The next major upgrade to ENS. It rearchitects how names are stored, managed, and resolved. The implementation is often called Namechain.

Do my existing names disappear?

No. Resolution continues through the upgrade, and names are migrated using guided tools.

What changes for name holders?

Hierarchical ownership becomes first-class, and bulk operations like renewing many names become much cheaper.

ENSv2: What Changes

GuideRead time: 6 min

ENSv2 is the next major upgrade to the Ethereum Name Service. It changes how names are stored, managed, and resolved. If you hold .eth names, here is what you need to know.

What is ENSv2?

ENSv2 is a protocol upgrade that rearchitects how ENS works under the hood. The implementation is often called Namechain. All resolution still starts on Ethereum Mainnet, but the way names are registered, owned, and resolved becomes more flexible and cheaper to operate.

What actually changes for name holders

Hierarchical ownership

ENSv2 makes hierarchical name management a first-class feature. Subnames become much more practical, with clearer ownership and management. If you are new to subnames, see our guide to ENS subnames. This matters for projects, DAOs, and anyone issuing names to a community.

Lower-cost operations

Bulk operations that were expensive on ENSv1, such as renewing many names or creating subnames, become far cheaper. This changes the economics of holding and managing a portfolio.

Migration

Existing names need to be migrated to the new system when ENSv2 reaches production. The process is designed to be guided: tools will show which names are eligible, the costs, and the tradeoffs before you act. Batch migration lets you move multiple names at once.

Does anything break?

Your names do not disappear. Resolution continues to work through the upgrade, and tools are being built so listings, offers, and records survive migration or are easy to re-establish. Expect a transition window rather than a hard cutover.

Why it matters for the ecosystem

Cheaper subnames make new use cases viable: event badges, role names, temporary project names.
Lower costs encourage experimentation - more registrations, more collections, more activity.
Portfolio consolidation becomes easier when migration costs are low.

What should you do now?

Keep your names renewed and in good standing.
Use tools that are building ENSv2 readiness so your data is ready when migration opens.
Follow official ENS communications for the mainnet timeline.

ENSv2 is an upgrade, not a restart. Your names carry over, and the ecosystem is building the tools to make migration smooth.