Fastmail, the leading independent email provider, has announced the launch of a dedicated European data centre in Amsterdam, giving customers the option to have the primary copy of their data stored within the European Union.

Available from August, the new European hosting location responds to growing demand from organisations seeking greater certainty over where their data is stored and where the services they use are hosted.

As organisations across Europe face increasing scrutiny around data governance and cross-border data transfers, many are seeking technology partners that can provide greater transparency and control over data residency. For businesses operating under GDPR and other regional requirements, keeping email infrastructure within the EU can also simplify compliance processes and reduce operational complexity.

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Customers using Fastmail’s new European hosting location will have the primary copy of their data hosted in the EU and replicated to the US for resiliency, with the architecture expected to evolve over time as the European operation matures.

“Organisations shouldn’t have to choose between privacy, performance and compliance,” said Bron Gondwana, CEO of Fastmail. “Giving customers the option to keep the primary copy of their data stored in the same jurisdiction simplifies their compliance needs.”

The Amsterdam data centre, which will operate alongside Fastmail’s existing US infrastructure, also means meaningfully faster service for European users. Fastmail’s infrastructure is engineered to handle high-latency environments better than most email providers but reduced physical distance between users and servers translates directly to a snappier experience.

“Nobody ever complained about their email being too fast,” Gondwana said. “Fastmail’s infrastructure is designed to perform exceptionally well regardless of location, but bringing our services closer to European customers means we can offer an even faster experience.”

Built from the ground up, not outsourced

Unlike many email providers that rely on third-party cloud infrastructure, Fastmail owns and operates its own hardware. The Amsterdam data centre follows the same approach, with the Fastmail engineers directly involved in every layer of the stack.

This approach gives Fastmail direct control over performance, security and data handling, enabling the company to make clear commitments about where customer data resides and how it is managed, rather than relying on contractual assurances from third parties.

“I love getting my hands dirty helping to set up servers,” said Gondwana. “Fastmail buys and runs our own hardware. From the specific disk models through to our own JavaScript framework, every part of the Fastmail infrastructure is optimised to make your life easier. It’s a core part of how we’ve approached privacy, reliability and performance for more than 25 years.”

The launch further strengthens Fastmail’s position as an independent alternative to advertising-funded technology platforms, giving customers greater control over their communications and personal information.