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.ee in Q3 2025: Strong Growth and Rising International Interest

Renewals Up and Quality Improving

The third quarter saw several encouraging developments. Most notably, the number of domain renewals increased by more than 17%. This shows that registered domains are being used more actively creating daily value for businesses and strengthening digital identity. It’s also a sign that .ee domains are seen as reliable and worth maintaining.

Equally positive is the steady decline in expired domains. The combination of higher renewal rates and strong new registrations means the .ee domain zone is becoming increasingly high-quality and secure.

However, expired domains don’t lose their value: they are listed on daily domain auctions, giving them a second life and creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs. In the past quarter, 5,320 domains went to auction, and 6.56% found new owners - nearly double the rate from the previous period.

Interest in the auction platform is also growing: it now has over 2,600 registered users, meaning competition for the most attractive domain names is becoming even stronger.

Growing International Interest

The .ee domain continues to hold a high reputation internationally. The share of foreign registrants has risen to 18.42%, and in recent years they have accounted for nearly one-third of all new .ee registrations. This trend suggests that international interest in .ee will continue to grow steadily.

This global influence is also visible in the domain names themselves: we’re seeing a sharp rise in non-Estonian-language domains. Even local companies are increasingly using English words in their names, as today’s tools and technologies make it possible to reach international markets from the very start of a business.

To celebrate and preserve local identity, the Estonian Internet Foundation highlights and recognizes distinctly Estonian domain names through the “Ehe Eesti” (“Truly Estonian”) competition. This year, the title of Best .ee Domain Name went to keelemeel.ee, a language editing and communication services company.

Changing Keywords and Emerging Trends

The most popular keywords in .ee domain names remain largely unchanged, but the third quarter saw a noticeable rise in the use of numbers. Alongside the ever-present 24, there’s growing use of 333, 88, and 123. Many entrepreneurs are also already looking ahead - domain names referencing the year 2026 have begun to appear.

A surprising newcomer is the rise of casino-related keywords. What first appeared to be a short-term seasonal trend has now proven to be a longer-lasting shift, reflecting the growing number of businesses and brands connected to the gaming industry in Estonia.

Topics related to AI, digital innovation, and IT remain strong, while domains featuring words like “pro,” “expert,” and “smart” show that Estonian domain owners continue to express their professionalism and confidence online. Compared to previous years, when education-related terms like “school” and “learning” were more popular, this year brings more domains referring to “labs,” “services,” and “licenses.”

From a geographical perspective, Tallinn continues to dominate, but words like “Baltic” and “Nordic” also appear frequently, clear signs of Estonia’s increasingly international business outlook.

The Top 10 Most Popular Words in .ee Domains (Q3)

• auto (car)

• 24

• eesti (Estonia)

• pg

• kasiino (casino)

• ai

• 333

• pro

• kodu (home)

• keskus (center)