VERISIGN INC/CA (VRSN)

Verisign is a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, incorporated in Delaware in 1995 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with common stock trading on Nasdaq under the ticker VRSN. The company enables internet navigation for many of the world's most recognized domain names by operating the authoritative directory for all .com, .net, and .name generic top-level domains (gTLDs), certain internationalized versions of .com and .net, and the .cc country-code top-level domain, as well as providing back-end technical services for .edu and other gTLDs. Verisign also performs the Root Zone Maintainer function under agreement with ICANN and operates two of the world's thirteen global internet root servers, supporting the core security, stability, and resiliency of the Domain Name System (DNS).

Its main operations infrastructure includes secure data centers in Virginia and Delaware and more than 200 points of presence worldwide, processing hundreds of billions of transactions daily through distributed servers, redundant global networking, layered security systems, and disaster recovery capabilities. Verisign's registry services allow individuals and organizations worldwide to establish online identities and maintain secure, always-on connectivity, supporting the majority of global e-commerce through the .com and .net domains. Its operations are governed by registry agreements with ICANN and, for .com, a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, which set pricing, service-level, and operational requirements; pricing for .com, .net, and .name registrations is regulated, while .cc and IDN gTLD pricing is not.

Customers primarily include ICANN-accredited registrars who register domain names on behalf of individuals and businesses globally, with marketing and sales efforts targeting growth in .com, .net, and .cc registrations domestically and internationally. The company faces competition from other gTLD and ccTLD registries (such as CNNIC, DENIC, Nominet, Identity Digital, PIR, CentralNic, Google, .xyz, GoDaddy, and Radix), as well as from social media platforms, e-commerce marketplaces, and web/mobile applications that offer alternative means of establishing online identity. Verisign invests in research and development to enhance the security, scalability, and resiliency of its registration and resolution infrastructure and to adapt to evolving internet protocols.

As of December 31, 2023, the company had 908 employees, the majority based in the United States, and emphasizes talent development, diversity, equity and inclusion, and employee well-being as part of its human capital management strategy.