Register.com
A United States domain registrar and small-business web-services brand.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Register.com is an American internet-services brand focused on domain-name registration and digital tools for small businesses and other organizations. The business began in 1994 as Forman Interactive Corp, founded by brothers Peter and Richard Forman and their brother-in-law Dan B. Levine. Its original activity centered on website-creation software, but the company moved into the emerging commercial domain-registration market as the internet's naming system was opened to competitive registrars. In 1999, the company adopted the Register.com name and became one of the first five testbed registrars selected by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the competitive Shared Registry System. It began paid registration operations in the .com, .net, and .org top-level domains in June of that year and was the first of the five testbed registrars to go online. During its initial expansion, it reportedly processed several thousand domain registrations per day. This early participation gave Register.com a prominent position during the transition from a registry environment dominated by Network Solutions to a more competitive registrar market. Register.com became a public company in March 2000, during the peak of the dot-com boom. It subsequently acquired Afternic.com in September 2000, broadening its connection with the domain aftermarket. The post-bubble decline in internet stocks and the company's changing ownership structure led to a shift away from its short-lived public-company phase. Vector Capital acquired Register.com in November 2005, and the company later operated under private-equity ownership and management changes, including the appointment of David Moore as interim chief executive and Larry Kutscher as chief executive in 2006. The brand's service scope expanded beyond domain names to include website-building tools, hosting, business email, online marketing and related web-presence services. Its positioning has generally been that of a one-stop provider for small and midsize businesses that want to establish and maintain an online presence without assembling separate specialist vendors. Customer-support quality was an important part of that positioning; Register.com received J.D. Power Call Center Certification beginning in 2005 and again in several subsequent years, according to the company's historical account. Web.com acquired Register.com for $135 million in June 2010, making the brand part of a larger portfolio of website, hosting and domain businesses. Web.com was acquired by Siris Capital Group in 2018. In 2021, Web.com was combined with Endurance International Group in a transaction involving Siris and Clearlake Capital Group, creating Newfold Digital. Register.com consequently became one of the brands operated within the Newfold Digital portfolio. In June 2025, Register.com announced a planned merger or integration with Network Solutions. The announced process would consolidate the Register.com brand into Network Solutions and migrate customer accounts to the Network Solutions platform. Therefore, although Register.com remains a recognizable service brand and its website continues to exist, its long-term standalone brand status is subject to the completion and scope of that integration.
History
Register.com originated in 1994 as Forman Interactive Corp, a company founded by Peter Forman, Richard Forman and Dan B. Levine. Its initial business involved software for creating websites. As commercial internet use expanded and domain-name registration began moving toward competition, the company repositioned itself around domain services and adopted the Register.com name in 1999. The company was an early participant in the restructuring of the domain-registration market. On April 21, 1999, ICANN identified Register.com as one of five testbed registrars for the competitive Shared Registry System. Register.com began operating as a paid registrar on June 7, 1999, offering registrations in the .com, .net and .org domains. It was the first of the five testbed registrars to begin operations. The company initially reported daily volumes of several thousand domain registrations, reflecting the rapid growth of commercial internet adoption at the time. Register.com entered the public markets through an initial public offering in March 2000, near the height of the dot-com boom. The company's stock experienced the extreme volatility associated with that period. In September 2000, Register.com acquired Afternic.com, a domain-name marketplace, in a transaction involving cash and stock. As the technology-market bubble collapsed, Register.com's public-market position weakened and its ownership changed. Richard D. Forman left his positions as president and chief executive in 2003. Vector Capital acquired Register.com in November 2005. During this period, David Moore, a principal associated with Sonostar, served as interim chief executive, followed by Larry Kutscher's appointment as chief executive in November 2006. The company also emphasized customer service: it received J.D. Power Call Center Certification in 2005 and was recognized again in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, according to the historical account summarized in the company's Wikipedia article. Register.com's business developed from a specialist registrar into a broader web-presence provider. Its portfolio came to include domain registration and management, website-building products, hosting, email and related services intended to help small businesses create and operate online presences. This model placed the company in a crowded market alongside registrars, hosting providers, website builders and other small-business technology platforms. Web.com acquired Register.com in June 2010. The acquisition made Register.com one of Web.com's consumer-facing domain and web-services brands. In June 2018, Siris Capital Group acquired Web.com. In February 2021, Web.com was combined with Endurance International Group in a transaction involving Siris and Clearlake Capital Group. The resulting company, Newfold Digital, became the wider corporate home for Register.com. The brand also faced operational and security-related controversies. On April 1, 2009, Register.com suffered a major distributed denial-of-service attack that disrupted thousands of websites and left customers unable to access the company's website or receive email for about three days. In January 2010, Baidu sued Register.com for alleged gross negligence after an employee was alleged to have permitted third-party access to Baidu's account without adequate security verification. The incident was linked to the reported hijacking of Baidu's website by the Iranian Cyber Army. In June 2025, Register.com announced an integration with Network Solutions. The stated plan was to consolidate the Register.com brand into Network Solutions and migrate customer accounts to the Network Solutions platform. This development may reduce Register.com's future standalone visibility, although the brand and its web presence remain identifiable during the transition.
- 2025
Brand consolidation with Network Solutions announced
[1]Register.com announces an integration that is expected to consolidate the brand into Network Solutions and migrate customer accounts.
- 2021
Newfold Digital becomes the corporate home
[1]The combination of Web.com and Endurance International Group creates Newfold Digital, under whose portfolio Register.com operates.
- 2010
Web.com acquisition
[1]Web.com acquires Register.com, adding it to its domain and web-services portfolio.
- 2005
Vector Capital acquisition
[1]Vector Capital acquires Register.com in a private transaction.
- 2000
Initial public offering
[1]Register.com becomes a public company during the dot-com boom.
- 2000
Afternic.com acquisition
[1]Register.com acquires Afternic.com, adding domain-marketplace capabilities.
- 1999
The company adopts the Register.com name
[1]Forman Interactive Corp officially changes its name to Register.com as it develops its domain-registration business.
- 1999
Competitive registrar operations begin
[1]Register.com becomes one of ICANN's first five testbed registrars and begins paid registration operations in .com, .net and .org.
- 1994
Forman Interactive Corp is founded
[1]Peter Forman, Richard Forman and Dan B. Levine establish the company that would later become Register.com, initially as a provider of website-creation software.
Products and positioning
A one-stop digital-presence provider for small and midsize businesses, combining domain registration with website, hosting, email and related online services.
Domain services · 1999
Domain registration
Register.com's core offering is the registration and management of internet domain names. The company initially operated in the .com, .net and .org spaces and later positioned domain services as the foundation of a broader small-business web-presence portfolio. Related functions include maintaining domain records and connecting domains to websites and email services.
Website creation
Website builder
Website-building services extend Register.com's original software heritage into tools intended to help customers create business websites without developing all site infrastructure independently. The offering is aimed primarily at small organizations seeking a packaged route to establishing an online presence.
Hosting
Web hosting
Register.com provides hosting as part of its bundled web-services model. Hosting allows customers to operate websites associated with registered domains and complements the brand's website-construction and domain-management products.
Business communications
Business email
Business email services are offered as a domain-linked communication tool for organizations using Register.com. The product supports the brand's broader proposition of providing core website and online identity functions through one provider.
Digital marketing
Online marketing services
Online marketing and related web-presence services broaden Register.com's role beyond technical domain infrastructure. They are designed to help small-business customers promote and manage their digital presence alongside their domains, websites and email.
Controversies
2010
Baidu domain-hijacking lawsuit
Baidu sued Register.com in January 2010, alleging gross negligence after an employee allegedly allowed third-party access to Baidu's account without adequate security verification. The alleged access enabled the reported hijacking of Baidu's website by the Iranian Cyber Army.
2009
Distributed denial-of-service attack
On April 1, 2009, Register.com experienced a major DDoS attack. The disruption reportedly affected thousands of websites and prevented customers from accessing the company website or receiving email for roughly three days.
Brand decisions
2025
Consolidate the brand into Network SolutionsStrategyBackground
Register.com and Network Solutions operate within the same broader Newfold Digital portfolio, creating an opportunity to consolidate customer platforms and brand operations.
Action taken
Register.com announced an integration with Network Solutions, including planned migration of customer accounts to the Network Solutions platform.
Aftermath
The Register.com brand is expected to have a reduced standalone role, subject to the completion of the announced integration.
2010
Join the Web.com portfolioM&ABackground
Register.com had developed from a registrar into a wider website, hosting and online-services provider.
Action taken
Web.com acquired Register.com.
Aftermath
The brand became part of Web.com's broader portfolio of domain and small-business web services.
Acquisition consideration. $135 million (June 2010)
2005
Move into private-equity ownershipM&ABackground
Following the collapse of the dot-com market and changes in the company's public-market position, Register.com changed ownership.
Action taken
Vector Capital acquired Register.com.
Aftermath
Register.com operated as a privately owned company and underwent executive changes.
Acquisition consideration. $200 million (November 2005)
2000
Acquire Afternic.comM&ABackground
The growing domain economy created demand for marketplaces where domain names could be bought and sold after initial registration.
Action taken
Register.com acquired Afternic.com in a cash-and-stock transaction.
Aftermath
The acquisition extended Register.com's activity into the domain aftermarket during the dot-com period.
Acquisition consideration. $48.6 million (September 2000)
1999
Enter the competitive domain-registration marketStrategyBackground
The opening of the domain-registration market to competitive registrars created an opportunity for Register.com to move beyond website-creation software.
Action taken
The company adopted the Register.com name, joined ICANN's testbed registrar program and began paid registrations in .com, .net and .org.
Aftermath
Register.com became one of the earliest commercial registrars and built its identity around domain registration and associated web services.
Recent events
- 2025
Register.com announces consolidation into Network Solutions[1]
M&A · Leadership change
Register.com announced that it would merge or integrate with Network Solutions, with the brand planned for consolidation and customer accounts scheduled for migration to the Network Solutions platform.
- 2021
Newfold Digital is formed through the combination of Web.com and Endurance[1]
M&A
Web.com and Endurance International Group were combined in a transaction involving Siris Capital Group and Clearlake Capital Group, creating Newfold Digital and bringing Register.com into its brand portfolio.
- 2018
Web.com is acquired by Siris Capital Group[1]
M&A
Siris Capital Group acquired Web.com, indirectly placing Register.com under new ownership.
- 2010
Web.com acquires Register.com[1]
M&A
Web.com acquired Register.com, adding the domain and web-services brand to its portfolio.
- 2006
Larry Kutscher becomes chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Larry Kutscher joined Register.com as chief executive after working at Dun & Bradstreet's Small Business Group.
- 2005
Register.com acquired by Vector Capital[1]
M&A
Vector Capital acquired Register.com, ending the company's period as an independently listed public company.
- 2000
Register.com acquires Afternic.com[1]
M&A
Register.com acquired domain-marketplace company Afternic.com in a cash-and-stock transaction, expanding its presence in domain aftermarket services.
- 1999
Register.com becomes one of ICANN's first competitive registrar testbed participants[1]
Other · Product launch
Register.com was selected as one of the first five testbed registrars for ICANN's competitive Shared Registry System and began paid operations in .com, .net and .org.
Sources2 sources
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