CVC Capital Partners has announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Namecheap, one of the world’s largest independent domain registrars and hosting companies. The acquisition values the business at approximately $1.5 billion, including debt. While the deal has been confirmed, it remains subject to regulatory approval before final completion.
Leadership Continuity as Namecheap Enters New Phase
As part of the agreement, founder and CEO Richard Kirkendall will remain with the company. He will retain a significant ownership stake and continue leading the organization through its next stage of expansion. By keeping its long-term leadership in place, Namecheap aims to maintain the culture and operational consistency that have contributed to its growth over the last 25 years.
Namecheap began as a domain registrar but gradually expanded into web hosting, email platforms, cloud services, SSL certificates, and security tools. In 2024, the company reported revenue of roughly $398 million, representing 18 percent year-over-year growth. This performance solidifies its position as a major rival to GoDaddy and a strong competitor among European providers such as SiteGround.
Private Equity’s Expanding Influence in Hosting and Domains
The acquisition marks another significant move in the accelerating consolidation of the global hosting and domain registration sector. Private equity firms have increasingly targeted companies with recurring revenue models and strong customer bases.
Recent industry deals include:
• Permira’s $7.2 billion acquisition of Squarespace
• Clearlake Capital and Siris Capital forming Newfold Digital, which now owns brands like Bluehost and HostGator
• CVC’s ownership of WebPros, the company behind cPanel, Plesk, and WHMCS
By adding Namecheap to its portfolio, CVC deepens its position across multiple layers of the web services ecosystem. WebPros software already powers millions of hosting accounts and countless domain resellers worldwide, and Namecheap’s retail presence complements that footprint.
Strategic Implications for the Hosting and Domain Market
The move is expected to intensify competition with GoDaddy, which remains the market leader. CVC’s combined assets create a vertically aligned structure that spans infrastructure software, customer-facing hosting services, and registrar operations. This vertical integration is attractive to investors because it produces stable, predictable revenue flows and reduces dependence on external vendors.
For smaller hosting and domain providers, the acquisition increases pressure to scale, specialize, or merge. Consolidation has already reshaped the landscape, and Namecheap’s sale reinforces the trend of large financial groups building multi-brand, multi-platform empires.
A New Era for Namecheap and Industry Dynamics
If the transaction receives regulatory approval, CVC will gain control of a company with nearly 25 years of customer trust and one of the industry’s strongest independent brands. For Namecheap, the new investment is expected to support expansion into additional markets, accelerate product innovation, and enhance global infrastructure.
For the industry at large, the deal signals sustained private equity confidence in hosting, domains, and subscription-based digital services. As competition intensifies, providers will be pushed to differentiate through technology, customer experience, and value-added offerings rather than just low-cost domain registrations.
