ENS simplifies crypto by turning complex Ethereum addresses into human-readable names, improving usability and reducing transfer errors.
Each ENS domain is an NFT, tradable on marketplaces like OpenSea, and supports cross-chain addresses and identity integration.
$ENS holders participate in protocol governance through a DAO, with proposals requiring 100,000 ENS tokens to be considered.
ENS is a decentralized naming system on Ethereum that turns wallet addresses into readable names like “yourname.eth,” making blockchain easier to use and more accessible.
WHAT IS ETHEREUM NAME SERVICE(ENS)?
In the Web3 world, long wallet addresses like “0x83bf…” are not exactly user-friendly. That’s where ENS—short for Ethereum Name Service—comes in. Built on Ethereum, ENS is a decentralized domain name system that simplifies blockchain addresses into easy-to-remember names like “yourname.eth,” making crypto transactions and interactions much more seamless.
For example, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s wallet address is originally a long string of 42 characters. But with ENS, it becomes “vitalik.eth.” That means if you want to send him crypto, you just enter that name—no copy-pasting of confusing addresses required.
📌 Key Features of ENS Domains
1. Tokenized as NFTs
Each ENS domain is an ERC-721 token—yes, it’s an NFT. That means you own it just like any digital collectible and can trade or transfer it on marketplaces like OpenSea. You control the data tied to your domain, and can use it across Ethereum-based DApps, maintaining full ownership.
2. Smart Address Mapping
Once you register a .eth domain, you can set it up to point to your Ethereum wallet through reverse resolution. So when someone enters “yourname.eth,” it automatically routes to your actual address. No need to share the full “0x” string anymore—your name becomes your address.
3. Multi-Chain & Identity Integration
ENS supports more than just Ethereum—you can attach BTC, LTC, DOGE, and other crypto wallet addresses to your domain. You can also link social accounts, email addresses, even NFT collection profiles. Want your favorite NFT as your profile picture? Set it as your ENS avatar.
📌 Registration & Renewal: What to Expect
Getting your own ENS domain is straightforward: connect your wallet, search for the name you want, and pay the registration fee in ETH. Renewal is required annually, and pricing varies depending on the length of the name—the shorter, the more valuable (and competitive).
>>> More to read: Understanding ERC-20 | A Guide to ERC-20 Tokens
ENS DOMAINS VS. TRADITIONAL DOMAINS
In the traditional internet, websites typically use domain names ending in extensions like “.com”, “.org”, or “.tw”—for example, google.com or facebook.com. These names exist to help users easily remember and access websites, while behind the scenes, they point to numerical IP addresses that computers can actually understand. Since IP addresses like “142.250.72.238” are hard for humans to remember, the Domain Name System (DNS) was developed to serve as a translator: you type in a domain, and DNS directs you to the correct IP and loads the site.
So, is ENS doing something similar? Exactly—but instead of mapping domain names to IP addresses, ENS translates Ethereum wallet addresses into simple, human-readable names like “yourname.eth”.
ENS autocomplete is live on Interface.
Find your frENS🔍 https://t.co/pD0KYJCm0T
— ens.eth (@ensdomains) June 18, 2025
📌 ENS Is the DNS of the Blockchain World
While traditional DNS underpins the Web2 experience, ENS is part of the Web3 stack. Its role is to convert complex Ethereum addresses—like “0x83bf…”—into clear and memorable names.
Ethereum addresses are typically 42-character strings made up of letters and numbers. They’re difficult to memorize and prone to error; a single typo during a transaction can result in permanent asset loss. ENS offers a human-readable naming layer, allowing users to send crypto and interact on-chain with ease—just by typing a name, not a full address.
📌 Web2 Usernames vs. Web3 Identity Tags
In Web2, users log in to services using usernames, emails, or phone numbers—methods designed for people, not machines. For blockchain to reach mainstream adoption, this same user-friendliness must apply to wallet addresses. That’s where ENS comes in.
With ENS, a cold and unreadable “0x” address becomes something recognizable like “alice.eth”. It simplifies user interactions and lays the foundation for a readable, memorable, and trusted identity layer in the Web3 ecosystem.
>>> More to read: SuiNS | The Future of Digital Identity on Sui
HOW TO REGISTER AN ENS DOMAIN
ENS provides Ethereum users with a simple and intuitive way to manage wallet addresses by allowing them to register personalized domain names ending in “.eth”—for example, yourname.eth. These domains are easier to remember and help build a recognizable Web3 identity. So how do you get one? It’s actually very easy.
Just visit the official ENS website, connect your Ethereum wallet (such as MetaMask), search for your desired name, and if it’s available, you can register it on the spot. The entire process takes just a few minutes.
🔍 Pricing and Renewal
Registering an ENS domain requires an annual fee, paid in ETH. Like traditional domains, you must renew your ENS domain to maintain ownership. The cost depends on the length of the domain, following a tiered pricing model:
5 characters or more: $5 per year
4 characters: $160 per year
3 characters: $640 per year
Shorter names are rarer and more expensive. If you plan to keep your domain long-term, make sure to renew it before it expires to avoid losing it to someone else.
>>> More to read: What is Hash? The Digital Fingerprint in Crypto
WHAT IS $ENS?
The ENS token is the governance token of the Ethereum Name Service protocol, with a fixed supply of 100 million tokens. Approximately 20% of the total supply is currently in circulation. Holders of ENS have voting rights within the DAO, giving them the power to influence the protocol’s future direction. Governance discussions and community proposals primarily take place on the official forum at discuss.ens.domains.
It’s worth noting that to formally submit a proposal to the ENS community for a vote, a minimum of 100,000 ENS tokens in support is required.
✏️ ENS Tokenomics
The ENS token launched on November 9, 2021, via an initial token distribution (not a traditional ICO). The total supply is capped at 100 million tokens, with an annual inflation rate of up to 2%, adjustable by DAO governance. The token distribution is structured as follows:
✅ Treasury (4-year unlock): 50% (50,000,000 tokens), with 10% released at the DAO’s inception
✅ Airdrop to early users (>137,000 addresses): 25% (25,000,000 tokens), with approximately 78.5% claimed (19.6 million tokens)
✅ Core contributors (4-year unlock): 18.96% (18,960,000 tokens)
✅ Other contributors (including ~100 individuals, teams, and hundreds of Discord users): 6.04% (6,040,000 tokens)
This token distribution model is designed to ensure community-led governance while aligning long-term incentives between contributors and the DAO.
>>> More to read: What Is Ethereum & How Does It Work?
CONCLUSION
The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is a decentralized naming protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain. It follows open-source standards and operates through a set of decentralized smart contracts that map blockchain addresses to human-readable names.
With ENS, users can purchase and manage their own domain names, enabling secure, decentralized transactions without needing to deal with long and complex wallet addresses. This significantly reduces the risk of errors when entering recipient addresses during fund transfers.
By making blockchain and crypto more accessible—especially for beginners—ENS is quickly becoming a foundational layer of the Web3 ecosystem and the broader future of decentralized identity.
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〈What is ENS? | The Decentralized Domain System on Ethereum〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。
