The DNSRF have been creating League Tables - the top-level domain (TLD) League Tables have been publicly available on the DNSRF website since 2023 and, at the start of this quarter, in January 2025, the Registrar League Tables were launched. These League Tables rank TLDs, operated by registries, and domain name registrars based on their relative levels of online abuse reports. DNSRF aims to publish a set of ASN League Tables in Q2.

This is the first of four quarterly reports. Each report this year will follow a similar structure: first setting out the methodologies for the new set of League Tables released that quarter (if applicable) followed by an outline of recent trends found across all League Tables released, highlighting key changes over the last month. 

This report aims to expand on the methodologies and approaches behind the newly published Registrar League Tables as well as encapsulating the current state of play in both the TLD and Registrar League Tables.

Key Findings 

1. Online abuse is concentrated among a small number of registrars and TLDs.

A growing number of registrars and TLDs are showing very high abuse report rates, while many others consistently maintain low or 0% rates.

2. Registrar and TLD rankings are relatively stable at the top but volatile at the bottom.

Those with the lowest report rates tend to stay consistent month-to-month, while those with the highest rates fluctuate more due to domain churn and sudden report surges.

3. Regional and size-based breakdowns reveal nuanced abuse patterns.

Abuse rates vary by region and size, with larger registrars and TLDs more prone to reports, though notable exceptions like .no and Knet Registrar Co. LTD show strong performance.