CentralNic

What CentralNic does

CentralNic Registry is a UK-based backend registry operator and technology provider, headquartered in London and operating as a subsidiary of Team Internet under the legal entity CentralNic Ltd. The company delivers the infrastructure, DNS services, security (including DNSSEC), and consulting required to run generic top-level domains (gTLDs), country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), and brand TLDs. Its platform supports 150+ TLDs, processes 32 billion DNS queries daily, and serves more than 20 million domains, with a recently demonstrated capability to migrate 3.3 million .co domains in 29 hours for Colombia's Ministry of Information and Communications.

The technology stack is built around a proprietary registry platform with extensive Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) table support spanning 100+ language and script combinations, RDAP-based Whois services, and a registrar console for billing and domain management. CentralNic Registry is certified by LRQA against ISO 9001:2015 (quality), ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (information security), and ISO 22301:2019 (business continuity), positioning it for government and ccTLD mandates.

The business model is B2B and subscription/recurring in nature, with revenue derived from backend registry services sold directly to gTLD registry operators, national ccTLD operators, governments, and brand TLD clients. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through enterprise agreements and long-term contracts (for example, a 10-year license for .co via the Equipo PuntoCo partnership). Distribution is exclusively direct, supplemented by industry participation in CENTR, apTLD, i2Coalition, RIPE NCC, DNS OARC, Global Cyber Alliance, and ECO.

Name

CentralNic

Legal name

CentralNic Ltd

Website

https://centralnicregistry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CentralNic Registry is a UK-based backend registry operator and subsidiary of Team Internet that provides DNS, registry infrastructure, and consulting services to gTLD, ccTLD, and brand TLD operators, supporting 150+ TLDs and 32 billion daily DNS queries across 20 million+ domains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Registry Backend Services: Backend registry operator services for gTLDs, ccTLDs, and Brand TLDs including DNS management, domain registration processing, and registry infrastructure

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CentralNic Registry operates as a backend registry operator and technology provider for generic top-level domains (gTLDs), country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), and brand TLDs, delivering secure, scalable DNS infrastructure and registry management for 150+ TLDs processing 32 billion DNS queries daily. The company also provides expert consulting for organizations applying for new gTLDs through ICANN's program and ongoing operational support across 20M+ domains.

Product overview

CentralNic Registry operates a comprehensive domain registry platform offering technology and consulting services for top-level domains. The portfolio includes New gTLD Consulting for ICANN applications, Brand TLDs (.brands) for brand-owned domains, Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) supporting 150+ TLDs, and Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) with customizable rules. The platform is backed by DNS Services processing 32 billion queries daily and includes tools such as Whois Lookup and Registrar Console. The company also provides extensive IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) table support for multiple languages and scripts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Registry Services Backend registry services for operating and managing generic top-level domains, leveraging a platform that supports 150+ TLDs. Targeted at gTLD registry operators needing ICANN-compliant infrastructure and DNS scalability.
• Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) Registry Services Registry services for country-code TLDs with customization to adhere to each country's specific rules, national policies, and guidelines. Targeted at national ccTLD registry operators and government-linked entities.
• Brand TLD (.brand) Services Dedicated services combining consulting and technology for brands seeking their own top-level domain, supporting brand-owned .brand extensions.
• New gTLD Consulting Expert consulting services guiding organizations through ICANN's new generic top-level domain application process, from initial application through launch and ongoing management. Targeted at new gTLD applicants preparing for ICANN's next round.
• CentralNic Registry Platform The core backend registry platform managing domain name registrations and DNS services for TLDs, supporting both gTLDs and ccTLDs with secure and scalable infrastructure. Provided as a managed service to registry operators.
• DNS Services Domain Name System services handling 32 billion DNS queries daily, providing secure, scalable, and reliable DNS resolution for TLD operators and downstream users.

Quantifiable outcome

• 32 billion DNS queries processed daily
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Equipo PuntoCo (Team Internet and CCI partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Team Internet and Colombian registrar CCI to operate the .co domain under a new 10-year license granted by Colombia's Ministry of Information and Communications. CentralNic Registry completed the migration of 3.3 million .co domain names in 29 hours to support this transition.
• Colombia Ministry of Information and Communications (MINTIC)coreOthersGovernment body that granted the 10-year license for .co domain operations to Equipo PuntoCo. CentralNic Registry supported the technical migration of 3.3 million domain names on behalf of MINTIC.
• Team InternetcoreOthersParent company of CentralNic Registry, providing domain industry expertise and partnership infrastructure. CentralNic Registry is a brand of Team Internet Group.
• RIPE NCCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Internet Registry for Europe, Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. Listed as partner organization supporting internet infrastructure.
• ECO – Internet Association GermanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman internet industry association. Listed as partner organization in the domain ecosystem.
• Global Cyber AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to reduce cyber risk. Listed as partner supporting internet security initiatives.
• DNS OARCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNS Operations, Analysis, and Research Center. Industry organization for DNS operational security and research.
• CENTRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil of European National Top-Level Domain Registries. Industry association for European ccTLD registries.
• apTLDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsia Pacific Top-Level Domain Association. Regional organization for TLD operators in Asia-Pacific.
• Internet Coalition (i2Coalition)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry organization advocating for internet infrastructure and accessibility. Listed as partner in ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• DENIC: DENIC operates Germany's .de ccTLD and runs significant DNS infrastructure. It is a regionally focused peer with comparable registry platform and DNS operations, primarily serving the German market.
• Afnic: Afnic is the French registry operating .fr and Reunion/Indian Ocean ccTLDs, and it provides registry services expertise primarily for French-speaking markets. It is a comparable ccTLD operator with similar product offerings to CentralNic's ccTLD business.
• NIC Argentina: NIC Argentina operates .ar and related ccTLDs for Argentina and is part of a global community of ccTLD registries. It is a comparable regional ccTLD operator addressing similar policy, security and infrastructure requirements.

Emerging players

• Netnod: Netnod is a Swedish DNS infrastructure operator providing anycast, secondary DNS and registry backend services to TLD operators. It overlaps with CentralNic in DNS hosting and registry platform services for operators of ccTLDs and brand TLDs.

Direct peers

• Public Interest Registry (PIR): PIR operates .org and related nTLDs and provides backend registry services to other TLD operators. It is a direct peer serving the same non-commercial and registry-operator customer base as CentralNic.
• Nominet: Nominet is the official registry for .uk and offers registry platforms and DNS services to other TLDs and brands. It is a directly comparable registry operator in the ccTLD and platform-services space.
• GoDaddy Registry: GoDaddy Registry operates multiple gTLDs (including .co through its partnership) and provides backend registry services. It is a directly comparable registry operator and backend services peer of comparable scale and product scope.
• Identity Digital: Identity Digital (formed from Afilias + Donuts) operates a large portfolio of gTLDs and provides backend registry services for registry operators and brands. It is the closest direct competitor to CentralNic Registry in the new-gTLD and brand-TLD backend market.
• ARI Registry Services: ARI Registry Services is a specialist backend registry provider offering consulting and infrastructure for new gTLDs, brand TLDs and ccTLDs. It competes head-to-head with CentralNic in the ICANN next-round consulting and backend segments.

Broad incumbents

• Verisign: Verisign operates .com and .net and runs critical DNS infrastructure at multi-trillion-query scale. It is a much larger incumbent in the broader registry/DNS infrastructure space and competes indirectly for high-value registry and brand-TLD mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cnicregistry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centralnic-registry

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CentralNic