If your desired .eth handle is no longer available, do not despair. There are many other NFT domains out there.
In this post, you’ll find out what Unstoppable Domains are, how they work, how much they cost, and how to use them.
What are Unstoppable Domains
Unstoppable Domains are domain names that are NFTs on Ethereum and the Polygon network.
The use of NFTs, makes these domain names decentralized and unstoppable. Traditional domain names like .com are entries in databases of centralized registries, which makes them susceptible to censorship. NFT domains like Unstoppable are ERC-721 tokens owned by individual addresses.
Unstoppable Domains offers several top-level domains, including:
- .crypto
- .nft,
- .wallet,
- .x,
- .dao,
- .bitcoin,
- .888,
- .blockchain,
- .zil
Once you mint an Unstoppable Domain, you own it forever (or until you sell/transfer it). There are no renewal fees.
How do Unstoppable Domains work
You can mint and hold an Unstoppable Domain in your wallet like any other NFT.
Under the hood, Unstoppable Domains are built on CNS, the Crypto Name Service. This serves the same purpose as the traditional DNS, i.e. looking up the address of a domain owner. However, CNS is based on smart contracts and domain ownership is irrevocable. Once a domain is minted, nobody can change, deactivate or transfer the domain without its owner’s permission.
Not all browsers currently support NFT domains. Here is a list of browsers that already support Unstoppable Domains’ CNS:
- Opera for desktop and mobile (supports .crypto)
- Brave for desktop and mobile (supports .crypto)
- Google Chrome Extension (supports all Unstoppable Domains)
- Firefox Extension (supports all Unstoppable Domains)
- Unstoppable Browser (supports .crypto and .zil)
With an Unstoppable Domain and IFPS for hosting, you can build a decentralized website that will be displayed in supported browsers without any risk of censorship.
Unstoppable Domains vs ENS domains
Both Unstoppable Domains and ENS or Ethereum Name System are implementations of NFT domains.
The main difference is that ENS domains NFTs must be renewed annually while Unstoppable Domains have no renewals. The table below summarizes other differences between Unstoppable Domains vs ENS domains.
| Unstoppable Domains | ENS | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Ethereum and Polygon | Ethereum |
| Renewals | No renewals | Yes, annual |
| Price | One-time payment of $20 to several thousand dollars | $5 to $640/year, depending on the character length |
| Top-level domains | .crypto, .nft, .wallet, .x, .dao, .bitcoin, .888, .blockchain, .zil | .eth |
| Supported browsers | Opera, Brave, Chrome (extension), Firefox (extension), Unstoppable Browser | Opera, Brave, Status (mobile), Puma (mobile) |
| Permissioned? | Yes, some brand and high-value names are reserved to prevent squatting | No |
| Token? | No | Yes, $ENS |
How much are Unstoppable Domains?
The price of Unstoppable Domain depends on whether it’s minted for the first time or sold on the open market.
Minting fees vary from $20 for regular domains to thousands of dollars for things like first names or popular products (burger.crypto can be yours for $9,998). Some domains that include brand or celebrity names are reserved for those who can prove authenticity.
Unstoppable Domains are also available for resale on secondary markets like OpenSea. There the price depends on what the buyers and sellers agree.
How to Use Unstoppable Domains
You can use an Unstoppable Domain to host a decentralized website, create a Web3 profile, receive crypto, and more.
1. Receive crypto in your wallet
A standard Ethereum address starting with something like 0x420… that’s not human-friendly.
Instead, you can simply share your Unstoppable Domain like sandy.nft.
A smart wallet like Zerion would be able to locate your handle.
2. Create a Web3 profile
You can create your own Web3 profile, connect your existing social media accounts, display NFTs, and highlight achievements.
3. Host a website
You can use an Unstoppable Domain to host a static decentralized website by uploading files to IFPS, the decentralized storage solution.
How to buy an Unstoppable Domain
You can get your own Unstoppable domain in a few steps:
1. Go to https://unstoppabledomains.com/
2. Select the domain that you like
3. Connect your wallet — for Zerion Wallet, select Wallet Connect
4. Scan the QR code with your Zerion Wallet. Then approve Unstoppable Domains and sign a signature request in your Zerion Wallet
5. Select the payment method — if you select cryptocurrency, you can pay with ETH, DAI, or USDC (only on Ethereum mainnet)
6. To transfer crypto from your Zerion Wallet by clicking send and scanning the QR code
7. That’s it!
Your new Unstoppable Domain NFT will arrive in your wallet.
Try Zerion Wallet
FAQ
What can I use my Unstoppable Domain for?
You can use your Unstoppable Domain instead of a random Ethereum address that starts with 0x. That makes it easier for others to send you crypto without any risk of a mistake. You can also host a decentralized website on your Unstoppable Domain using IFPS.
Can I sell my Unstoppable Domain?
Yes! You can sell an Unstoppable Domain like any other NFT on OpenSea or another marketplace.
Do Unstoppable Domains expire?
No, once minted, your Unstoppable Domain remains with you forever (or until you sell it). Unlike regular domains, there are no annual renewal fees.
Can you host a website with unstoppable domains?
Yes, but that’s trickier than with regular domain names.
That’s because most browsers don’t support CNS and UNS that Unstoppable Domains use instead of standard DNS. Brave and Opera are two browsers that do support Unstoppable Domains.
Are Unstoppable Domains Safe?
Unstoppable Domains are safe but as with any smart contract-based application, there could be unknown exploits. Also, attackers might scam you into sending them an NFT domain or sharing your private keys (never do this). If your NFT is gone, then nothing can be done to return it.
