ICANN
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers — the nonprofit that coordinates global DNS, accredits registrars, and manages the rules for new TLDs and disputes (UDRP).
Scope
ICANN doesn’t run the DNS — that’s distributed across thousands of operators. ICANN sets the rules: who can be a registrar, what happens during disputes, when new TLDs launch, how WHOIS works.
Funding
A per-domain fee (~$0.18/year) on every registration in every accredited TLD funds operations.