CZ.NIC
CZ.NIC is a Prague-based interest association founded in 1998 that operates the .CZ domain registry (1.57M domains, 66.5% DNSSEC-secured) and develops open-source DNS and routing software (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, BIRD, FRED) used by registries and operators worldwide, complemented by Turris routers, CSIRT.CZ, and MojeID e-identity services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersPrague, Czechia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What CZ.NIC does
CZ.NIC, z. s. p. o. is a Czech interest association of legal entities founded in 1998 that operates as the administrator of the .CZ top-level domain registry. Headquartered in Prague, the organization manages 1,569,918 registered .CZ domains as of June 2026, with 1,043,747 (~66.5%) secured by DNSSEC. It also operates the national CSIRT.CZ cybersecurity team, the MojeID electronic identity service integrated with Czech eGovernment, the Datovka data mailbox application, and a global DNS anycast network exceeding 1.5 Tbps usable capacity.
CZ.NIC Labs develops and maintains an open-source software portfolio including Knot DNS (authoritative DNS server benchmarked ahead of BIND and NSD), Knot Resolver (shared-nothing recursive resolver), BIRD (routing daemon widely deployed at IXPs and CDNs), and FRED (registry management software used by 12+ TLD registries internationally). The Turris brand extends this engineering base into consumer and prosumer router hardware (Turris Omnia NG, Turris Omnia NG Wired, Turris MOX) running Turris OS on OpenWrt/Linux with a distributed adaptive firewall. Commercial offerings include VIP Domain premium DNS hosting, penetration testing, Web Scanner, DNS Patrol, Deny Lists, and ADAM analytics.
The revenue model blends wholesale domain fees from 50+ accredited registrars (160 CZK/domain/year, 60,000 CZK annual registrar fee, 140,000 CZK minimum deposit, EPP usage fees), subscription-based commercial DNS software support and anycast hosting with multi-tier SLAs, hardware sales via Discomp e-shop and global dealers, professional security services, and EU grant funding from CEF, DEP, and Horizon 2020 programs. Distribution is exclusively indirect for .CZ domains (registrar channel) and direct-quote for commercial products, with an annual Internet a Technologie conference and CZ.NIC Academy serving as primary community engagement channels.
CZ.NIC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CZ.NIC
- Legal name
- CZ.NIC, z. s. p. o.
- Website
- https://nic.cz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- CZ.NIC is a Prague-based interest association founded in 1998 that operates the .CZ domain registry (1.57M domains, 66.5% DNSSEC-secured) and develops open-source DNS and routing software (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, BIRD, FRED) used by registries and operators worldwide, complemented by Turris routers, CSIRT.CZ, and MojeID e-identity services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CZ.NIC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Domain Registry Services
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Security Systems Services (56162)
- SIC
- Services-Services, Nec (8900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DNS Security & Protective DNS (HDADABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- DNS Security Appliances (HDAFAFAK), Cloud Networking Core Services (VPC/VNet, Load Balancing, DNS, NAT) (HDABAAAJ), Network Security Services (Firewall/VPN/ZTNA/SASE Integration) (BPAEAEAG)
Keywords
Where CZ.NIC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Prague
- HQ country
- Czechia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
CZ.NIC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- .CZ Domain Registration Fees: CZ.NIC charges registrars annual fees for each .CZ domain registered (160 CZK per year per domain). Registrars pay an annual connection fee of 60,000 CZK and a minimum deposit of 140,000 CZK. Additional per-query fees apply for EPP interface usage beyond free quotas.
- Commercial DNS Services (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, VIP Domain): Professional support contracts and SLA-based hosting for Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, FRED, BIRD, and VIP Domain premium DNS hosting. Offered to TLD registries, DNS operators, and enterprises with tiered support levels.
- DNS Anycast Hosting for TLD Registries: Fee-based anycast DNS infrastructure hosting for TLD registries globally, with three SLA levels including 24/7 support and dedicated consulting hours.
- Turris Hardware Sales: Sale of Turris Omnia NG and Turris MOX routers through Discomp e-shop and global dealer/distributor network, with B2B customization (whitelabeling) options.
- Penetration Testing & Security Services: Security assessment services including penetration testing, web vulnerability scanning, DNS Patrol threat blocking, and Deny Lists security intelligence sold to enterprises and organizations.
- EU Project Grants (CyberExchange, MoQoS, RegeID, SPARTA, THREAT-ARREST, CS Danube, etc.): CZ.NIC participates in and coordinates multiple European Commission-funded projects (CEF, DEP Digital Europe Programme, Horizon 2020) providing broader development of products, operational capacity, and international collaboration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual domain registration fee for .CZ domains |
| Subscription | Annual | Registrar annual connection fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Minimum deposit for .CZ domain services |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | EPP query fees |
| Freemium | Annual | MojeID service for users |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | VIP Domain SLA levels |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | DNS Anycast hosting for TLD registries |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Knot DNS / Knot Resolver / BIRD professional support |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
CZ.NIC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CZ.NIC operates the .CZ national top-level domain registry on behalf of the Czech Republic, providing domain registration, DNSSEC security, and related registry infrastructure via accredited registrars. It develops and maintains world-class open-source DNS and routing software (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, BIRD, FRED) adopted by TLD registries globally, and operates global anycast DNS hosting exceeding 1.5 Tbps. The association also runs Turris open-source routers, the MojeID electronic identity service, CSIRT.CZ national cybersecurity team, and commercial security services including penetration testing, DNS Patrol, and Deny Lists.
Product overview
CZ.NIC is the Czech national domain administrator offering a diverse portfolio of products and services. The core offering centers on .CZ domain registry operations, complemented by DNS infrastructure software (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, BIRD routing daemon), network security products (Turris routers, DNSSEC), and identity services (MojeID electronic identity, Datovka). The portfolio includes domain management tools (FRED registry software, Domain Browser, Domain Auction), cybersecurity solutions (Deny Lists, DNS Patrol, Web Scanner, Penetration Testing, CSIRT.CZ), premium DNS hosting (VIP Domain, DNS Anycast), and educational initiatives (CZ.NIC Academy, CZ.NIC Edition publications). European collaborative projects include DNS4EU and various cybersecurity initiatives. CZ.NIC operates as an interest association (z. s. p. o.) with 118 members, founded in 1998.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Turris: Brand of high-performance routers developed to securely connect homes and small offices, featuring automatic updates, distributed adaptive firewall, and OpenWrt ecosystem support.
- MojeID
- Datovka
- FRED
- Knot DNS
- Knot Resolver
- BIRD
- CSIRT.CZ
- CZ.NIC Academy
- Edice CZ.NIC
Products and services
- Turris routers (Turris Omnia, Turris MOX, Turris Omnia NG, Turris Omnia NG Wired) High-performance network routers running open-source Turris OS based on Linux/OpenWrt. Features automatic updates, distributed adaptive firewall, and security elements for homes and small offices. Sold through Discomp e-shop in Czech Republic and global dealer/distributor network with B2B customization (whitelabeling) available.
- FRED (Free Registry for ENUM and Domains) Open-source domain registry management software suitable for registries of all sizes. Provides scalable and performant domain management with extensions like web interfaces for registry operators and end domain holders, supporting authenticated electronic identities. Used by 12+ TLD registries internationally including .AL, .AR, .BA, .CO.AO, .CR, .IT.AO, .LS, .MK, .MO, .MW, .TZ.
- Knot DNS High-performance authoritative DNS server developed by CZ.NIC Labs. Achieved maximum QPS among open-source solutions (BIND, NSD) in 2012 benchmarks while maintaining full functionality and standards support. Used as authoritative DNS server for the Czech .CZ domain and sold with commercial support contracts.
- Knot Resolver DNS resolver aiming for highest performance with full support for contemporary standards. Unlike other open-source resolvers (BIND, Unbound), Knot Resolver uses shared-nothing architecture without threads, allowing dynamic scaling.
- BIRD (BIRD Internet Routing Daemon) Routing daemon for dynamic routing of IP protocol designed for Linux and BSD. The go-to software for IXPs, also used for CDN and data center border router deployment. EVPN extensions for BGP in development.
- MojeID Free electronic identity service enabling single sign-on for logging into various websites. Since 2020 contributes to Czech eGovernment - can be used to establish Citizen Identity and access online government services. Free for end users; full provider access costs 1,000 CZK per year.
- Datovka Application for accessing Czech data mailboxes (datové schránky). Available for iOS, Android, and desktop platforms. Awarded 2013 Best Project of Czech eGovernment.
- DNS Anycast hosting for TLD registries DNS hosting service on anycast infrastructure for TLD registries. Deployed globally across all continents with over 1.5 Tbps usable capacity, DDoS protection, and high energy efficiency using XDP technology. Quote-based pricing with three SLA tiers.
- VIP Domain Premium DNS hosting service for mission-critical domains requiring maximum stability, speed, cyber-attack resistance, and high security/performance standards. Provides robust DNS hosting on DNS anycast with three SLA levels including 24/7 support.
- ADAM (Advanced DNS Analytics and Monitoring) Open-source tools for acquiring, storing, visualizing, and analyzing large data sets about DNS server operation (both authoritative and recursive). Primary aim is operational deployment for CZ.NIC; all software is open source for DNS operators.
- Penetration Testing Security assessment service to find weak points in customer IT infrastructure. Helps organizations identify and eliminate hidden threats with detailed vulnerability reports and recommended remediation steps.
- CSIRT.CZ National security team of the Czech Republic coordinating security incident resolution in computer networks. Helps Internet networks set up their own security teams and infrastructure. Operated by CZ.NIC since 2011 under Act No. 181/2014.
- Domain Browser (Doménový prohlížeč) Web application for displaying domain registry data, directly linked to MojeID account. Allows checking domain status, payment dates, DNSSEC protection, and managing Whois data visibility.
- Domain Auction (Aukce domén) Service offering general public opportunity to auction deleted domains not renewed by original holders. Opens new opportunities to acquire attractive .CZ domains.
- DNS4EU public resolver European recursive DNS resolver service infrastructure based on federated and distributed DNS protection ecosystem. Combines cloud and on-premise components through publicly available resolvers and ISP DNS resolvers. Joint initiative of 14 partners from 10 European countries.
- CZ.NIC Academy training courses Training center offering paid courses on DNS, DNSSEC, IPv6, and related topics. Includes hands-on laboratory with hardware and software for testing and experimentation in Internet and DNS technologies.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million .CZ domains (1,043,747) DNSSEC-secured, representing ~66.5% of all registered .CZ domains
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CZ.NIC
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
CZ.NIC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability1 record
Feature7 records
CZ.NIC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CyberINTEL-X ProjectcoreCZ.NIC joined the CyberINTEL-X project intended to strengthen cybersecurity in Europe, bringing together research, practical deployment, and international cooperation between key European institutions, public administration, academia, and technical partners.
- Joint Declaration on Cooperation for IPv6 Expansion in Czech RepublicminorCZ.NIC signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation and Support for the Expansion of the IPv6 Protocol in the Czech Republic in September 2024 with Czech government and industry partners.
- EU Digital Wallet Consortium (EWC)coreCZ.NIC participates in the EU Digital Wallet Consortium alongside 40 other European partners to implement the EU digital identity framework for digital travel credentials and cross-border identity verification. This is a key strategic initiative under the EU Digital Europe Programme.
- CyberExchangecoreCZ.NIC is the coordinator of the CyberExchange project, which facilitates cross-border cooperation between 11 national and governmental CERT/CSIRT teams across European countries. The project supports technical internships and sharing of cybersecurity tools developed by individual teams.
- Safer Internet Centre CZ (SIC CZ)coreCZ.NIC co-founded and co-operates the Safer Internet Centre Czech Republic (SIC CZ) together with Linka bezpečí (LB), Dětské krizové centrum (DKC), and Člověk v tísni (JSNS). The project runs helplines for children and fights illegal content via STOPonline.cz hotline. Funded by EU DEP (Digital Europe Programme) 2022–2025.
- ENISA (Stoponline.cz cooperation)minorJoint Declaration on Cooperation with Police Directorate for operation of the illegal content reporting line STOPonline.cz, signed in June 2021.
- DNS4EUcoreDNS4EU is a joint activity of 14 partners from 10 European countries to build a recursive European DNS resolver service based on a federated and distributed DNS protection ecosystem. CZ.NIC participates as a provider of recursive DNS technologies. A public DNS resolver launched in June 2025.
- RegeIDminorCZ.NIC is the coordinator of the RegeID project under CEF (Connecting Europe Facility), supporting integration of eID tools by national TLD registries of the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, and the Netherlands within the eIDAS infrastructure.
- MoQoS (Open crowdsourcing data related to quality of high-speed Internet service)minorCZ.NIC participated in the international MoQoS project to support open data on user measurements of high-speed Internet. National regulators from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and a partner from Austria were involved. The project continued the NetMetr application.
- CZ.PEPS (Czech Pan European Proxy Services)minorCZ.NIC implemented and operated the national eIDAS node for cross-border electronic identification in the Czech Republic. In 2018, the node was connected to the National Identity Authority (NIA) and became the official national node of Czech eGovernment. Commercial operation began September 2018.
- THREAT-ARREST (Horizon 2020)minorCZ.NIC participated in THREAT-ARREST, developing an advanced cyber training platform including emulation, simulation, gaming, and visualization for various stakeholders to prepare for cyber threats. The project created a CTTP (Cyber Threat and Training Preparation) platform.
- SPARTA (Horizon 2020)minorCZ.NIC participated in SPARTA alongside Brno University of Technology and CESNET Association. The project brought together 44 organizations focused on science, technological innovation, and social sciences to review and reshape cybersecurity research in Europe.
- Institute for Information Industry (Taiwan)minorCZ.NIC cooperated with Taiwan's Institute for Information Industry on the HaaS (Honeypot as a Service) project within the TACR Delta program, developing a public honeypot for redirecting and analyzing Internet attacks.
- Brno University of TechnologyminorPartnered with Brno University of Technology in the SPARTA cybersecurity research project under Horizon 2020.
- CESNET AssociationminorPartnered with CESNET Association in the SPARTA cybersecurity research project under Horizon 2020.
- CS Danube (Cyber Security in Danube Region)minorCZ.NIC and CSIRT.CZ coordinated the CS Danube project to strengthen cooperation between CERT/CSIRT teams in Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, and Moldova. Included capacity building and website security training.
- Czech Technical UniversityminorPartnered with Czech Technical University on the Ludus project (TACR Epsilon program), using machine learning and game theory to increase collaborative defense against Internet attacks. Turris router network used as testing infrastructure.
- FENIX ProjectminorCZ.NIC has been a member of the FENIX security project since 2013, contributing to collaborative network security infrastructure.
- ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity)coreENISA coordinates the Cyber Europe exercise from its headquarters in Athens. CZ.NIC has coordinated Czech participation in Cyber Europe since 2012, with the 2026 exercise being the eighth coordinated by CZ.NIC.
- CSIRT.CZ (national cybersecurity team)coreCZ.NIC operates CSIRT.CZ, the national security team of the Czech Republic, which coordinates the solving of security incidents in computer networks. Established based on a 2012 memorandum with the National Security Authority (NBÚ).
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CZ.NIC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CIRA: CIRA operates the .CA ccTLD registry and builds Canadian Shield (DNS firewall) and other DNS security services. Directly comparable as a national registry developing adjacent cybersecurity products.
- Nominet: Nominet operates the .UK ccTLD and has developed the Nominet registry platform and a cybersecurity/anti-phishing service (Nominet Cyber). Highly comparable ccTLD-to-cyber-services trajectory.
- DNS.BE (DNS Belgium): DNS Belgium manages .BE and .EU ccTLDs. Comparable as a mid-sized European registry operator with similar governance and product extensions (e.g., domain blocking for content).
- AFNIC: AFNIC operates the .FR ccTLD and has evolved into an international registry/DNS technology provider (including via its subsidiary). Comparable as a ccTLD registry diversifying into DNS infrastructure services.
- SIDN: SIDN operates the .NL ccTLD registry and develops open-source registry/DNS tooling (e.g., Drempel, NL Beacon). Directly comparable as a national ccTLD operator with regulatory mandate and adjacent security/DNS infrastructure products.
- DENIC: DENIC is the German (.DE) ccTLD registry operator, also structured as a non-profit cooperative. Closely mirrors CZ.NIC's governance model, registry focus, and DNS-related service portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- Cloudflare: Cloudflare provides authoritative DNS, DNS resolver (1.1.1.1), and a broad security/CDN platform. Comparable in commercial DNS services and anycast hosting product categories, though as a broader incumbent.
- Identity Digital: Identity Digital operates a large portfolio of new gTLDs and provides registry backend services to other TLDs (competes with FRED-adopting registries). Comparable as a TLD registry backend and DNS infrastructure provider at greater scale.
- Verisign: Verisign operates the .com and .net registries and provides Managed DNS and DDoS protection services. Comparable in registry operations and authoritative DNS infrastructure, though at vastly larger scale.
Others
- Internet Systems Consortium (ISC, BIND/Knot DNS community): ISC maintains BIND, the dominant open-source authoritative DNS server against which Knot DNS benchmarks. Adjacent ecosystem peer (open-source DNS community/standards) rather than a direct commercial competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CZ.NIC social profiles
Digital presenceCZ.NIC compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CZ.NIC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CZ.NIC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CZ.NIC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CZ.NIC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CZ.NIC
What does CZ.NIC do?
CZ.NIC operates the .CZ national top-level domain registry on behalf of the Czech Republic, providing domain registration, DNSSEC security, and related registry infrastructure via accredited registrars. It develops and maintains world-class open-source DNS and routing software (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, BIRD, FRED) adopted by TLD registries globally, and operates global anycast DNS hosting exceeding 1.5 Tbps. The association also runs Turris open-source routers, the MojeID electronic identity service, CSIRT.CZ national cybersecurity team, and commercial security services including penetration testing, DNS Patrol, and Deny Lists.
Is CZ.NIC a public or private company?
CZ.NIC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CZ.NIC founded?
CZ.NIC was founded in 1998. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is CZ.NIC based?
CZ.NIC is headquartered in Prague, Czechia, in the Europe region.
How does CZ.NIC make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. .CZ Domain Registration Fees are the primary driver. The others are commercial DNS Services (Knot DNS, Knot Resolver, VIP Domain), DNS Anycast Hosting for TLD Registries, turris Hardware Sales, penetration Testing & Security Services and EU Project Grants (CyberExchange, MoQoS, RegeID, SPARTA, THREAT-ARREST, CS Danube, etc.).
Who are CZ.NIC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CIRA, Nominet, DNS.BE (DNS Belgium), AFNIC, SIDN and DENIC. Broad incumbents are Cloudflare, Identity Digital and Verisign. Internet Systems Consortium (ISC, BIND/Knot DNS community) is listed as an others.
Does CZ.NIC have an API?
Yes. Registrars communicate with the .CZ domain registry using the standard EPP protocol (per RFC 3730-3734) with extensions and modifications required by the registry's specific features. Communication occurs over TCP connections secured with TLS. A Python developer library is provided for easier integration into other applications. Additionally, a full-featured client application for registry access is provided - an interactive command-line client written in Python. Developer documentation is at fred.nic.cz/documentation/html/EPPReference.
What industry is CZ.NIC in?
CZ.NIC's product category is Domain Registry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDADABAF, DNS Security & Protective DNS, with a secondary code of HDAFAFAK, DNS Security Appliances. Its NAICS code is 518 and its SIC code is 8900.