The Domain Ecosystem
Every domain sits on top of a chain of registries, standards bodies and services. Knowing who does what helps you register with confidence. Here is how the ecosystem fits together — and where our domain services and TLD guide fit in.
The registries behind the TLDs we offer
A registry operates a top-level domain and holds its authoritative database. When you register a name, that registry is where it ultimately lives — whichever registrar you use.
Verisign
Operates the .com and .net registries, among the largest in the world. Any .com you register, anywhere, is recorded in Verisign's registry.
Public Interest Registry
The non-profit operator of .org and related extensions, long associated with non-commercial and mission-driven organizations.
Identity Digital (formerly Donuts)
Operates one of the largest portfolios of new gTLDs — hundreds of descriptive and industry-specific extensions such as .agency, .studio and .finance.
DENIC
The cooperative that operates .de, Germany's country-code TLD and one of the most-registered ccTLDs anywhere.
Nominet, afilias & other ccTLD operators
Country-code TLDs each have their own operator and rules. We work within each registry's requirements when you register a ccTLD.
Registry channels
Registrations reach these registries through ICANN-accredited registrar infrastructure — the regulated channel every legitimate registration passes through.
Standards and services domains depend on
Beyond the registries, a handful of neutral bodies and services define how domains stay secure, accountable and transferable.
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers sets registrar policy, accredits registrars, and publishes a public directory you can check any provider against.
Trademark Clearinghouse
The central database ICANN uses for trademark verification, sunrise registrations and brand claims. We use it when we help trademark holders protect a mark across TLDs.
Escrow services
High-value domain purchases should move through a neutral escrow service such as Escrow.com so funds and transfer are released together. We can arrange transactions this way.
DNSSEC & registry lock
Registry-level protections — cryptographic signing of DNS and locks that block unauthorised transfers — that we can enable on domains that support them, part of our approach to security.
EU / German data protection
As a Munich-based company, we operate under the GDPR and German data-protection law — the framework that underpins our approach to WHOIS privacy.
UDRP & dispute resolution
ICANN's Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy is the process for resolving abusive registrations; we can guide trademark holders through it as part of our brand-protection solutions.
Become a Partner
Interested in reselling or partnering with Privy Domains? Get in touch and we'll take it from there.
Contact usPrefer to explore first? See our domain services, pricing and resources.