The Internet is an amazing place because it allows us to share information like never before, but what if it could also be used to securely send and receive payments? Blockchain domain revolutionaries aim to create a new Internet. One in which payments can be universally shared and owners have full control over their domain asset. A decentralized Internet. Sound exciting? Terrifying? Either way, you’ll want to read this.

What are blockchain domains?

Blockchain domains are digital assets on a blockchain. The domain name system (DNS) is often compared to the address book of the Internet. Similar to how we use example.com and other traditional domain names to quickly identify a long string of random numbers, known as IP addresses, blockchain domains are used to simplify a user’s hexadecimal cryptocurrency wallet address to a human-readable name.

How are blockchain domains different than traditional domain names?

They may look like domain names, but they are no ordinary domain names. To begin, they are not regulated by ICANN which means they have their own rules. ICANN is a nonprofit organization that is tasked with managing and updating namespaces globally while making sure that the network is operational. To resolve blockchain websites, users must use browser extensions or use specific browsers like Firefox that are integrated with these extensions.

Blockchain domains also have a few specific use cases.

Why do you need brand protection in the new Internet?

As you can see, what makes blockchain domains so powerful is also what makes them dangerous. Blockchain-based DNS projects bring power to the domain owner and create a decentralized protocol that exists alongside the DNS protocol for the web. Without censorship, this new Internet is essentially the Wild Wild West.

Blockchain domain names do not have traditional trademark protection mechanisms in place like .COM or .ORG domain names. Thus, we advise brand owners to defensively protect their trademarks from cybersquatting.

Who provides blockchain domains?

With the largest selection of top-level domains available anywhere, 101domain is excited to offer blockchain domains to our clients.

We launched our first partnership back in 2018 with Ethereum Blockchain, and now we are offering blockchain domains by Handshake. Handshake is the first to pre-reserve names for existing trademark name holders, with highly anticipated blockchain domains coming down the pike.

Handshake 

Handshake creates a decentralized public common for name registration on the Ethereum blockchain—uncensorable, permissionless, and free of gatekeepers.