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Unstoppable Domains
Blockchain company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Unstoppable Domains is a private technology company based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 2018 by Matthew Gould, the company registers both traditional and blockchain-based domains.
 | The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guidelines for companies and organizations. (August 2025) |
| This article contains promotional content. (June 2025) |
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History
Unstoppable Domains (UNS) was founded in 2019 by Matthew Gould as part of a wave of blockchain startups aiming to build infrastructure for the decentralized web (Web3). UNS gained early prominence alongside Ethereum Name Services (ENS) as one of the two largest providers of blockchain domain names.[1] It began operations offering blockchain-based domain name registrations, primarily as a way to simplify cryptocurrency transactions and provide censorship-resistant web infrastructure.[1][2] Early on, the company supported TLDs such as `.crypto` and `.wallet` on the Ethereum blockchain before transitioning to Polygon.[1][2]
Sandy Carter, former vice president at Amazon Web Services, joined the company as Senior Vice President of Business Development in 2021.[3]
In July 2022, the company raised $65 million in a Series A round led by Pantera Capital with a $1 billion valuation.[4][5]
The company received accreditation from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in August 2024.[6]
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Operations
Unstoppable Domains manages domain names minted as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).[1][4] These domains, often referred to as blockchain-based or NFT domains, function similarly to traditional web addresses, but are stored on public blockchains,[4] specifically on the Polygon, Solana, Base and Sonic chains.[1] The company also registers traditional DNS domain names.[2]
Unlike the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), which operates as a decentralized public good under a DAO model, Unstoppable Domains is a for-profit entity. It requires all domain registrations to be processed through its own centralized web interface. The underlying smart contracts for data storage can only be initialized by the company itself, and users must register and pay directly through Unstoppable Domains.[2]
The domains can function as human-readable aliases for cryptocurrency wallet addresses, can be used as login credentials for some Web3 applications, and host decentralized, censorship-resistant websites using the peer-to-peer InterPlanetary File System (IPFS).[1][4]
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Legal challenges
Blockchain domain names (BDNs), such as those offered by Unstoppable Domains, operate independently of the traditional Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) system. As a result, they are not subject to ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), which complicates trademark enforcement in cases of infringement or cybersquatting.[7] Legal scholars have noted that existing trademark laws, including the U.S. Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), may not be fully applicable to BDNs, and courts have not definitively ruled on the matter.[7][8] Due to the absence of centralized oversight and verification mechanisms, BDNs may be vulnerable to practices like "cryptosquatting"—the unauthorized registration of domain names incorporating trademarks.[7]
To address brand protection, the company introduced a "Protected Brands Policy" which reserved domains under the .blockchain TLD for the top 100,000 trademarked names.[1] Unstoppable Domains has also initiated legal action over TLD collisions, notably suing Wallet Inc. and Handshake over the duplication of the .wallet domain, citing consumer confusion and misdirected traffic.[1]
Privacy and criticism
A Microsoft report in 2021 warned that the lack of a central body overseeing blockchain-based domains could be used to create criminal networks.[4]
References
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