What is a Blockchain Domain?

Blockchain is the fundamental technology that underpins bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies. That same technology can also be applied to many other applications­­­, including to create blockchain domains. So, what exactly is a blockchain domain?

What is a blockchain domain?

A Blockchain domain is essentially a collection of smart contracts which live on a blockchain. The smart contracts take a blockchain address like 0x89605A3A3b2A59De6Dbf7f01ED13B2108B2c43e5, and turn it into something such as Charles.crypto.

That end product can now not only be read by a human, but it is also an NFT (non-fungible token) which means that it can’t be duplicated or replicated on the blockchain.

What is a crypto domain?

A crypto domain is the same exact thing as a blockchain domain. A crypto domain is just another term for a domain built on a blockchain.

What is the purpose of blockchain domains?

Currently, there are two primary use cases for blockchain domains. They can be used to create decentralized websites or to receive cryptocurrency transactions on the blockchain.

What are decentralized websites?

These are websites that are very much like traditional websites, except that they are built and housed on a blockchain. They have no central storage like a traditional domain which means that only the owner of the domain can make alterations or censor the content.

To access decentralized .crypto or .zil websites, simply:

1. Download the Unstoppable Extension from the chrome web store.

2. Type full blockchain domain in the search bar on Chrome.

3. Decentralized website will automatically load

4. Or, browse websites from the unstoppable extension.

· Open extension:

· Click “View list of websites”

· Browse sites alphabetically

The potential for decentralized websites is vast, however, the actual application is still very much in its infancy. There are currently not many sites that serve any real pragmatic purpose beyond providing a link to purchase the domain name.

However, this may change soon as adoption is growing, and more projects begin to be developed on the decentralized web.

How blockchain domains are used for transactions

Blockchain domains give you the ability to input a domain as a blockchain address, instead of the long, complicated string of code of the address in its pure form. This makes sending cryptocurrency easier and more secure because it reduces the chance that a sender may input an incorrect address.

To use a domain to accept transactions you just need to add your wallet address to your list of accepted addresses. You should be able to access this list from the service where you purchased the domain, such as unstoppabledomains.com. All payments sent to your domain name will then be automatically routed to your accepted address.

What is the difference between .crypto and .eth domains?

There are currently many different domain extensions available on the decentralized web. They all serve essentially the same purpose which is to facilitate the two primary use cases of receiving transactions and building decentralized websites.

The difference resides in the blockchain the domain is created on and the entity which created the domain extension. Most extensions are currently created on the Ethereum blockchain and created by unstoppabledomains.com or ens.domains.

The most popular extensions are currently:

1. .crypto

· The .crypto domain extension is one of the most widely used extensions for crypto domains. These extensions are created by unstoppabledomains.com on the Ethereum blockchain. They give you the ability to easily create a decentralized website and receive crypto transactions.

2. .eth

· The .eth domain extensions are created by the ens.domains organization. These domains are also created on the Ethereum blockchain.

3. .zil

·The .zil domain extensions are also created by unstoppabledomains.com on the Ethereum blockchain. It has the same features and capabilities as the .crypto extension just at a lower upfront cost.

How to register your own crypto domain

1. Visit unstoppabledomains.com

2. Search for a domain name

3. Choose a domain extension

4. Then just go to your cart and check out and you now own a crypto domain

Conclusion

Crypto domains are certainly a very interesting development in the crypto industry. They have the potential to be as ubiquitous and essential as traditional .com domains. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of development and actual adoption. If development and adoption begin to pick up, the future looks very bright for the innovative technology. If development and adoption lag behind other sectors in the crypto space, crypto domains may be overshadowed by alternate innovations and recede into relative obscurity.