Key Findings Show that 2010 .ORG Registrations Grew 7.6 Percent during First Six Months - Total .ORG Domains Reaches 8.5 Million

Domains Under Management – By June 2010, over 8.5 million organizations owned a .ORG domain name. Domains under management increased by 7.6% in the first half of 2010..ORG, The Public Interest Registry today released the results of its bi-annual domain name report, “The Dashboard,” detailing the continued unparalleled growth of the world’s third largest generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD). In the first six months of 2010, the .ORG domain grew by 7.6 percent—more than doubling last year’s first half gain of 3.2 percent. This increase in registrations has brought .ORG’s total domains under management to an astounding 8.5 million.

The “Dashboard” also reveals other key findings illustrating the increasing strength of the .ORG domain:

• .ORG surpassed the growth of the two largest gTLDs—.COM and .NET—by posting a growth rate of 7.6 percent.
• 77.1 percent of organizations renewed .ORG domains for 1 to 3years—an increase of 4 percent over 2009.
• .ORG realized a 16.5 percent growth in the first half of 2010 for New Creates, staying on par with results posted from .COM and .NET.
• A .ORG content analysis showed that healthcare and education related domains had the most significant growth for 2010, increasing 6 percent and 13.6 percent respectively since 2009.
• North America and European Union (EU) continue to represent the regions with the most significant .ORG registrations, though China grew from 2 percent to 4 percent, and the Netherlands grew 1 percent to 3 percent in 2010.

“The staggering growth of .ORG is proof that we’re successfully expanding our influence across a wide array of registered businesses, for-profit companies and special interests while also continuing to serve the greater non-profit community,” said Alexa Raad (CircleID), CEO of .ORG, The Public Interest Registry. “With our overall number now reaching over 8.5 million, it only further illustrates the continued appeal of a .ORG address and how our domain is viewed as a trusted and secure source both domestically and internationally.”

Complementing .ORG’s notable growth thus far in 2010 was the announcement that .ORG is now offering full DNSSEC deployment. On June 23, 2010, during ICANN 38 Brussels, .ORG, The Public Interest Registry announced that it has taken the final step to become the first gTLD to offer full deployment of Domain Name System Security Extensions—otherwise known as DNSSEC. The acceptance of second level-signed .ORG zones culminated an extensive two-year process in the domain’s rollout of breakthrough security protocol, as registrars such as Go Daddy, DynDNS.com, and NamesBeyond can now offer added security protection to their customers by enabling .ORG website owners to sign their respective domain name with DNSSEC.

Such key initiatives lead by PIR attest to the organization’s continual dedication to improve Internet security. In cooperation with the DNSSEC Coalition, .ORG hosted educational webinars for registrars to outline best practices and lessons learned in DNSSEC implementation. Also, .ORG contributed to the creation and dissemination of a Crib Sheet (Operational Considerations for Registrar Implementation) along with a Risk Assessment Document for Registry Implementations. The continuation of proactive industry partnerships is one of the many reasons .ORG is considered the most trusted gTLD on the Internet.

For more information on “The Dashboard” or to download previous versions, go to www.pir.org/news.