Ethereum Name Service (ENS)

Human-readable crypto addresses. Your Web3 identity.

What is Ethereum Name Service?

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) replaces long, unmemorable crypto addresses with human-readable names. Instead of sending ETH to "0x3a7d...8f2c", you send it to "alice.eth". It is the DNS of Web3 — the system that translates human-friendly names into machine-readable addresses.

ENS names do more than simplify payments. They serve as portable Web3 identities — a single name that can point to your Ethereum address, Bitcoin address, IPFS website, social profiles, and more. Owning a .eth name has become a status symbol and identity marker in the crypto community.

ENS is the governance token for the ENS DAO, which controls the protocol's parameters, treasury, and direction. The DAO received a significant portion of ENS token supply at launch, making it one of the best-funded DAOs in crypto.

How Ethereum Name Service Works

ENS works like the domain name system (DNS) that powers the internet, but for blockchain addresses. You register a name (like "yourname.eth") and link it to your Ethereum address — and optionally to addresses on other chains, websites, and profile information. When someone sends crypto to "yourname.eth", the ENS smart contracts automatically resolve it to the correct address. Names are NFTs, so they can be bought, sold, and traded like any other digital asset.

Ethereum Name Service Ecosystem

Human-readable addresses replacing hex strings across 100+ wallets
Web3 identity — one name for addresses, profiles, and websites
ENS names as NFTs — tradeable on OpenSea and other marketplaces
Governance through ENS DAO with significant treasury
Integration across virtually every Ethereum wallet and dApp

Team & Development

ENS was created by Nick Johnson, a former Google engineer, in 2017. Initially developed within the Ethereum Foundation, ENS became an independent project and transitioned to DAO governance in November 2021 with the ENS token airdrop. The ENS DAO now governs the protocol, with the ENS Labs team continuing core development.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with an ENS name?

Receive crypto to a human-readable address (yourname.eth instead of a hex string), create a decentralized website, build your Web3 identity, and trade valuable names as NFTs.

How much does an ENS name cost?

Registration costs $5/year for names with 5+ characters, $160/year for 4-character names, and $640/year for 3-character names. Gas fees for the Ethereum transactions are additional.

Where do I store ENS tokens?

ENS is an ERC-20 token on Ethereum. Store it in MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, or any Ethereum-compatible wallet.

Can I sell or swap ENS?

Yes. Swaps supports selling ENS for fiat and swapping it for other tokens.

Buy Ethereum Name Service on Swaps

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