the IETF, IESG, and IAB). Its core technology consists of the DNS root zone database, the Root Key Signing Key infrastructure for DNSSEC trust, delegation management interfaces for TLD operators, and a Time Zone Database. The organization is one of the Internet's oldest institutions, with IANA functions dating to the 1970s, and today those functions are operationally delivered by Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), an affiliate of ICANN.

IANA does not sell commercial products or operate a pricing model. Services are provided as a public-interest coordination function and funded through ICANN's overall budget. The .int domain is offered at no cost to eligible intergovernmental treaty organizations, including UN specialized agencies and treaty-based entities. Distribution is direct via the iana.org portal, WHOIS protocol at whois.iana.org, and self-serve delegation management interfaces for TLD managers. Customer segments are horizontal and operational: TLD managers and registries, Regional Internet Registries, protocol developers and standards bodies, intergovernmental treaty organizations, and network operators requiring abuse contact information.

The organization's competitive position is anchored in its designated global mandate, formalized through the 2016 IANA stewardship transition from U.S. Government oversight to the global multi-stakeholder community under ICANN. IANA implements policies developed through multistakeholder processes rather than setting policy independently. There is no disclosed revenue, no external funding, and no commercial expansion pathway — the entity is structurally a public infrastructure function rather than an investment-grade commercial enterprise.

Name

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Legal name

Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

Website

https://iana.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IANA coordinates the Internet's globally unique identifiers — DNS root zone, IP and AS number allocations, and protocol registries — serving TLD operators, Regional Internet Registries, standards bodies, and treaty organizations as a public-interest function delivered by PTI under ICANN.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Infrastructure Coordination

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Signaling, Numbering & Registry Services (SS7/Diameter, ENUM, numbering resources) (HDAIAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

DNS Security & Protective DNS (HDADABAF)

Keywords

• DNS root zone management
• IP address allocation
• Protocol parameter assignment
• Internet identifier coordination
• Domain name registry

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) coordinates the Internet's globally unique identifiers, allocating and maintaining unique codes and numbering systems used in Internet technical standards. Its core offerings fall into three categories: Domain Name Services (DNS Root Zone Management, .INT and .ARPA registries, IDN Practices Repository, DNSSEC Root Key Signing), Number Resources (global IP address and AS number allocations to Regional Internet Registries), and Protocol Assignments (central registry of protocol names and numbers managed with standards bodies).

Product overview

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is a coordination organization that does not offer commercial products in the traditional sense. Instead, it provides essential public infrastructure services that form the technical backbone of the Internet. The core services include: DNS Root Zone Management (managing the root of the domain name system), the Root Zone Database (registry of all top-level domains), .INT Registry (for intergovernmental treaty organizations), .ARPA Registry (for Internet infrastructure purposes), IDN Practices Repository (for internationalized domain names), Root Key Signing Key for DNSSEC (DNS security), IP Address and AS Number Allocation, Protocol Assignments (registry of protocol numbers), Time Zone Database, and Network Abuse Information services. These services are provided by Public Technical Identifiers (PTI), an affiliate of ICANN, and are not commercial products but essential coordination functions for global Internet operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DNS Root Zone Management Management of the DNS root zone, the highest level of the naming hierarchy, involving delegation of top-level domains such as .com and country-code TLDs. Includes assigning managers for domains, recording technical delegation data, and publishing related registry information.
• Root Zone Database (Top-Level Domain Registry) The authoritative record of all top-level domains including gTLDs and ccTLDs, containing information about the organization managing each domain, technical details, and contact information.
• .INT Registry The .int top-level domain designed exclusively for intergovernmental treaty organizations, including UN specialized agencies, organizations with UN observer status, and entities established by international treaties between national governments. Registrations are provided at no cost to eligible organizations.
• .ARPA Registry The Address and Routing Parameter Area domain designated exclusively for Internet-infrastructure purposes, including reverse DNS lookups for IPv4/IPv6 addresses, ENUM mapping, and DNS service discovery.
• IDN Practices Repository A repository of permissible code points (characters) allowed for Internationalized Domain Name registrations in particular registries, helping to foster domain name internationalization across different languages and writing systems.
• Root Key Signing Key (DNSSEC) The Root Key Signing Key provides verification of the DNSSEC-signed root zone, administered through public key signing ceremonies and serving as the DNS trust anchor for the entire Internet.
• IP Address & AS Number Allocation Coordination of the global IP address and Autonomous System (AS) number spaces, providing allocations to Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) for distribution to end users.
• Protocol Assignments The central repository for protocol name and number registries used in Internet protocols, including assignments for various technical standards and application protocols.
• Time Zone Database A comprehensive database of time zone information used by computer systems and applications to determine local time across different geographic regions.
• Network Abuse Information Resources and information for reporting and addressing network abuse related to IP addresses and domain names managed through IANA's coordination role.
• Reserved Domains Specially designated domains held to serve specialized purposes, such as avoiding conflicts with potential real-world usage.
• Delegation Management Interface Online interface allowing existing TLD managers to maintain their delegation details and update registry information.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Public Technical Identifiers (PTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPTI is a purpose-built affiliate organization specifically established to provide the IANA functions to the global Internet community. PTI handles all operational aspects of coordinating Internet unique identifiers.
• ICANNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICANN is an internationally-organized non-profit organization set up by the Internet community to coordinate IANA's areas of responsibility. PTI is an affiliate of ICANN. ICANN provides the policy development framework through which stakeholders determine how IANA operations are governed.
• Regional Internet Registries (RIRs)coreTechnology or IntegrationFive RIRs (ARIN, RIPE NCC, APNIC, LACNIC, AFRINIC) receive allocations of IP addresses and AS numbers from IANA for regional distribution. This hierarchical allocation system ensures coordinated global IP address management.
• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)coreTechnology or IntegrationIETF develops Internet protocols and standards. Protocol number assignments managed by IANA are coordinated with IETF, IESG, and IAB. Standards development often dictates how protocol assignments should be managed.
• Internet Architecture Board (IAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAB provides technical guidance on Internet architecture and oversees .arpa domain management. IANA cooperates with IAB through RFC 3172 guidelines for .arpa operations and other technical matters.
• TLD Operators and ManagerscoreTechnology or IntegrationIANA maintains delegation data and technical information for all top-level domain managers. This includes both generic TLDs and country-code TLDs managed by various organizations worldwide.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ICANN: ICANN is IANA's parent/oversight organization and coordinates policy for the same domain-name, IP-addressing, and protocol-assignment areas IANA operates. The two are institutionally intertwined via PTI and operate over an overlapping mandate.
• Verisign: Verisign operates two of the Internet's thirteen root name servers and is the registry operator for .com and .net, making it a key infrastructure counterpart to IANA's root zone management function. Both are foundational to global DNS resolution.

Direct peers

• ARIN: ARIN is one of five Regional Internet Registries that receive IP and AS number allocations directly from IANA for North America, putting it in the same identifier-allocation value chain at a regional level.
• RIPE NCC: RIPE NCC serves as the RIR for Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia, receiving IP/AS allocations from IANA and distributing them regionally — a structural peer in the same numbering-allocation hierarchy.
• APNIC: APNIC is the Regional Internet Registry for the Asia-Pacific region, receiving allocations of IP and AS numbers from IANA — the Asia-Pacific counterpart to ARIN and RIPE NCC in IANA's hierarchical allocation system.
• LACNIC: LACNIC distributes IP/AS allocations across Latin America and the Caribbean as one of the five RIRs receiving resources from IANA — a regional peer in the same global numbering allocation chain.
• AFRINIC: AFRINIC serves as the Regional Internet Registry for Africa, receiving IP and AS allocations from IANA — completing the five-RIR hierarchy through which IANA distributes Internet number resources.
• Public Interest Registry (PIR): PIR operates the .org top-level domain and other registry services, interacting with IANA's root zone database for delegation management. It is a downstream operator in the TLD ecosystem IANA coordinates.
• Public Technical Identifiers (PTI): PTI is the purpose-built affiliate of ICANN that actually performs the IANA functions, making it the operational twin of the IANA brand. It shares staff, processes, and mission with IANA.

Emerging players

• Identity Digital: Identity Digital operates a portfolio of new gTLDs (.biz, .co, .us, and others) as a registry services provider, working with IANA for root zone delegation — comparable as a TLD operator within IANA's coordination scope.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theiana
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-internet-assigned-numbers-authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority