The domain for the Ethereum Name Service Decentralized Autonomous Organization (ENS DAO), eth.link, now displays an empty page with a banner saying the domain has expired, as the only person with authority to renew it is in prison.
See related article: What is ENS (Ethereum Name Service) and how does it work?
Fast facts
- Ethereum developer Virgil Griffith was sentenced to 63 months in prison and fined US$100,000 in April for assisting North Korean actors to violate international sanctions through the use of cryptocurrency.
- Domain registrar GoDaddy published a notice on its website on Friday advising the domain expired on July 26 and will be available for anyone to purchase once it re-enters the public registry on Sept. 5.
- GoDaddy initially allowed Griffith’s lawyer to renew the domain in his absence, but ultimately reversed that decision.
- ENS operates like a Web3 version of the Domain Name Service; it is a readable username that is traceable across dApps and blockchains, allowing users to have a single “.eth” domain which can be used to send cryptocurrency instead of typing out the entire wallet sequence.
- The ENS DAO community has advised users to switch over to another community-operated domain, eth.limo, until the issue is resolved.
- The number of ENS addresses recently surpassed 2 million amid the excitement surrounding the coming Ethereum “Merge.”
See related article: What’s in a name? Ethereum domain name creation doubles in four months
