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Afnic, the organisation responsible for .FR domain names, has published its 2024 annual report on its activities relating to .FR domain names.
802202 new creation operation
Having surpassed the 800,000 mark in 2023 (801,427), the number of registrations continued to rise compared with the previous year’s record, reaching 802,202 new .FR domain registrations. This momentum clearly illustrates the growing and enduring importance of digital technology in the French economy, and positions the .FR TLD as a reliable and recognised solution for new online projects.
82.6% renewal rate
The .FR retention rate (i.e. the proportion of domain names that undergo renewal from one year to the next) remains high, although it has fallen slightly compared with 2023 (83.4%).
+2.0% growth
Although lower than in the previous year (+3.4%), the growth in the number of .FR domain names in 2024 will still exceed that of all TLDs in the French market (+1.6%). The performance of the .FR TLD stands in contrast to the negative performance of the .COM TLD, whose portfolio is estimated to have fallen by between 1.5% and 2.0%, as well as to that of most major European TLDs, which also saw a decline in their portfolios (-0.5%) in the last quarter. As the domain name market often mirrors the general economic climate, the outlook remains bleak.
40.4% market share in France
A slight increase (40.3 per cent) compared with 2023 marks a new record for the .FR TLD, and whilst still modest, it confirms the trend of recent years: users are increasingly favouring national TLDs for their online presence.
Outlook for 2025: how will the .FR TLD develop?
In 2025, the .FR market will continue to be characterised by high cancellation rates and a high degree of volatility. At the same time, the buoyant registration activity observed in 2024 will continue, primarily due to the digital transformation of micro-enterprises and SMEs. The steady volume of registrations is expected to more than offset cancellations, thereby driving growth in the .FR domain, which is forecast to be between +1% and +2% in 2025.
The key to the success of the .FR TLD in the coming years will be ensuring that businesses and project managers receive support for their digital transformation and online presence. Afnic is therefore actively continuing its efforts to firmly establish its national TLD amongst users through programs aimed at expanding users’ digital skills and providing training, such as ‘Réussir avec le web’ [Succeeding on the Web] and ‘Je passe au numérique’ [I’m Going Digital]. A good relationship between Afnic and its registrars is essential to the success of the .FR TLD, and commercial activities developed in collaboration with registrars, aimed at the long-term use of domain names, are key to achieving this.