What Is ENS (Ethereum Name Service)?

ENS in plain English

ENS (Ethereum Name Service) is basically usernames for crypto.

Instead of sending funds to a long wallet address like 0x4cbe58c50480... you can send to a readable name like example.eth.

That one change (making names human) is a huge step toward normal people using crypto without screwing up copy/paste.

What can an ENS name do?

• Receive crypto: people can just type your name.eth instead of your long wallet address.
• Map multiple addresses: one ENS name can point to ETH, BTC, etc. You can set different chains under one readable handle.
• Link to a website: you can point your ENS to decentralized content (for example, IPFS / eth.limo) and basically use it like a Web3 domain.
• Act as your on-chain identity: your ENS name becomes your display name in dapps, wallets, social, games, etc.
• Issue subnames: you can hand out subnames to other people/apps, like alice.yourbrand.eth or room3.airbnbplace.eth.

Who actually owns an ENS name?

When you register an .eth name, you’re not just “getting a username on some company’s server.”

You’re getting an NFT that represents that name. That NFT sits in your wallet. You control it because you control the wallet.

That means:

• You can move it: you can transfer/sell the ENS name like any other NFT.
• No platform approval: no one can just “ban your handle.”
• You update the records: you set what wallet it points to, what URL it points to, and other metadata.

Why does ENS matter?

• It’s easier: you’re not pasting 0x9f84bd... every time you pay someone.
• It’s safer: less chance of sending money to the wrong address because you messed up one character.
• It’s portable: you can use the same ENS name basically everywhere in Web3 — apps, wallets, websites.
• It’s composable: smart contracts and apps can read ENS records directly on-chain. Your ENS name becomes data other apps can plug into.

Where this is going

ENS today is mainly “human-readable wallet names,” but it’s already evolving into full identity / access control.

• Sign-in / social: Your ENS can be used like a login or handle in apps, DMs, communities, etc. Basically your @username, but on-chain.
• Subnames for access: You can hand out temporary subnames (for example to guests, renters, teammates) and then revoke them later. Think “access passes that expire.”
• Cross-chain identity: The idea is you stay “you” even if you move between L1s and L2s. Same identity, different environments.

Last updated: October 2025