Overview

SWITCH was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the official ccTLD registry for .ch (Switzerland) and .li (Liechtenstein) country-code top-level domains. As a non-profit organization, SWITCH also operates SWITCHlan, Switzerland's national academic and research network connecting universities and research institutions. SWITCH participates in the ICANN ccNSO and is recognized as a benchmark European ccTLD registry.

SWITCH manages over 2 million .ch and .li domain registrations and provides DNSSEC, DNS Anycast, domain dispute resolution, and WHOIS database services. Its SWITCHlan academic backbone network connects 30+ higher education institutions across Switzerland.

Key Strengths

  • National ccTLD Registry: Operates both .ch (Switzerland) and .li (Liechtenstein) ccTLDs with 2M+ domains. .ch ranks among the top 10 most active ccTLDs globally and is the dominant domain namespace for Swiss businesses.
  • 30+ Years of Experience: Continuous operation since 1992 makes SWITCH one of the oldest ccTLD registries, with proven infrastructure stability and reliability.
  • Academic Network Infrastructure: SWITCHlan connects 30+ Swiss higher education and research organizations, providing high-speed internet, eduroam roaming, and research data transport.SWITCHlan is a critical part of Switzerland's research ecosystem.
  • Strong Domain Security: Full DNSSEC and DNS Anycast support ensure .ch and .li resolution integrity and DDoS resilience. SWITCH actively contributes to European domain security best practices.
  • Non-Profit Governance: Revenue is reinvested into domain infrastructure upgrades and security research rather than shareholder returns, ensuring long-term service sustainability.

Product Ecosystem

.ch Domain Registration

.ch is the country-code TLD for Switzerland, open for global registration with no local residency requirement. It is the preferred domain extension for Swiss businesses and organizations, known for stability, security, and the Swiss brand association. .ch domains support full DNS management, DNSSEC, domain forwarding, and WHOIS administration.

.li Domain Registration

.li is the ccTLD for Liechtenstein, also open for global registration. It serves as the digital identity for the Principality of Liechtenstein and has recognition in German-speaking and European markets.

SWITCHlan Academic Network

SWITCHlan is Switzerland's research and education network backbone, connecting 30+ institutions with high-speed internet, eduroam authentication, research data transport, and video conferencing infrastructure.

Domain Security Services

SWITCH provides DNSSEC signing, DNS Anycast resolution, and Domain Lock features for .ch and .li domains, protecting against hijacking and DNS tampering.

Limitations

  • Geographic Market Focus: .ch and .li derive value from association with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For global audiences, domain naming strategy should prioritize .com or mainstream gTLDs.
  • Academic-Centric Services: SWITCHlan services are exclusive to Swiss education and research institutions — not available to general businesses or individuals.
  • Registry-Only Model: SWITCH does not sell domains directly to end users. Registration must go through authorized registrars, and SWITCH does not offer bundled hosting, email, or website builder services.
  • Strict Security Policies: .ch and .li domains have relatively strict WHOIS privacy and transfer policies, requiring additional verification for certain administrative operations.

Use Cases

  • Swiss Businesses & Organizations (★★★★★): .ch is the standard internet identity for Swiss entities, suitable for websites, email, and online branding.
  • Liechtenstein-Related Operations (★★★★★): .li serves as the digital identity for Liechtenstein-based businesses and organizations.
  • Swiss Personal Branding (★★★★★): Students, professionals, and expats in Switzerland can strengthen personal brand association with .ch domains.
  • European Market Branding (★★★★): .ch has strong brand recognition across Europe, suitable for businesses targeting the German-speaking market.
  • Global Brand Strategy (★★): Use .com or mainstream gTLDs as primary domains; register .ch/.li for local brand protection only.

Pricing

Item Price Range Notes
.ch First-year Registration CHF 10 - 20 Varies by registrar
.ch Renewal CHF 10 - 20 Stable pricing
.li First-year Registration CHF 15 - 30 Varies by registrar
.li Renewal CHF 15 - 30 Stable pricing
DNSSEC Free Configurable via registrar dashboard

SWITCH's wholesale price (.ch ~CHF 6.80/year) is regulated and transparent; registrars add their retail markup.

FAQ

  • Can foreigners register .ch domains? Yes. .ch domains are open to anyone globally with no residency or citizenship requirements—see the domain registrar selection guide.

  • What's the difference between .ch and .li? .ch is the ccTLD for Switzerland, .li for Liechtenstein, both managed by SWITCH with similar policies, but .ch has far larger volume—see the ccTLD selection strategy.

  • Does SWITCH sell domains directly? No — SWITCH is a registry; end users register .ch and .li through authorized registrars like Infomaniak or Hostpoint—see the domain registrar selection guide.

  • Is .ch secure? Yes. .ch supports DNSSEC and DNS Anycast, with security standards among the best in European ccTLDs. SWITCH regularly participates in European domain security exercises.

  • Does .ch help with SEO? For websites targeting the Swiss market, .ch is a strong local ranking signal for google.ch, typically outperforming .com in local results—see the ccTLD selection strategy.