ENS: Expanding the Internet’s Namespace into Web3

The domain industry is standing at the edge of its next great evolution and Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is helping lead the way. From recent appearances at ICANN in Prague and Dublin, to strategic partnerships and real-world integrations like .locker, ENS is proving that Web3 naming doesn’t replace the traditional internet- it expands it.

To better understand ENS’ role in shaping the future of digital identity, namespace expansion, and responsible Web3 adoption, we sat down with Alex Slobodnik, better known as slobo.eth, who leads DNS strategy at ENS Labs. What emerged was a clear message: ENS represents the next generation of digital identity that’s building upon the foundation that the domain industry and ICANN has put in place.

Why ENS Exists and Why Slobo Joined

ENS was built to solve a simple but powerful problem: blockchain addresses are not designed for humans. Instead of a long string of letters and numbers, ENS enables people to use readable names, like yourname.eth, as their onchain identity. At the center of ENS’ naming protocol are the principles of blockchain technology: ownership of identity and personal data, decentralization of power and technology, and censorship resistance within the Web3 ecosystem. This makes ENS more than just a naming system. It’s a commitment to an internet that is built, and owned, by every individual user.

For seasoned domain industry players, creating a naming system may feel like deja vu. It became clear in the early days of the internet that we needed a method for easily accessing the internet, creating user-friendly experiences, and maintaining order amongst it all. ENS is akin to the Domain Name System (DNS), which has been silently powering the internet by changing IP addresses into human readable domain names, like yourname.locker or yourname.com. But DNS wasn’t built for blockchains and it requires you to share your personal data upfront to participate. Web3 was standing at the intersection of growth and the potential for naming protocol chaos. Enter ENS in 2017, revolutionizing digital identity and empowering Web3 users to take control of their online presence. 

For Slobo, the mission was personal. “I was so tired of managing multiple logins and relying on big tech to manage my identity for me. I realized that ENS is the future and I wanted to help shape it.”

That frustration is one most users recognize. Today’s internet is fragmented across endless platforms, each controlling a piece of your identity and managing your data for you. ENS flips that model by putting control back into the hands of users, making digital identity portable, self-owned, and usable across applications. Like other Web3 protocols, ENS is user-powered, relying on its decentralized autonomous organization, or DAO, to guide decision making. This completely removes corporate influence from the equation, creating a naming protocol that is truly reflecting the best interests of individuals. 

ENS and DNS: A Partnership, Not a Battle

There’s a common misconception that Web3 naming is here to replace or alter DNS. In reality, ENS was built to complement it. Slobo explains it clearly: “ENS’ mission remains the same: Enable human-readable blockchain addresses, user profiles, and decentralized content while maintaining interoperability with the traditional DNS infrastructure.” 

Traditional DNS will always serve as the backbone of the Web2 internet. ENS simply unlocks the next frontier of Web3, Ethereum decentralized applications (dApps), and more. Imagine a world where the domain name you use for your email address can also be used for a digital wallet, a Web3 gamer tag, and a universal login. That’s the future of DNS and ENS working together.

This interoperability is exactly what makes ENS so powerful. Rather than working against DNS, ENS works alongside it, extending existing naming systems into decentralized environments where ownership, security, and transparency are foundational. ENS has adopted ICANN’s core values in its ENS DAO constitution, further cementing its mission to complement existing namespaces and regulations.

The result of working alongside traditional naming systems is a respected Web3 namespace with over 1.6 million names in use. This makes ENS the most integrated naming system in the Web3 space. And it’s only the beginning for ENS as they enter the Web2 world.

Bringing Web3 Naming to the Domain Industry

Attendees of recent ICANN events may have noticed a growing ENS presence, and that’s no accident! ENS has been actively integrating itself into the domain name ecosystem while also recognizing that blockchain-based naming has different technical, policy, and operational requirements than Web2 DNS. The goal isn’t disruption for disruption’s sake. It’s to build a responsible, interoperable solution for long-term industry health. “Our goal is to enable identity for the world,” says Slobo, “and working with DNS rather than against it is critical to our success.”

There are multiple blockchain naming solutions on the market today, but at .locker, we believe ENS stands apart as the most responsible choice for sustainable growth. Scale matters. Integration matters. And collaboration with the existing internet infrastructure matters most of all. 

.locker was launched on Bitcoin, bringing unmatched security and immutability to digital identity, but we know true interoperability doesn’t stop at Bitcoin. With ENS resolver integration, a .locker name becomes usable across Ethereum-based dApps, digital wallets, and Web3 services. This dual-chain interoperability is rare, but powerful. Most importantly, .locker knows the ENS’ solution is sustainable, responsible, and built for users, by users.

Slobo highlighted why this model works so well: “.locker shows how the DNS can work hand in hand with ENS. .locker wanted to add Web3 capabilities for its users, and ENS was there to help, free of charge, to make that real. As more people discover the power of portable digital identity that ENS enables and .locker spreads, more users will come onchain and have a better safer user experience.”

What makes the user experience so safe? It’s the adoption of the core values of ICANN in the DAO constitution. This ensures that domain names have the structure they need on Web3 while also adopting the best practices that have been established over the years. One of the key benefits of mimicking the industry’s success is the ownership of namespaces within ENS. The threat of name collision is near for some Web3 solutions, especially as we approach the next round of gTLDs, but not ENS. This means ENS, and .locker, has long-term operational integrity and it won’t fizzle out when the next round of gTLD applications is through. 

More Than Human Readable Names

ENS isn’t just responding to how people use the internet today. It’s building for what comes next, and .locker has a front row seat for the next innovations. Slob sees the growth of stablecoins, decentralized finance, and global digital commerce as the next major catalyst. 

“As stablecoins proliferate, banking services will be disintermediated and reinvented. We will see global apps for a global world. Instead of being locked into a single jurisdiction, you will be able to travel to the UK or Dubai and pay people with one app.”

In that world, fragmented usernames and siloed financial apps no longer make sense.

“Why juggle different usernames on Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal when money is global and your username can be too? Global identity is a huge growth opportunity, with a little over 300 million domains and 8 billion people. The future is bright.”