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Why 2026 Was Considered a “No-Increase” Year

Many experts assumed 2026 would be a “no-price-increase” year for Verisign’s wholesale .com domains. This stemmed from the structure of Verisign’s pricing cycle, which only allows increases in four out of six years. After Verisign raised prices in September 2024, most people expected no increases in 2025 or 2026. However, a closer look at Verisign’s contracts shows that this assumption was more about past practices than the exact wording of the agreements.

Contractual Basis for Price Increases

Verisign has the right to raise .com prices under Amendment 35 to its Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. government, effective October 26, 2018. This agreement lets Verisign increase prices by up to 7% in four of the six years of each cycle. The pricing year runs from October 26 through October 25.

Despite assumptions that the September 2024 increase marked the last raise until 2027, the contract’s definition of a “Pricing Year” suggests Verisign can raise prices as early as October 26, 2026. This means Verisign could raise the price in late 2026, contradicting prior assumptions.

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Verisign’s Past Practice and the Pandemic Delay

Historically, Verisign has not raised prices at the start of pricing years. In 2020, it could have raised prices, but it froze the increase due to the pandemic. Instead, Verisign began increasing prices later in each pricing year, starting in September 2021. It continued this pattern for four years, raising prices by 7% annually through September 2024. This delay caused confusion about the timing of when Verisign could raise prices.

Renewal of the NTIA Agreement and Conflicting Interpretations

The NTIA renewed Verisign’s Cooperative Agreement on November 29, 2024. In a blog post, the NTIA stated that Verisign could not raise prices until September 1, 2026. This statement seems to contradict the actual contract language, which allows price increases starting October 26, 2026. This difference in interpretation has led to confusion about when Verisign can raise prices.

What This Means for .com Pricing in 2026

If Verisign follows the contract strictly, it could raise the wholesale .com price from $10.26 to about $10.97 in late 2026. Verisign must give at least six months’ notice before any price increase. While Verisign has delayed increases in the past, its rights to raise prices remain intact. Whether it will wait again or raise prices right away remains unclear.