Saudi Domain Report 2024 Unveils 40% Surge In Registrations

The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) has recently unveiled the second edition of the Saudi Domain Report 2024, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's digital landscape. This report aims to underscore Saudi Arabia's leading position in the domain industry while enhancing understanding of the Saudi domain's significance, its functionalities, and the critical role played by licensed registrars.

According to the latest findings, there has been a remarkable surge in the registration of new domains within the Kingdom, with over 17,000 new domains registered throughout 2023. This represents a 40% growth rate, tripling the rate of new registrations recorded in 2022. Such statistics not only reflect a burgeoning interest in digital assets but also underscore the dynamic nature of Saudi Arabia's digital economy.

The report sheds light on the transformative shift in the Saudi Domain Names Registration model from direct registration through CST to adopting the Registry-Registrar model. This model aligns with international domain market practices and was implemented following a transition period that allowed domain registrants to seamlessly transfer their domain name management to licensed registrars without service disruption.

Furthermore, an overview of international domain names was provided, revealing that globally registered domains exceeded 359 million by the end of 2023, marking a 3% increase from the previous year. Notably, the market share of licensed Saudi domain name registrars experienced an annual growth rate of 11%, outpacing the international growth rate threefold.

The report also highlights several services offered by registrars, including domain transfer capabilities and a domain restore service for registrations that lapse without renewal within a specified one-month period. Impressively, the renewal rate for Saudi domains reached 84% in 2023, surpassing the international average and indicating a strong commitment to maintaining online presence among Saudi entities.

CST has built a resilient infrastructure to support Saudi domain names, boasting over 150 distributed servers worldwide. This infrastructure is among the largest globally and adheres to international best practices and standards. Additionally, there was a significant increase in monthly transactions on the registry system, with rates soaring by 75% compared to 2022.

Commitment to service quality remains a top priority for CST, as it continues to offer full support to both registrants and registrars. The report also disclosed the list of the most visited Saudi domains in 2023, highlighting the growing digital engagement within the Kingdom.

Targeting both public and private sectors as well as individuals, CST reiterates its call for registering Saudi domain names through its licensed registrars. This initiative not only benefits from their comprehensive services and features but also supports the broader vision of digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. Government entities are encouraged to register their domains via the Digital Government Authority by visiting https://nic.sa/registrars/.

With inputs from SPA