GoDaddy Inc., a leading domain registration and web hosting company, has partnered with the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) to make it easy to associate existing domain names with blockchain-based .eth names.
This collaboration was announced through a press release on February 5th. It aims to seamlessly connect Domain Name System (DNS) and blockchain technology, allowing GoDaddy’s more than 20 million users to access the benefits of the ENS infrastructure without any additional costs or fees. Technical expertise is required.
Paul Nicks, President of Domains at GoDaddy, said the collaboration is a merger of domain and blockchain technologies that will allow domain users to explore the benefits of the latter at no additional cost. He added:
“We are not just linking domain names to blockchain addresses. We are building a bridge between two generations of Internet technologies. This collaboration allows users to enjoy the best of both worlds with minimal friction.”
According to a press release, this partnership represents an effort to integrate the Web2 and Web3 ecosystems to provide benefits to users on both platforms.
Connecting Web2 and Web3
ENS, the leading naming protocol in cryptocurrency, allows you to translate complex Ethereum addresses into human-readable names, similar to how DNS translates numeric IP addresses into easy-to-remember domain names.
The collaboration aims to simplify user interaction with web domains by combining the reliability of DNS with the innovation of blockchain technology. It also addresses barriers such as high gas fees and technical issues that previously hindered connecting domain names to the Ethereum blockchain.
ENS has introduced new smart contracts to facilitate a free process for DNS to ENS connections, increase user control over decentralized identities, and simplify online asset management. The partnership also signals growing interest in merging blockchain and existing technologies, with the goal of widespread adoption and functionality of blockchain in mainstream applications.
ENS founder Nick Johnson said the partnership has the potential to leverage the strengths of both legacy and blockchain technologies. Johnson added:
“By removing technical barriers and cost concerns, we are opening up a world of possibilities for domain owners to explore the benefits of blockchain technology. This is more than just connecting a domain name. This paves the way for a decentralized, user-centric Internet.”
legal dispute
The deal comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between GoDaddy and ENS over the “eth.link” domain.
True Names Ltd., a non-profit organization of ENS, filed the lawsuit against GoDaddy along with Virgil Griffith. The lawsuit alleges that GoDaddy breached its agreement to “respect, recognize and protect” the eth.link domain name. True Names is seeking at least $75,000 in damages, according to the complaint.
The eth.link registration was scheduled to expire on July 26, 2023, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. However, there was a dispute regarding domain expiration and subsequent sale.
GoDaddy stated that the domain name would be available for repurchase on September 5, 2022, but it was sold to a third party (cryptocurrency startup Manifold Finance) before this date.
ENS regained control of the eth.link domain after winning an injunction against GoDaddy, exposing ongoing legal and operational issues between the two companies. However, the dispute is still ongoing in court.