Business Insights

CVC Capital nears $1.5 billion majority stake in Namecheap

Ken Metral

12 Sep 2025 — 1 min read

Credit: Namecheap, Inc.

CVC Capital Partners is close to acquiring a majority stake in Namecheap, one of the world’s largest domain registrars and web-hosting providers, in a transaction that values the company at about $1.5 billion including debt, according to people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Deal in Motion

The global private equity firm has finalized terms of the agreement and is expected to partner closely with Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap’s founder and CEO, who will retain a significant ownership stake. While the structure of the deal has been completed, the timing of an official announcement remains unclear.

Founded nearly 25 years ago in Arizona, Namecheap began as a domain registrar but has since expanded into web hosting, online security, and digital tools to support website management. The company’s customer base includes well-known digital brands such as Figma and Buffer.

In 2024, Namecheap reported an 18% increase in revenue to $398 million, though it does not routinely disclose financial results.

Competitive Landscape

Namecheap operates in a crowded market that includes GoDaddy, valued at more than $20 billion, and European rival SiteGround. The sector has attracted increasing interest from buyout firms betting on the continued demand for digital infrastructure.

In recent years, private equity investors have made major plays in the space:

Clearlake Capital Group and Siris Capital Group back Newfold Digital, owner of Bluehost.
Permira acquired website-building platform Squarespace in a $7.2 billion deal in 2023.

Strategic Fit for CVC

CVC, which manages roughly €200 billion (about $235 billion) in assets, already has a foothold in the web-hosting industry. Its portfolio includes Webpros, a software provider that supports more than 30 million hosting accounts and 80 million domains worldwide.

The potential acquisition of Namecheap would deepen CVC’s presence in the sector and position the firm to benefit from ongoing growth in digital services, particularly as more businesses and creators invest in building online presences.

Blockchain lender Figure hits $7.6 billion valuation in Nasdaq debut

Figure Technology (NASDAQ: FIGR) surged 44% in its market debut on Thursday, closing its first trading session with a valuation of $7.62 billion. The strong performance adds to a growing list of crypto-linked companies that have delivered standout IPOs, underscoring the digital-assets industry’s steady march toward mainstream acceptance.

Micro1 reaches $500 million valuation, rivaling Scale AI

Micro1, a fast-growing startup that helps AI companies source and manage human contractors for data labeling and training, has raised a $35 million Series A funding round at a $500 million valuation. The round was led by O1 Advisors, the venture capital firm founded by former Twitter executives Dick Costolo

Gemini crypto exchange valued at $3.3 billion in IPO

Gemini, the cryptocurrency company founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, priced its initial public offering at $28 per share late Thursday, topping its expected range of $24 to $26. The pricing gives the company a valuation of $3.3 billion. Gemini raised $425 million by selling 15.2 million shares

Alibaba open-sources Qwen3-Next with 10x the power at one-tenth the cost

Alibaba Group Holding has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence model, marking a major leap in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The model, developed under the Qwen3-Next architecture, is said to be 10 times more powerful yet requires only a tenth of the cost to build compared with its predecessor, according to announcements