Verisign may again be able to raise wholesale prices for .com domains in late 2026, despite earlier assumptions that such an increase would not be permitted during that year. A closer reading of the company’s contractual framework suggests that the timing of past price increases has blurred how the pricing rules actually work.
Why 2026 Was Considered a “No-Increase” Year
For years, many observers believed that the final price increase in September 2024 exhausted Verisign’s ability to raise prices until at least 2027. This conclusion was based on the six-year pricing cycle defined in Verisign’s agreements, which allow increases in only four of those six years.
Because 2024 was treated as the last eligible year under the previous cycle, it was widely assumed that both 2025 and 2026 would be excluded. That assumption, however, relied more on Verisign’s past behavior than on the exact wording of the contracts.
Contractual Basis for Price Increases
The authority for .com price increases originates from Amendment 35 to Verisign’s Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. government, which took effect on October 26, 2018. Subsequent amendments to Verisign’s registry agreement with ICANN mirrored this structure.
Crucially, the agreement defines a “Pricing Year” as running from October 26 through October 25. Within each six-year period starting on October 26, 2018, Verisign is entitled to increase prices by up to 7% in the final four pricing years of that cycle.
Verisign’s Past Practice and the Pandemic Delay
Verisign has not historically implemented price increases at the beginning of eligible pricing years. In 2020, although it was contractually permitted to raise prices, the company announced a freeze due to the pandemic.
Instead, Verisign began raising prices later in each eligible pricing year, starting on September 1, 2021. It followed the same pattern for four consecutive years, increasing prices by 7% annually through September 2024. This consistent delay contributed to confusion about when pricing rights actually reset.
Renewal of the NTIA Agreement and Conflicting Interpretations
The Cooperative Agreement between Verisign and the U.S. government was renewed on November 29, 2024. In a blog post announcing the renewal, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration stated that the current terms do not permit wholesale .com price increases until September 1, 2026.
That statement appears to conflict with the contractual language itself, which suggests that a new pricing year — and therefore a potential price increase — could begin on October 26, 2026.
What This Means for .com Pricing in 2026
If the contract language is applied strictly, Verisign could be entitled to raise the wholesale .com price from $10.26 to approximately $10.97 late next year. As in previous cycles, the company would be required to provide at least six months’ advance notice.
This situation reflects earlier Verisign proceedings, where the company’s practical timing of price increases did not fully align with the formal contract structure. While Verisign has previously chosen to delay increases within eligible periods, those decisions did not alter its underlying contractual rights. Whether the company will again defer action in 2026, or raise prices at the first available opportunity, remains uncertain.