Comment by duskwuff

> One where you own the domain, like Gandi, rather than just renting it from the domain registry, as with current NetSol terms?

I don't think this distinction exists in the way you think it does. Different registrars may use different phrasing when referring to the registrant of a domain, but no matter whether the registrar uses the words "owner" or "rent", you're paying to be temporarily treated as the registrant of a domain name.

(There are some weird registrars like Njalla where the customer explicitly isn't even listed as the registrant of the domain, but that's probably not what you mean.)