GoDaddy Announces Zero Charges for ENS .eth Name Pairing

Partnership Between ENS and GoDaddy Brings Together Web3 and Web2 Domains

A new collaboration between Ethereum Name Service (ENS) and domain registrar GoDaddy is set to revolutionize the way we think about domain names. This partnership will allow Web3 users to seamlessly connect their .eth domains to traditional Web2 domains at no additional cost.

As a decentralized domain name system, ENS offers a range of features that simplify the use of complex wallet addresses on the Web3 platform. However, the high gas fees associated with transferring domain names have been a major barrier for users. With GoDaddy’s involvement, this barrier has been eliminated, making it easier than ever for users to bring their .eth domains over to ENS.

The Fusion of Domain Names and Blockchain Technology

Paul Nicks, president of domains at GoDaddy, described the partnership as a fusion of traditional domain names and cutting-edge blockchain technology. This collaboration will benefit both the Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, bringing them closer together.

ENS has made this cost-free transition possible by implementing new smart contracts for the resolution process. This gives DNS domain holders greater control over their decentralized identities, providing a new level of self-sovereignty.

Web3 Competitor Unstoppable Domains Allows Users to Buy .eth Names with Added Functionality and Payment Options

In July 2023, Unstoppable Domains, a competitor of GoDaddy in the Web3 space, made it possible for users to purchase .eth names using a variety of payment methods. This also included new features to make managing ENS domains more streamlined.

All .eth domains bought through Unstoppable are registered through the ENS smart contract and have the same capabilities as those registered directly through ENS.

ENS Developers Challenge Unstoppable Domains’ Patent Claiming Ownership of Blockchain-based Domain Technology

In November 2023, ENS developers disputed a patent filed by Unstoppable Domains, which asserted that Braden River Pezeshki, Matthew Everett Gould, and Bogdan Gusiev are the inventors of a technology that utilizes blockchain to assign domains.

However, ENS developer Nick Johnson argued that the patent is “built entirely on innovations developed by ENS” and lacks any unique innovations of its own. He stated:

Unstoppable Domains CEO Matthew Gould has responded to Cointelegraph’s claims of stealing ENS’ intellectual property by stating that their filing of 18 patent applications, including the ‘344 patent for ‘Resolving Blockchain Domains,’ is a strategic move to protect their freedom to operate and defend against potential encroachments by large Web2 domain registries. Gould clarified that their actions are not intended to infringe on ENS’ rights, but rather to safeguard their own interests in the rapidly evolving landscape of web 3.0 domains.