SIDN

What SIDN does

SIDN BV is the registry operator for the .nl country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Netherlands, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Arnhem. The company manages over 6 million .nl domain names and processes more than 8 billion DNS queries daily through its authoritative DNS infrastructure for the .nl zone. SIDN's product portfolio spans core domain name services — Whois lookup, Domain Portfolio Checker (DPC), .nl domain registration, .nl Control add-on, .nl Suggestion Tool, and Registry Services (RSP) supporting other TLDs such as .politie, .aw and .amsterdam — together with a cybersecurity suite anchored by SIDN BrandGuard (Merkbewaking) and Logo Detection for brand protection against phishing and lookalike domains. The company also operates SIDN Academy, an online learning platform for registrars, and SIDN Labs, which conducts research on DNS, DNSSEC, BGP, DDoS mitigation and post-quantum cryptography.

SIDN operates an indirect, channel-only go-to-market: it sells exclusively through a network of accredited .nl registrars that act as intermediaries between SIDN and the 6+ million domain name holders, and it does not sell directly to end customers. Revenue streams include recurring registry fees from registrars per .nl registration, subscription fees for value-added services such as .nl Control and BrandGuard, fees for Registry Services provided to other TLD operators, and transaction-based dispute resolution fees administered via WIPO (€1,500–€2,000 per case). SIDN also pursues a public-interest agenda, promoting modern internet standards (DNSSEC, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, DANE) and operating SIDN Fund, which has supported more than 400 internet projects, while maintaining ISO 27001 certification and GDPR compliance.

The company has two wholly-owned subsidiaries, SIDN Labs (research and development) and SIDN Fund (philanthropy), and partners with entities including DNS Belgium (ML research), NBIP (DDoS research), the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Platform for Internet Standards (internet.nl), the Registrars' Association (RA), and WIPO.

Name

SIDN

Legal name

SIDN BV

Website

https://sidn.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SIDN BV operates the .nl country-code top-level domain registry for the Netherlands, managing over 6 million domains and 8 billion daily DNS queries, serving domain holders and registrars exclusively through its accredited registrar channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domain Name Registry Services

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Fault & Performance Monitoring (SNMP/Telemetry/APM for Networks) (HDAFAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

SDN & Controller-Based Management (Campus/DC Fabrics) (HDAFAMAD), Privacy Management (Consent, DSAR, RoPA) (HDADAFAH)

Keywords

• Domain registry services
• DNS infrastructure management
• CcTLD registry operations
• Domain brand protection
• DNS security research

Headquarters

HQ city

Arnhem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. .nl Domain Registration Fees: Revenue from registrar fees for registering and maintaining .nl domain names. Registrars pay registry fees to SIDN for each domain registration under the .nl TLD. This is the core revenue stream for SIDN as the .nl registry operator.
2. Additional Registry Services: Fees for .nl Control service (extra control over domain name changes) and Registry Services (RSP) for supporting other TLD operators.
3. Cybersecurity Services: Revenue from SIDN BrandGuard (brand protection monitoring) and potentially other cybersecurity products for domain holders and registrars.
4. Dispute Resolution Fees: Fees collected from complainants for domain name dispute resolution proceedings administered through WIPO. Administrative costs and panelist fees are charged per case (e.g., €1,500 for 1-5 domain names).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

SIDN operates the registry for the .nl country-code top-level domain, managing registration, DNS resolution, and lifecycle of more than 6 million .nl domain names through an accredited network of registrars. It complements this core registry role with cybersecurity services (brand protection via SIDN Merkbewaking and Logo Detection), Registry Services for other TLDs, dispute resolution administration via WIPO, registrar training through SIDN Academy, and applied internet-security research through SIDN Labs.

Product overview

SIDN operates the .nl country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) registry, managing over 6 million .nl domain names and processing more than 8 billion DNS queries daily. Its product portfolio is organized into two main areas: Domain Names and Cybersecurity. The domain name suite includes the Whois lookup tool, the Domeinportfoliochecker (Domain Portfolio Checker) for portfolio management, the core .nl-domeinnaam registration and management service, the .nl Control add-on for enhanced registrant control over domain changes, the .nl-suggestietool for creative domain name suggestion, and Registrydiensten (Registry Services) providing technical and legal support for third-party TLD operators such as .politie, .aw, and .amsterdam. The cybersecurity portfolio centers on SIDN Merkbewaking (BrandGuard) for brand protection against phishing and lookalike domain registrations, complemented by the Logodetectie (Logo Detection) feature that detects online logo misuse. SIDN also operates SIDN Academy, a learning platform for registrars, and provides a formal Dispute Resolution Regulations framework for .nl domain name disputes via WIPO.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• .nl Domain Name Registration Core registry service that enables registration, renewal, transfer, and lifecycle management of .nl domain names. Sold exclusively through accredited registrars; SIDN manages over 6 million .nl domain names and processes more than 8 billion DNS queries daily.
• .nl Control Add-on service that gives .nl registrants extra control and security over important updates to their domain name registrations, including authorization requirements for changes.
• Registry Services (RSP) Expertise and support service for organizations setting up and running their own top-level domain, providing technical and legal support. Used by the operators of .politie, .aw, and .amsterdam.
• SIDN Merkbewaking (BrandGuard) Brand-protection subscription service that monitors global domain name registrations resembling the customer's brand, helping detect phishing campaigns and reputational damage.
• Logodetectie (Logo Detection) Detects online use and misuse of a brand's logo across the internet, identifying brand abuse and fraudulent registrations that complement SIDN Merkbewaking.
• Dispute Resolution for .nl Domain Names Formal dispute resolution process administered via WIPO for .nl domain name disputes concerning registration, bad-faith use, and trademark or name conflicts; standardized per-case fees apply (e.g., €1,500 for 1–5 domain names).
• SIDN Academy Online learning platform integrating on- and offline learning methods, offering modules on DNS, DNSSEC, email standards, and IPv6 for .nl registrars. Free for .nl registrars with two user licences per registrar account.
• Whois Lookup tool for checking whether a .nl domain name is available and, if already registered, viewing the current registrant.
• Domain Portfolio Checker (Domeinportfoliochecker) Provides a full overview of all .nl domain names in a registrant's portfolio, enabling domain name management at scale.
• .nl Suggestion Tool Creative tool that helps users find their ideal .nl domain name by generating and suggesting variations of a specific domain name.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 6 million .nl domain names under management
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Vereniging van Registrars (Registrars' Association / RA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2020Joint initiative for SIDN Academy, a learning platform combining online and offline methods for registrar training on technical subjects. The RA and SIDN jointly promote quality, security, and continuity of the .nl zone.
• WIPO Arbitration and Mediation CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 February 2008WIPO is designated by SIDN for the organization of .nl domain name disputes. The center administers dispute resolution proceedings, maintains the pool of panelists, and handles complaints from third parties against .nl domain name holders.
• NBIP (Nationale Beheer Internet Providers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with NBIP for DDoS research. SIDN participates in unique studies to understand and combat DDoS attacks affecting Dutch internet infrastructure.
• Anti-Abuse NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIDN is part of the Anti-Abuse Network, which was officially launched with an Internet Security Manifesto to coordinate efforts against internet abuse.
• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre for cybersecurity initiatives and national internet security efforts.
• DNS BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on ML project aimed at detecting suspicious domain name registrations, sharing research and methodologies between the .be and .nl registries.
• Platform for Internet Standards (internet.nl)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative by Dutch business community and government to promote open standards including IPv6, DNSSEC, TLS, DMARC, DKIM, and SPF. SIDN works with the platform to encourage use of modern internet standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AFNIC: Registry operator for France's .fr ccTLD and several overseas territories. Operates a parallel non-profit/regulated model with registrar channel distribution, making it a direct operational peer for SIDN.
• Nominet: Registry operator for the .uk ccTLD and provider of registry/cybersecurity services. Nominet's combination of registry operations and value-added services (e.g., domain takedowns, analytics) closely mirrors SIDN's product mix.
• SWITCH: Registry operator for Switzerland's .ch and .li ccTLDs. Operates a similar small but highly reliable ccTLD registry with DNS expertise, making it a structural and operational peer.
• DENIC: Registry operator for Germany's .de ccTLD, one of the largest ccTLDs globally. Operates a similar registry model with registrar-mediated distribution and is structurally comparable to SIDN's role for the .nl zone.
• Internetstiftelsen (IIS): Swedish Internet Foundation operating the .se ccTLD registry. Comparable non-profit/regulated registry model, also investing in internet standards adoption (DNSSEC, IPv6) and registrar enablement.
• DNS Belgium: Registry operator for the .be ccTLD and the historical .eu TLD, providing the closest functional analog to SIDN as a country-code registry with security and registrar-channel focus. SIDN and DNS Belgium also collaborate directly on ML-based abuse detection.

Broad incumbents

• GoDaddy Registry: Commercial registry services arm of GoDaddy, operating multiple TLDs. A peer for SIDN's RSP services and a channel partner that also competes at the registrar layer with .nl resellers.
• Identity Digital: Operates a large portfolio of new gTLDs and provides registry services to TLD operators. A broad incumbent competitor/peer for SIDN's Registry Services (RSP) business targeting smaller TLDs.
• Verisign: Operator of the .com and .net registries — the dominant global registry by volume and revenue. While a much larger commercial registry, Verisign is the most relevant incumbent benchmark for registry economics and infrastructure at scale.

Emerging players

• CentralNic: Registry services provider for a wide portfolio of country-code and new gTLDs. Relevant emerging peer for SIDN's RSP expansion ambitions, particularly into smaller and emerging TLDs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SIDN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SIDNArnhem
• Facebookfacebook.com/sidnnederland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sidn
• Instagraminstagram.com/sidnarnhem

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SIDN