The embodiments of the present invention discloses a data switching method and a switching device, which relates to network technologies. The method is easy to implement, and saves system resources. In unicast switching, resource used for cells reordering at the egress is greatly reduced; in multicast switching, the scheduling is easy and the data pass rate is high. The data switching method includes: receiving a switching request for switching a cell; arbitrating the switching request and obtaining an arbitration result; and performing corresponding switching for the cell, where the switching includes unicast switching and multicast switching, according to the arbitration result.