According to Blockworks, non-profit organization NEAR Foundation, responsible for the NEAR protocol, is partnering with interoperable domain name company D3 Global to apply for a .near top-level domain (TLD) in the upcoming ICANN application window. TLDs are the highest level in the hierarchy of root-level domains, with common examples being .com, .net, and .org. Applicants must meet specific requirements, such as having relevant operational, technical, and financial capabilities, to be eligible for a TLD. Successful applicants must also pay a non-refundable fee of $185,000 and an additional quarterly fee of $6,250.
Fred Hsu, co-founder and CEO of D3, stated that the D3 team has extensive experience operating TLDs and navigating the application process. They have successfully registered and managed over 300 TLDs in the past, including .xyz and .inc. If NEAR Foundation obtains the TLD, it can use a single domain for its website, email, and wallet addresses. The TLD can also serve as verification credentials across different platforms, allowing developers to create dapps that integrate with existing internet infrastructure.
Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol, expressed excitement about working with D3 to secure the .near TLD and extend the power of NEAR accounts across the internet. Combining Web3 identity with existing internet infrastructure will help drive mainstream adoption, according to Polosukhin. NEAR Foundation is not the first organization to explore the domain space for connecting Web3 and Web2. Recently, Ethereum Name Service (ENS) partnered with domain registrar GoDaddy to link wallets to web pages, enabling users to easily connect their simplified ENS wallet addresses with their Domain Name Systems.
