Squarespace overtakes Tucows in .com registrar rankings

ICANN’s latest registrar rankings for the .com namespace reveal a shifting landscape among domain providers, with Squarespace ascending to fourth place by total domains under management (DUM). The data, which lags three months behind real-time figures, covers activity through May 2026 and highlights both growth among newer registrars and continued contraction at established players.

Market movements in .com registrations

The May 2026 data shows Squarespace holding 9.44 million .com domains, narrowly surpassing Tucows’ 9.42 million. This marks a year-over-year gain of 966,104 domains for Squarespace, while Tucows lost 1.15 million over the same period. The change reflects broader trends: newer registrars are expanding their share of the market, often through aggressive pricing or integrations with website-building platforms, while some legacy providers face stagnation or decline.

Hostinger and Alibaba also swapped positions in the top 10, with Hostinger adding 239,000 new .com registrations in May alone—its largest monthly gain on record. NameSilo and Name.com saw significant spikes as well, with NameSilo doubling its prior month’s new registrations. Analysts attribute Name.com’s growth to reseller partnerships with coding platforms, which have gained traction among developers and small businesses.

Winners and losers in the registrar space

The year-over-year data underscores a divide between registrars gaining ground and those losing it. Namecheap led all providers with a net gain of 2.19 million .com domains, followed by Cloudflare (+1.46 million) and Hostinger (+1.31 million). Unstoppable Domains, which focuses on blockchain-based domains, also saw notable growth, adding 664,045 domains.

On the other end of the spectrum, Newfold Digital experienced the largest decline, shedding 1.52 million .com domains. GoDaddy, despite remaining the market leader by a wide margin, lost 261,592 domains year-over-year. Other legacy providers, including GMO and Team Internet, also saw significant reductions, with GMO down 191,028 domains and Team Internet down 119,650.

The data reflects broader industry dynamics, including the rise of all-in-one platforms that bundle domains with hosting, email, and website-building tools. Squarespace and Wix, for example, have leveraged their website-building ecosystems to drive domain registrations, while providers like Cloudflare and Hostinger have attracted users with competitive pricing and developer-friendly features.

Implications for domain professionals

For domain investors and resellers, the rankings highlight the importance of registrar choice in managing costs and service quality. Registrars with declining DUM may raise prices or reduce support to offset losses, while growing providers may offer more competitive rates or innovative features. The data also suggests that reseller partnerships—particularly with coding platforms and website builders—are becoming a key driver of growth for mid-sized registrars.

The May 2026 data provides a snapshot of an evolving market, where traditional leaders face pressure from newer, more agile competitors. While GoDaddy and Namecheap remain dominant, the rise of providers like Squarespace and Hostinger signals a shift toward integrated services and developer-focused offerings.