Registry-Registrar Separation

Registry-registrar separation is the [[icann|ICANN]] policy — codified in [[registry-agreement|Registry Agreements]] for legacy gTLDs like .com and .net — that prohibits a [[registry-operator|registry operator]] from also acting as a [[registrar]] for the same TLD. This structural separation prevents registries from giving themselves unfair competitive advantages in the retail domain market. New [[gtld|gTLD]] operators are generally subject to a cross-ownership restriction that limits their ability to acquire or be acquired by a top registrar. The policy mirrors telecommunications 'open access' regulations and is designed to protect market competition.