Three Reasons to Get a .tw Domain Extension (And How to Do It)

Taiwan may not be the first location that comes to mind when you consider business expansion. It’s a fairly small island – not even recognized as a full-fledged country by some – which would suggest there’s limited potential for expansion. That isn’t the case. Taiwan’s economy is flourishing. We can this see from its gross domestic product growth for the third quarter of 2024, which saw a 4.7% increase over the same period during the previous financial year. More growth is coming – 2025 should see Taiwan’s economy grow by a further 3.29%.

Economic growth is a strong sign that a territory is worth expanding into. That growth is also not the only reason to consider snatching up a .tw domain extension either, as you’ll soon discover.

What Makes a .tw Domain So Good for Your Business?

Beyond Taiwan’s clear economic strength, there are three more reasons for getting a .tw domain extension.

Reason 1 – Get More Directly Involved in Taiwan’s Top Industries

There are certain types of businesses that will benefit more than others from having a Taiwanese domain extension. Among them are companies operating in the electronics sector – especially in the semiconductor industry for which Taiwan accounts for 18% of the world’s manufacturing capacity – and the petrochemical market. Telecommunications, agriculture, and financial systems are all important sectors in the country too, making a .tw extension practically essential if you operate in these industries.

Of course, you could work with companies in these sectors without a .tw extension. The challenge here is operating without any form of local presence. Your generic .com domain (or another country-centric) domain acts as a barrier that you can remove with a .tw extension.

Reason 2 – Demonstrate Your Commitment to Taiwan

Building from the above reason, having a .tw domain shows that you’re committed to operating a business inside Taiwan. That may not actually be the case – you don’t need a residence (or business premises) in Taiwan to register one of these domains – but the .tw extension still creates a vital trust factor.

People in Taiwan will see that extension and automatically assume you’re operating in Taiwan. Even if they later find out that you’re not a direct resident, the trust remains because you’ve committed to buying a building a domain dedicated to the Taiwanese market. Don’t underestimate the impact of this trust – 88% of consumers say trusting the brands from which they buy is important to them.

Reason 3 – Reaching Other Chinese-Speaking Markets

Putting aside the territorial squabbles that exist between Taiwan and China, the two countries operate closely on the trade front. China imports more goods from Taiwan than any other nation, with Taiwanese websites also typically being in Chinese.

Why is that important in the context of a .tw domain extension?

With this extension, you’re opening yourself up directly to the Taiwanese market and indirectly to China’s much larger market. The former has over 23 million people to whom you can potentially sell, with access to China via a .tw domain increasing that possible market size by around 1.4 billion people.

How Can You Get a .tw Domain Extension?

You may worry about having to jump through administrative hoops – such as proving you reside in Taiwan – when trying to get a .tw extension. This is especially the case for those who’ve already expanded into China and dealt with that country’s strict registration laws.

Your worries are, thankfully, unfounded.

Registering a .tw domain extension is relatively straightforward because Taiwan doesn’t require any proof of residence to do so. Trustees and proxy registrars are thus not required, with the elimination of this residential requirement meaning you can register your Taiwanese domain from anywhere in the world.

The only registration criteria that do exist are fairly minor. You must commit to your .tw domain extension for at least a year upon purchase. Plus, you have to stick within a character range of between (and including) two and 63 for your domain name itself. That domain name also can’t start or end with a hyphen.

Prepare to Expand Into Taiwan

With so few limitations being placed on obtaining .tw extension registration, purchasing this extension is a no-brainer for those who want to expand their business to the island. You also get an indirect route into the Chinese market with a Taiwanese domain thanks to the two countries having such a close trade relationship. So, register your .tw domain extension today and start taking advantage of new branding and expansion opportunities.