XYZ: Ethereum Is Getting Another Popular Domain Name

Ethereum adds XYZ Domain Support

Users of the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) can now claim .xyz domains to connect to their wallets, smart contracts or other services, ENS developer Nick Johnson announced Wednesday.

Johnson wrote in a blog post that the new domain name option comes after some testing and development, and is “now supported by ENS on mainnet.” Users who are interested can purchase the domain through any Domain Name Service registrar and use it like any .eth domain, meaning users can associate it with their wallets, name smart contracts, create subdomains and more.

While EasyDNS – one such DNS registrar – has created a simplified wizard for adding the domain, users can also manually add .xyz, he wrote.

Johnson added:

“We’re rolling out our ENS support initially on .xyz to give it a test-drive, but the best thing about this is that it doesn’t require any cooperation or permission from each DNS [top-level domain]. Once we’ve had a chance to see how it works, we plan to roll it out to all other DNS TLDs that support the necessary features — which is almost all of them.”

ENS allows ethereum users to put “human readable names” in place of long wallet or service addresses, making it easier for individuals to transfer funds, use smart contracts or otherwise develop projects, as previously reported by CoinDesk.

The new .xyz domain is the second top-level domain that ENS supports, following .eth earlier this year. TLDs are the highest set of domains on the internet, and are required when visiting any website on the internet or decentralized web.

Ethereum image via Shutterstock

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ShapeShift Acquires Tool That Quickly Swaps Bitcoin forOther Cryptos

ShapeShift has acquired a startup that developed a tool for exchanging cryptocurrencies more efficiently.

The company said Wednesday that it acquired the Texas-based Bitfract after it made the tool – allowing for the exchange of bitcoin for “dozens of digital assets in a single transaction” using the company’s API. The idea is that the tool makes it easier for crypto-buyers to switch up their portfolio without having to execute numerous transactions.

“This demonstrated a great alignment of strategy and thinking, and their execution was so exceptional that we wanted to bring their talented team and technology on board,” CEO Erik Voorhees said in a statement.

The tool works by letting investors choose what percentage of their holdings should be in a particular asset, add the destination wallet addresses and send bitcoin in a single mass transaction.

ShapeShift intends to continue operating Bitfract’s tool in its present form “as a demonstration of the power of ShapeShift’s open API.” However, the exchange will also integrate the platform’s mechanism into its own platform, creating a native “multiple output transactions” function.

“We believe in a decentralized future where individuals freely control their digital wealth, and our team is honored to work alongside Erik and everyone at ShapeShift to make this a reality,” Bitfract co-founder and CEO Willy Ogorzaly said of the acquisition.

The move comes just less than a year after ShapeShift announced the acquisition of KeepKey, a bitcoin hardware wallet startup. ShapeShift raised a $10.4 million Series A funding round in March 2017.

ShapeShift image via Piotr Swat / Shutterstock

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.