VERISIGN INC/CA (VRSN)

Verisign is a global provider of critical internet infrastructure and domain name registry services, enabling navigation for many of the world's most recognized domain names. It supports the security, stability and resiliency of the Domain Name System (DNS) by performing the Root Zone Maintainer function, operating two of the thirteen global internet root servers, and providing registration services and authoritative resolution for the .com and .net top-level domains, which support the majority of global e-commerce. The company was incorporated in Delaware in 1995, and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker VRSN.

Verisign operates the authoritative directory for the .com, .net and .name generic top-level domains, certain internationalized transliterations of .com and .net, and the .cc country code domain, and it provides back-end systems for the .edu domain. It also owns and maintains the Shared Registration System, which lets registrars add, modify, transfer, renew and delete second-level domain names. Domain names can be registered for one to ten years. Pricing for .com, .net and .name is restricted under agreements with ICANN, and the .com agreement permits maximum price increases of up to 7% in each of the final four years of a six-year period, while .net prices may rise up to 10% a year. Pricing for .cc and the internationalized domains is not subject to those restrictions. The company pays ICANN per-registration fees on .com, .name and .net.

Verisign's customers are ICANN-accredited registrars, which set retail prices and sell domain names to individuals and organizations seeking an online identity. The company markets to grow .com, .net and .cc registrations in the U.S. and abroad through registrars, with marketing and account management staff in several countries. Its business is governed by a registry agreement with ICANN for .com (to be renewed by November 30, 2030), a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce for .com, a .net registry agreement (to be renewed by July 1, 2029), and a Root Zone Maintainer agreement running to October 2032. It also holds licenses in China and is subject to data privacy and cybersecurity regulation in several jurisdictions.

Operations run from secure data centers in Dulles and Ashburn, Virginia, and New Castle, Delaware, plus more than 200 other points of presence worldwide. A global constellation of servers handles hundreds of billions of transactions daily, backed by redundant networking, layered security, disaster recovery and 24-hour support and monitoring. Research and development focuses on strengthening DNS infrastructure and security, mostly through internal efforts. Competitors include other gTLD and ccTLD registries such as CentralNic, CNNIC, DENIC, GoDaddy, Google, Identity Digital, Nominet, Public Interest Registry, Radix and .xyz. Social media, e-commerce platforms and AI could also reduce demand for domain names. Verisign had 928 employees at December 31, 2025, and is headquartered at 12061 Bluemont Way, Reston, Virginia.