Identity Digital
Identity Digital Inc. is an American internet infrastructure company that operates as a domain registry, managing the world's largest portfolio of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) to provide registrars, businesses, and individuals with descriptive and relevant online identifiers.[1][2]
Founded in 2010 as Donuts Inc., the company capitalized on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)'s expansion of new gTLDs by acquiring applications and portfolios for extensions such as .build, .dental, and .ventures, thereby facilitating more intuitive digital branding beyond traditional .com domains.[1][3]
In 2020, Donuts acquired the registry operations of Afilias, Inc., adding established TLDs like .info and .mobi to its holdings, followed by a rebranding to Identity Digital to reflect its focus on enabling authentic digital identities through advanced registry services and security features.[1][4]
Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with global offices, Identity Digital supports scalable domain solutions that have been adopted by 96% of Fortune 50 companies, emphasizing SEO benefits, organic traffic growth, and seamless integration for industries including technology, healthcare, and retail.[5][6]
History
Founding as Donuts Inc. (2010–2019)
Donuts Inc. was founded in 2010 by Paul Stahura, Jonathon Nevett, Richard Tindal, and Daniel Schindler, industry veterans with prior experience in domain name services, including Stahura's role as founder of registrar eNom.[7][8] The company, headquartered in the Seattle area of Washington state, initially operated as a domain registry focused on emerging opportunities in top-level domains (TLDs).[9] Its formation preceded ICANN's expansion of the generic TLD (gTLD) program, positioning Donuts to capitalize on the anticipated proliferation of new domain extensions beyond .com. In June 2012, Donuts publicly announced its submission of applications for 307 new gTLDs to ICANN, including internationalized domain names, as part of the organization's 2012 application round that aimed to diversify internet namespace options.[10] To support these bids and operational setup, the company secured over $100 million in Series A funding from a consortium of private equity and venture capital investors, enabling it to pursue and eventually operate a portfolio of descriptive, industry-specific TLDs such as .app, .blog, and .guru upon ICANN delegations starting in 2014.[11][12] This aggressive strategy established Donuts as one of the largest independent gTLD operators, managing backend registry services for its extensions and emphasizing consumer-friendly, keyword-based domains to challenge the dominance of legacy TLDs. Throughout the mid-2010s, Donuts expanded its TLD portfolio through successful ICANN approvals and began providing registry services to third parties. On June 14, 2017, Donuts agreed to acquire Rightside Group, a publicly traded competitor, for $213 million in cash ($10.60 per share), a deal financed in part by $110 million in additional debt raised in August 2017.[13][14] The transaction, completed in July 2017, integrated Rightside's approximately 40 TLDs, its registry backend technology, and domain registrar Name.com, significantly bolstering Donuts' scale and vertical integration in the domain ecosystem.[15] By 2019, Donuts operated nearly 240 TLDs, serving millions of domain registrations and establishing itself as a key player in the post-.com domain market.[16]Expansion and TLD Acquisitions (2012–2020)
In June 2012, Donuts Inc. disclosed that it had submitted applications for 307 new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) under ICANN's gTLD expansion program, incurring approximately $57 million in application fees at $185,000 per application.[17] This aggressive strategy, supported by over $100 million in funding raised primarily in 2011, positioned Donuts to operate a broad array of niche TLDs aimed at enhancing online branding for businesses and individuals.[11] Over the subsequent years, ICANN delegated dozens of these TLDs to Donuts, including .guru, .email, .social, .restaurant, and .live, enabling the company to launch registry services and grow its portfolio to nearly 200 extensions by mid-2017.[14] To accelerate portfolio expansion beyond organic delegations, Donuts pursued strategic acquisitions of existing TLD operators. On June 14, 2017, it agreed to purchase Rightside Group—a registry managing 40 gTLDs such as .attorney, .church, .dental, and .gallery—for $213 million in cash, a deal that also included the Name.com domain registrar serving over 2 million domains.[14] ICANN approved the transaction in July 2017, allowing integration of Rightside's assets and boosting Donuts' scale in backend registry technology.[18] In February 2018, Donuts further acquired the .travel gTLD from Tralliance Corporation, adding a specialized extension with established registrations in the travel industry to its holdings.[19] These moves culminated in Donuts managing about 240 TLDs by late 2018, reflecting sustained growth through a combination of ICANN-awarded strings and targeted buys.[20] That September, private equity firm Abry Partners invested in a majority stake, infusing capital to support ongoing operations and potential further expansions amid maturing gTLD adoption.[21] By 2020, Donuts' registry portfolio underpinned millions of domain registrations, though revenue growth trailed initial projections due to slower-than-expected consumer uptake of non-.com extensions.[16]Acquisition of Afilias and Integration (2020–2021)
On November 19, 2020, Donuts Inc. announced an agreement to acquire the registry operator and back-end registry services divisions of Afilias, Inc., a domain registry and technical services provider headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.[22][23] The deal excluded Afilias's mobile software and registrar operations, focusing solely on enhancing Donuts's TLD portfolio and technical infrastructure.[24] The purchase price was not disclosed, though it was financed in part by an initial investment from Ethos Capital, a private equity firm.[25] The acquisition closed on December 29, 2020, pending regulatory approvals, creating one of the largest domain registry operators globally.[26] Post-closing, the combined entity oversaw approximately 25 million domain names under management, expanding Donuts's existing 4.5 million domains across 242 TLDs with Afilias's contributions, including operations for extensions like .info and .mobi.[27] Donuts's CEO, Akram Atallah, emphasized priorities such as cybersecurity enhancements, operational simplicity for registrants, and leveraging Afilias's technical expertise to support a broader TLD ecosystem.[22] Integration efforts commenced immediately after closing, with joint teams from Donuts and Afilias tasked with developing a plan to minimize service disruptions for TLD operators, registrars, and end-users.[28] This phase involved harmonizing backend systems, migrating select registry services, and aligning operational protocols, though specific timelines or milestones were not publicly detailed beyond commitments to continuity.[26] By early 2021, the integration supported Donuts's growth trajectory, as evidenced by Ethos Capital's subsequent acquisition of majority control in March 2021, which built on the Afilias deal to stabilize and scale the unified registry platform.[25] No major outages or regulatory challenges were reported during this period, reflecting effective initial consolidation of Afilias's infrastructure into Donuts's framework.[29]Rebranding to Identity Digital (2022)
On June 22, 2022, Donuts Inc. and its subsidiary Afilias Inc. announced a comprehensive rebranding to unite both entities under the single corporate identity of Identity Digital.[9] The change included a new company name, logo, and visual identity designed to emphasize the organization's role in enabling secure and authentic digital identities for businesses and individuals online.[9] This rebranding followed the 2020 acquisition of Afilias by Donuts, aiming to streamline operations and present a cohesive brand in the expanding domain registry market.[30] The decision to adopt "Identity Digital" was motivated by the need to better communicate the company's expanded scope beyond traditional top-level domain (TLD) operations, encompassing tools for domain management, security, and online presence enhancement.[9] Company executives stated that the previous name "Donuts" no longer fully captured their mission in a maturing internet ecosystem where digital identities play a central role in commerce and communication.[30] The rebrand sought to position Identity Digital as a leader in providing relevant domain extensions and related services to help customers "find, grow, and protect their authentic digital identities."[9] All corporate brands were consolidated under Identity Digital, with the exception of the retail registrar Name.com, which retained its independent branding.[30] Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the rebranded entity continued to operate over 250 TLDs, leveraging the combined technological and operational strengths of Donuts and Afilias to support registrars and end-users globally.[9] The transition was described as a strategic evolution to align branding with long-term goals of innovation in domain services amid increasing demand for diverse and secure online identifiers.[30] No major disruptions to service delivery were reported during the rebranding process.[9]Corporate Structure
Leadership and Key Executives
Akram J. Atallah serves as Chief Executive Officer of Identity Digital, a position he has held since November 2018.[2] Prior to joining the company (then operating as Donuts Inc.), Atallah was the first president of ICANN's Global Domains Division, overseeing the expansion of the domain name system, and held senior roles at VeriSign.[31] With over 25 years in technology management, Atallah directs company strategy, operations, and growth in domain registry services.[32] Paul Stahura, co-founder of the predecessor Donuts Inc. in 2010, acts as Chairman of the Board since January 2017.[2] Other key executives include Donald McClure, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, responsible for financial planning and operations; Ram Mohan, Chief Strategy Officer, focusing on strategic initiatives and partnerships; and Alvaro Alvarez, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, handling legal affairs and compliance.[1] The leadership team also encompasses roles such as Chief Marketing Officer (Rachel Sterling), Chief Operating Officer (Pete Fox), and Chief Revenue Officer (Matt Overman), supporting registry operations, registrar relations, and revenue growth across the company's portfolio of over 300 top-level domains.[1] Vice presidents oversee specialized areas including engineering (Ben Levac), registrar services (Dave McBreen), and registry services (Kroopa Shah).[1] This structure emphasizes expertise in domain management technology and global market expansion.[1]| Executive | Title | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Akram J. Atallah | CEO | Overall strategy and operations[1] |
| Donald McClure | EVP & CFO | Financial oversight[1] |
| Ram Mohan | Chief Strategy Officer | Strategic planning and alliances[1] |
| Alvaro Alvarez | EVP, General Counsel & Secretary | Legal and regulatory compliance[1] |
| Rachel Sterling | Chief Marketing Officer | Marketing and brand development[1] |
| Pete Fox | Chief Operating Officer | Day-to-day operations[1] |