.crypto domains launching on 12/11

[Unstoppable Domains]

Hi NamePros,

We’re announcing the launch of the .crypto domain extension on 12/11. 50,000 domains have already been registered. Go to https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=namepros to find available domains.

You’ve probably all heard about cryptocurrency, but may not be aware that new domain extensions are being launched on blockchains. These domains are not part of the ICANN system. They are stored by the owner, with their private key, not by a registrar like Godaddy. No one can transfer a domain or update it other than the owner. If you store website content on decentralized storage instead of Amazon Web Services, then no one can take down your website other than you.

A blockchain domain + Decentralized storage = An uncensorable website

This is the beginning of an entirely new internet built to protect free speech around the world.


Blockchain domain features

• No Renewals - Pay once and it’s yours ... forever
  
  
• No Custodian - Domains are stored by the owner. No third party can move or update them
  
  
• Payments - The domain can be used as a payment address for cryptocurrencies. Send Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or any other currency all to the same domain
  
  
• Uncensorable Websites - Attach domains to content on decentralized storage and create an uncensorable website
  
  
• Transfers - Escrow agents aren’t needed. Transfer to anyone in the world in under 1 minute with no risk of being defrauded

We’ll be moderating this thread and we’d love to hear your thoughts!


Brad Kam, Co-founder

This was a promoted post.​

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

Fair enough. Although using the term "alternate" or "alternative" is giving end users, who is needed for adoption, more of a secondary feel.

My point is to market on the great attributes instead of being a secondary option.

Best of luck!

We call it the decentralized web. And it's completely different than the traditional internet. But when talking to the domain community, we were ensuring that everyone understands it's not part of ICANN. Domain seizures and website take downs become impossible. This is radically different than the current system.

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

Who's to say that browsers wont use blockchain in the future? All major web browsers currently have teams working on web3.0, aka the blockchain space.

Very true. The topic is picking up steam in the browser community.

 

[garptrader]

While .CRYPTO and .ZIL domains will be usable for creating websites (timeline?) not hosted on traditional host providers, for most individuals the primary advantage of a blockchain domain is that of a wallet address shortener. I have already used some .ZIL domains of mine to make wallet-to-wallet transfers. While a typo domain could theoretically be an issue, which is more likely - mistyping a 6-12 character memorable keyword or some random 40-character crypto address which is a combination of upper and lower case characters plus numbers which make no logical sense? However, one should be aware of singular versus plural keywords as someone may own the equivalent plural/singular domain of a blockchain domain you are using.

Note some wallets will change the default send to address once that address has been used (for privacy - so that it is more difficult to track multiple transfers to the same wallet). However, I found I was still able to use that original address for transfers to that wallet.

 

[bmugford]

They are not changing anything related to DNS. The DNS system doesn't support these extensions. They are adding resolution by reading the blockchain. And yes, applications are very open to this.

The bottom line in my view is as soon as there is an actual ICANN approved .crypto extension it will basically replace anything you are doing. You could either get that extension or be stuck on a alternative root.

I really don't see any major company or browser making it so when you type a .crypto address into a browser it is sent on some alternative root by default.

Brad

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

That is fine. What is to stop endless other alternate root providers from launching their own .crypto then?
Nothing really.

Brad

Applications decide what to integrate. We already have a large number of top crypto wallets supporting our extension. They will not support a rival .crypto that could collide. Without ICANN deciding what's in DNS, applications decide what is legitimate. That's why we spent the past 6 months getting integrated with applications.

 

[bmugford]

Domain seizures and website take downs become impossible. This is radically different than the current system.

Which sounds great in theory, but has major issues in practice.

While clearly some seizures / take downs are bogus, there are often highly legitimate reasons to take down websites.

Brad

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

The bottom line in my view is as soon as there is an actual ICANN approved .crypto extension it will basically replace anything you are doing. You could either get that extension or be stuck on a alternative root.

I really don't see any major company or browser making it so when you type a .crypto address into a browser it is sent on some alternative root by default.

Brad

Stay tuned Brad Announcements coming. And it wont' replace because the ICANN version of .crypto won't be censorship resistant. It would be useless to people trying to use it for payments or for censorship resistant websites.

 

[bmugford]

Stay tuned Brad Announcements coming. And it wont' replace because the ICANN version of .crypto won't be censorship resistant. It would be useless to people trying to use it for payments or for censorship resistant websites.

Good luck. This thread should be moved to the promotional section of the forum BTW.

Brad

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

Which sounds great in theory, but has major issues in practice.

While clearly some seizures / take downs are bogus, there are often highly legitimate reasons to take down websites.

Brad

And now they will all become impossible. Because no one person, company, government, or group can be trusted to decide what's ok on the internet and what isn't. Think about take downs in China, Russia, or Catalan. Or free speech activists almost anywhere in the world. Filtering of objectionable content will still happen with browsers, search engines, etc. The difference is that the record is still there on the blockchain, even if it's being ignored. If people really want to see it, they will be able to. And apps won't take one singular view of what is ok on the internet. Different browsers could show different versions depending on their moral view of the world. You can choose your app, your app chooses your internet. And you can always read the blockchain yourself if you really need. It's a robust, permanent, uncensorable public database.

 

[Internet.Domains]

Good luck. This thread should be moved to the promotional section of the forum BTW.

Brad

Actually, it should be moved to a new category titled "Blockchain Domains."

This is not the only conversation we will see in this space. Web3.0 is coming and we will see more users enter this space as the technology continues to develop.

@Eric Lyon - Can we set up a "Blockchain Domains" category?

 

[bmugford]

Actually, it should be moved to a new category titled "Blockchain Domains."

This is the only conversation we will see in this space. Web3.0 is coming and we will see more users enter this space as the technology continues to develop.

@Eric Lyon - Can we set up a "Blockchain Domains" category?

It is clearly promoting a product. It is promotional.

https://www.namepros.com/forums/promotional.15/

Brad

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

Is a category the same as a discussion/forum? I know a lot of different folks that are working on this stuff would love to post and create threads on the topic. Might be helpful if general information about the industry was all in one place.

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

I'm happy not to promote any product. I'm just trying to identify where we should have the discussion around blockchain domains.

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

Hi Brad,

thanks for posting this information, and welcome to Namepros!

2 questions which immediatelly comes to mind:

1) How will you handle the situation when another company applies for .CRYPTO extension in standard ICANN process, and will get rights to operate the extension?

In another words, if person A now purchase your blockchain domain name, let's say example.crypto, and person B will purchase a standard ICANN domain name example.crypto (in case .CRYPTO is granted in standard ICANN process to some domain registry in future), which website will be resolved in standard brownser ? This is hypothetical situation, but given the popularity of keyword "crypto", there are chances someone might apply for .crypto.

2) How will you handle the situation when illegal content will be stored at webpages on blokchain .crypto domain name, and valid court order from major jurisdiction (USA, EU) will be issued to remove the content/website?

Many thanks for clarification

1) That process is at least 3 years away. By that time, we will already have many major applications resolving .crypto domains. We think it will be difficult for the ICANN tld to replace this actual usage. Also, what would be the point of such a .crypto ICANN tld? Who would use it if it actively competes with the entire crypto community and doesn't work for payments or censorship resistant websites (the whole point of blockchain domains)
2) A court order or injunction will I'm sure be issued at some point. However, we do not control the domain names or web content. The user does with their private key. The courts will need to physically get control of that key to take down the website. There's nothing we can do.

We of course don't condone illegal activity and will work to discourage it. Objectionable content will likely not be resolved by browsers and search engines so it will be much harder to find.

Thanks for the great questions and discussion!

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

That is fine. What is to stop endless other alternate root providers from launching their own .crypto then?
Nothing really.

Brad

Anyone can launch. That's easy. Not everyone can get their system supported. That's hard. Apps that already support our version of .crypto are not going to resolve a colliding version. .Crypto is already supported by top crypto apps.

 

[CJ6]

So, I have a question... wouldn't ICANN remove applications due to trademark violations? Or not really? Because Unstoppable Domains has the trademark on .crypto. So, couldn't this help to prevent another entity from claiming .crypto domain extension?
Link: http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:911225.2.12

(I'm not a trademark lawyer and don't have a clue.)

 

[CJ6]

It would be absolutely pathetic if .crypto was centrally controlled through ICANN.

 

[Unstoppable Domains]

So, I have a question... wouldn't ICANN remove applications due to trademark violations? Or not really? Because Unstoppable Domains has the trademark on .crypto. So, couldn't this help to prevent another entity from claiming .crypto domain extension?
Link: http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:911225.2.12

(I'm not a trademark lawyer and don't have a clue.)

I'm not an attorney either, but yes, legitimate use is a big part of TM claims. We can already demonstrate that use and will continue to demonstrate it for the next 3 years. I think we'll be in a pretty strong position. It definitely makes it difficult for ICANN to quickly and easily sell it to someone else. And while the ICANN process drags on, people will be using their .crypto domains.

 

[bmugford]

So, I have a question... wouldn't ICANN remove applications due to trademark violations? Or not really? Because Unstoppable Domains has the trademark on .crypto. So, couldn't this help to prevent another entity from claiming .crypto domain extension?
Link: http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:911225.2.12

(I'm not a trademark lawyer and don't have a clue.)

As far as I know you can't trademark a domain extension.
It has been tried in the past and did not stop ICANN from delegating any extensions.

If this was the case then anyone could just file a trademark for a non-existent extension and then block it on those grounds.

Brad

 

[bmugford]

It would be absolutely pathetic if .crypto was centrally controlled through ICANN.

That is what I expect to happen.

If there is another round of new extensions, I would expect the odds of that being an ICANN delegated extension to be about 99%.

Brad