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Name services

Name services

Because nobody can reliably check a 42 character address, and attackers count on that.

Start with ENSWhy addresses are risky
8Name services
1Name per chain
42Characters replaced
0Typos
The problem they solve

Nobody can check 42 characters reliably

A crypto address is a long string of hexadecimal or base58. Humans cannot verify one accurately, so we check the first four and last four characters and hope. Attackers know this.

A name service maps something readable to that address. Instead of sending to 0x742d35Cc6634C0532925a3b844Bc454e4438f44e, you send to yourname.eth and the wallet resolves it.

Beyond convenience, it removes an entire attack category. Address poisoning works precisely because people copy addresses from their transaction history and only glance at the ends. A name is either right or obviously wrong.

Worth remembering
Names are usually NFTs, which means you own the name the same way you own any other onchain asset. You can transfer it, sell it, or lose it if you lose the wallet.

Fewer mistakes

Reading a name is reliable. Reading a hex string is not, and the failure mode is permanent.

A portable identity

One name can work across apps, and can hold a profile, avatar and links.

More than addresses

Names can point at websites, content hashes and text records, not only wallets.

Every major name service

One per ecosystem, mostly

.eth

Ethereum Name Service

The original and still the most widely supported onchain name system.

Read more.base.eth

Basenames

Base's own naming layer, built on the ENS standard.

Read more.sol

Solana Name Service

The naming standard across Solana wallets and apps.

Read more.crypto, .x, .nft

Unstoppable Domains

One time purchase names across many extensions and chains.

Read more.ton

TON DNS

Naming for TON wallets, sites and Telegram integrations.

Read more.bnb, .arb

SPACE ID

A multi chain naming hub covering several ecosystems at once.

Read more.sui

SuiNS

The naming service built into the Sui ecosystem.

Read more.apt

Aptos Names

Aptos's official name registry.

Read more
How they compare

The practical differences

ServiceExtensionChainOwnership model
ENS.ethEthereumAnnual renewal
Basenames.base.ethBaseAnnual renewal
SNS.solSolanaAnnual renewal
UD.crypto, .x, .nftPolygon and othersOne time purchase
TON DNS.tonTONAnnual renewal
SPACE ID.bnb, .arbBNB Chain, ArbitrumAnnual renewal
SuiNS.suiSuiAnnual renewal
ANS.aptAptosAnnual renewal
Do not let it lapse
Renewal matters. Most names expire if you stop paying, and an expired name can be registered by someone else. If a name is tied to your identity or receives payments, set a reminder or register for several years at once.
Before you buy one

Four things worth knowing

  1. Check which apps actually resolve it

    A name is only useful where it is supported. ENS has by far the widest support. Others work well within their own ecosystem and not outside it.

  2. Understand the renewal terms

    Most are annual. Missing a renewal can mean losing the name to someone else, sometimes after a grace period.

  3. Set the reverse record

    Forward resolution turns a name into an address. Reverse resolution makes apps display your name instead of your address. You usually have to set that separately.

  4. Remember it is an asset in your wallet

    If your wallet is drained, the name goes with everything else. It is not stored separately and it is not recoverable.

Set up a name with us

Registering, pointing it at the right address, setting the reverse record and adding a profile. About twenty minutes, and it removes a whole class of mistake permanently.

Book a sessionLearn about addresses