Blog

2026 begins in a demanding context for the digital ecosystem, both domestically and internationally. At a time when the results achieved in 2025 have reinforced the relevance and positioning of .PT, its responsibility and commitment become even greater. The stable growth of .pt in a mature market—going against the broader European trend—the consolidation of relationships with partners, and the international recognition reflected in the announcement of ICANN Lisbon in 2027 demonstrate the growing confidence in the organization and its central role in an ecosystem shaped by accelerating technological change, the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, and the rise in cyber threats. This context once again underscores .PT’s heightened responsibility as the manager of a critical infrastructure that is essential to the functioning of the economy and society.

We therefore continue the strategic cycle towards 2030, guided by the values that have defined .PT’s identity: security, transparency, rigor, trust, ethics, inclusion, and responsibility, strengthened by the pillars of innovation, collaboration, internationalization, and impact. These principles guide the organization’s core activities and shape the need for continuous adaptation to an increasingly complex regulatory, technological, and operational environment.

The maturity of the national domain market reinforces the importance of retaining the existing customer base and continuously improving service quality. However, we also aim to continue creating value, guided by a responsible innovation strategy. The forecast growth of around 7% for 2026 confirms this stability, demonstrating the continued confidence placed in .pt. In this context, the consolidation of the ENH protocol will continue, building on the groundwork laid in recent years and now further strengthened through operational adjustments that will optimize the process of creating domains associated with new companies. Complementing this technical evolution, greater emphasis will be placed on enhancing and optimizing established services, ensuring that they continue to add value for clients and partners. At the same time, and with the aim of diversifying revenue streams and strengthening financial sustainability, new products will be prepared and/or launched, representing a natural evolution of the studies conducted in 2025: premium domains, a new category of names with exclusive characteristics and high strategic and commercial potential, whose commercialization under specific conditions will constitute an additional source of revenue; and the drop zones system, designed to optimize the availability of expired domains and create new opportunities for growth.

The relationship with registrars will remain one of the essential pillars of .PT’s activities. In 2026, two annual in-person meetings will be held, complemented by an online and bilingual Registrars Day, and closer engagement will be further strengthened through the Connecting the Dots initiative, which includes in-person visits to our partners. This effort will be supported by the provision of training and informational content and by the annual feedback survey, ensuring that the organization’s priorities reflect the real needs of the partner network.

In the area of end-customer support, this will be a year of an in-depth evaluation of the current model, including the analysis of alternatives for providing this service, with the aim of ensuring greater efficiency and quality.

This combination of objectives will be strongly reflected in the new Domain Registration Rules which, five years on, are expected to streamline and simplify processes, in alignment with the applicable legislation and with other complementary—yet critical—frameworks for consolidating an internal culture of compliance.

The expansion to a new data center, based on a hybrid architecture combining dedicated on-premises environments with private clouds, will strengthen the resilience and redundancy of the infrastructure. The Application Management Support service will be implemented, and key structural enhancements will be carried out on SIGA, including a review of the OutSystems architecture, integration with the SendGrid and Splunk platforms, and the operationalization of access to historical databases. End-to-end monitoring of critical services will also be intensified, ensuring faster response times and more efficient operations.

It is also important to note that the transposition of the NIS2 Directive into national legislation will introduce a demanding set of obligations with immediate impact on .PT’s activities as an essential operator. This transposition significantly strengthens requirements for internal governance, risk management, network and systems security, and mandatory incident reporting. 2026 will be decisive to ensure full compliance with this new legal instrument and to integrate these requirements into daily operations, strengthening coordination with PTSOC and consolidating threat monitoring and response capabilities.

The most recent studies on the digital economy highlight the growing weight of digital activities in national production, employment, and revenue, and confirm the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence by citizens and businesses. These data reinforce the importance of robust, secure, and trusted digital infrastructures and underscore .PT’s role as a guarantor of the integrity and reliability of the Portuguese digital space, as well as a leader of the digital ecosystem in Portugal, within an environment where innovation remains a structural pillar of the organization’s activities, combined with digital impact. The commitment to inclusion, skills development, and digital literacy will continue to be pursued in close collaboration with partner entities, strengthening .PT’s social intervention. The .PT headquarters will continue to serve as a space for meeting, training, and sharing for the entire digital community, while it is also a green and sustainable space. In parallel, the Digital Observatory will continue to be developed as part of the evolution of the Ponto Digital – Digital Skills and Jobs platform, reinforcing the mission to promote transparency, digital literacy, and rigorous knowledge about the national digital ecosystem.

Internationalization will remain a central dimension of .PT’s activities. .PT will continue to participate actively in CENTR and ICANN working groups, in national and international Internet Governance forums, and in LusNIC initiatives, deepening cooperation with CPLP countries and strengthening the presence of the Portuguese language in the digital space. The hosting of ICANN Lisbon in 2027 will represent a moment of particular significance for the organization and for Portugal.

An organization’s reputation is today a powerful asset, and we are fully aware of this. We will continue to invest in the visibility and recognition of the .PT brand and the .pt domain, building on the path established over recent years. Our goal is to bring the .PT brand closer to new audiences, increasing its recognition among those who are not yet familiar with it and, in doing so, to promote growth in the number of .pt registrations and renewals. In this context, a strong focus on high-impact and highly effective digital channels will be decisive, and the new .PT website will certainly close the year on a high note.

Finally, .PT’s activities will continue to be guided by prudence and rigor in financial management, as evidenced by the proposed Budget, ensuring the organization’s sustainability and the efficient allocation of resources to strategic priorities, while maintaining an active search for complementary funding solutions.

At .PT, everyone matters. The final words must be addressed to a committed and dedicated team that, every day, makes .PT what it is today. It is with this team that we also count on in 2026.

2026 represents the continuation of a cycle grounded in security, responsibility, and the ambition to strengthen the trust and resilience associated with .pt, consolidating .PT’s role as a national and international benchmark within the digital ecosystem.