ENS and Manifold Finance Settle 18-Month Dispute Over eth.link Domain
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) developer has reached a settlement with Manifold Finance regarding the ownership of the eth.link domain. The ENS decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) approved a settlement of $300,000 to be paid to Manifold, while also securing the rights to retain the domain name. Additionally, ENS Labs’ legal costs of $750,000 will be reimbursed.
Background of the Legal Battle
The settlement brings an end to an 18-month legal battle between ENS Labs and Manifold. ENS Labs had filed a lawsuit against Manifold and domain registrars GoDaddy and Dynadot in an Arizona District Court. ENS Labs had obtained a court order to prevent the transfer of the domain away from their ownership.
The Settlement Terms
The settlement terms proposed by Manifold required a payment of $300,000 from ENS Labs, along with confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses. In exchange, all parties agreed to reach a settlement, leading to the dismissal of the case and allowing ENS Labs to retain control of the eth.link domain name.
About Ethereum Name Service (ENS)
ENS is an equivalent of the traditional Domain Name System (DNS) on the blockchain. It facilitates the translation of domain names into IP addresses for easier accessibility by browsers. As the two systems are not directly compatible, ENS utilizes the eth.link domain to enable .eth ENS-based domains to function properly.
ENS and GoDaddy Partnership
ENS and GoDaddy have recently formed a partnership. As part of this collaboration, .eth ENS domain holders can link their domains with traditional domains free of charge.
Nick Johnson’s Concerns
Nick Johnson, the founder of ENS, has raised concerns regarding Unstoppable Domains’ patent filings related to blockchain domain names. In an open letter addressed to Unstoppable Domains, Johnson accused the company of appropriating ENS’ open-source developments through these patent applications. He emphasized that all of ENS’ work is licensed under open-source licenses and publicly available for anyone to implement.
Unstoppable Domains’ Patents
One specific patent granted to Unstoppable Domains, titled “Resolving Blockchain Domains,” is based on innovations developed by ENS. Johnson noted that Unstoppable Domains has continued to pursue additional patents, including an application for reserving names similar to the “Sunrise Phase” commonly used in the DNS world for years.
Hot Take: ENS and Manifold Finance Resolve Domain Dispute
The settlement between ENS and Manifold Finance marks the end of a long legal battle over the eth.link domain. This resolution not only allows ENS Labs to retain control of the domain but also establishes a partnership between ENS and GoDaddy, benefiting .eth domain holders. However, concerns raised by Nick Johnson regarding Unstoppable Domains’ patent filings highlight the ongoing challenges in the blockchain domain space. It is essential for developers and organizations to prioritize open-source principles and collaborate to ensure a fair and inclusive environment for all participants.
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