Com Laude Acquires Markmonitor in $450M Deal

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Com Laude Acquires Markmonitor in $450M Deal

By CircleID Reporter
September 24, 2025, 8:47 am PDT Views: 8,439 Add Comment

Com Laude, a London-based corporate domain services provider owned by PX3 Partners, has announced the acquisition of Markmonitor from Newfold Digital in a transaction valued at approximately $450 million. The deal, described as a landmark carve-out, combines two long-established players in the corporate domain management sector.

Ownership history: Founded in 1999, Markmonitor has changed ownership multiple times in the past 15 years. It was previously acquired by Thomson Reuters in 2012, sold to Clarivate Analytics in 2016, and later to Newfold Digital in 2022 for $300 million. Newfold stated that the divestiture reflects its strategy to streamline domain assets, consolidating brands such as Web.com and Register.com under Network Solutions.

This is Com Laude’s second recent acquisition, coming after its purchase of domain consultancy FairWinds. With support from PX3 Partners, Com Laude has been growing through strategic deals. CEO Benjamin Crawford used a similar strategy to expand CentralNic, now known as Team Internet Group.

Combined operations: Com Laude and Markmonitor both focus on managing domain portfolios and protecting digital brands for large multinational clients. Markmonitor works with about 2,000 customers in 80 countries and manages around 700,000 .com domains. The new combined company will have offices in London, Boise, and Tokyo. Benjamin Crawford will stay on as CEO, and Stu Homan will continue to lead Markmonitor.

Industry observers note that Markmonitor’s frequent ownership changes may leave some customers unsettled. Even so, the merger is expected to strengthen global coverage and accelerate the development of new services, including AI-driven brand protection tools. The combined company will compete with other major corporate registrars such as CSC, Safenames, and GoDaddy Corporate Domains.

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By CircleID Reporter — CircleID’s internal staff reporting on news tips and developing stories. Do you have information the professional Internet community should be aware of? Contact us.
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