Ethereum Name Service proposes DAO vote for upgraded ENSv2 protocol activation
The transition will temporarily halt new .eth domain registrations for several hours, though current name holders can continue renewals without needing to migrate.
The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has submitted a proposal to its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) requesting approval to launch an upgraded version of its naming protocol on Ethereum's mainnet.
Nick Johnson, the founder of ENS, put forward an executable draft proposal aimed at activating ENSv2, which represents the protocol's next generation. Should the proposal receive approval, it would halt new registrations on the current ENS registrar, though existing holders of domains would maintain their ability to renew their names.
The proposed upgrade brings a redesigned architecture for the registry that offers enhanced flexibility for managing domains and permissions. Following activation, ENS Labs intends to hand over its remaining administrative authority over the upgraded smart contracts to the DAO.
The upgraded system would handle new .eth registrations following the synchronization of domain records. Johnson cautioned that during the transition period, new registrations would experience temporary unavailability on both versions for a span of several hours.
According to the proposal, existing domain holders face no requirement to migrate, and their names would maintain normal functionality. ENS Labs has also set aside existing .eth names for their present owners within the upgraded system, providing users the flexibility to migrate at their convenience.
The activation proposal currently sits in draft stage and needs to progress to an onchain DAO vote prior to implementation.
Based on ENS governance requirements, executable proposals must achieve a minimum of 1% voter participation, which equals 1 million ENS votes, along with majority approval throughout a seven-day voting period. Should the proposal gain approval, the upgrade would face a minimum two-day timelock prior to execution. No voting date has been scheduled at this time.