ENS partners with GoDaddy, is the Web3 domain registration sector about to become a hot spot?

GoDaddy, as a globally renowned domain registrar, recently announced a partnership with Ethereum Name Service (ENS) aimed at providing more convenient domain linking services for Web3 community users. This collaboration will enable users to connect ".eth" domains with traditional Web2 domains for free.
This initiative not only simplifies the domain operation process for Web3 users but also enhances the popularity of decentralized domains. Through its partnership with ENS, GoDaddy further demonstrates its ongoing efforts to promote internet innovation and user convenience.

Next, we will explore the specifics of this collaboration and its potential impact on the blockchain field.

GoDaddy Overview: A Veteran Domain Registrar in the Web2 Era

Company Background:

GoDaddy was founded in 1997 by Vietnam War veteran and programmer Bob Parsons, originally named Jomax Technologies. In 1999, the company was renamed GoDaddy and became an ICANN-accredited domain registrar in 2000. Today, GoDaddy has grown into the largest domain registrar in the world, successfully going public on the New York Stock Exchange in April 2015. GoDaddy has over 20 million customers globally, managing 84 million domains, and operates 14 data centers in various regions, including Arizona, California, Iowa, Washington, Asia, Europe, and India. GoDaddy currently employs over 9,000 people.

Business Overview:

GoDaddy offers a wide range of web services covering five core areas: domain registration, website building, hosting, web security, and online marketing. Its domain services include registration, transfer, privacy protection, auctions, and backordering. The website building services help users quickly create websites through website builders and the WordPress platform. Hosting services provide various options, including shared hosting, high-performance business hosting, WordPress hosting, VPS servers, and dedicated servers. Web security services include SSL certificates and website security protection to ensure the safety of user data and transactions. Online marketing services focus on email marketing, helping businesses enhance their online presence.

Products and Services:

1. Domain Services: GoDaddy offers a variety of domain extensions, from traditional .com and .net to emerging extensions. Users can easily manage domain renewals, transfers, and DNS management using its domain management tools.
2. Website Building Services: GoDaddy's website builder and WordPress services make website creation simple and intuitive. Users can design websites through drag-and-drop operations or quickly set up WordPress sites using one-click installation features.
3. Hosting Services: GoDaddy's hosting services include shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated server hosting, providing a stable and fast service experience, especially with optimized WordPress hosting that simplifies website management.
4. Web Security Services: GoDaddy offers SSL certificates and website security protection to safeguard website data and transactions. Additionally, it provides website backup services to ensure data security.
5. Online Marketing Services: GoDaddy's email marketing and digital marketing suite help users attract global customers and enhance brand awareness and influence.

User Experience and Support:

GoDaddy is known for its high-quality customer support services, offering 24/7 assistance. Whether through phone, email, or live chat, users can receive timely help. Its customer service team is renowned for its extensive knowledge and quick response, ensuring that user issues are effectively resolved.

Pricing and Packages:

GoDaddy's pricing structure is transparent, ranging from budget-friendly packages to premium options, catering to different user budgets. Although some services are priced slightly above the market average, its stable service performance and quality customer support still provide high value for money.

User Feedback and Reviews:

Users generally give high praise to GoDaddy's domain registration and website hosting services, especially startups and small to medium-sized enterprises, as GoDaddy's one-stop service simplifies the complexities of website creation and maintenance, allowing users to focus more on their core business.
In summary, GoDaddy has become a leading global provider of domain and web services due to its comprehensive offerings, stable performance, and quality customer support. Whether for domain registration, website building, or hosting, GoDaddy can provide satisfactory solutions.

GoDaddy and ENS Collaboration: Domain Service Cooperation Between Web2 and Web3 Has Taken Shape

Transformations Brought by the New Collaboration:

Top domain registrar GoDaddy recently announced a partnership with Ethereum Name Service (ENS) aimed at seamlessly integrating traditional DNS domains (such as .com and .net) with blockchain-based ENS .eth domains. This collaboration allows GoDaddy users to link their existing domains with their ENS names without incurring additional costs. This means users can use .com addresses in Ethereum-compatible applications instead of .eth names. For example, if you own mywebsite.com and mywebsite.eth, you can use mywebsite.com for crypto payments, Web3 website logins, and more.

The Role of Domain Registrars:

Whenever a user visits a website, the computer looks up its IP address, retrieves the website content from the web server, and then loads the webpage in the browser. To make it easier to remember, the Domain Name System (DNS) converts these numerical addresses into easy-to-read and remember names, such as Bitskwela.com. The .com part of the website URL is called the top-level domain (TLD), used for websites and email addresses (like myusername@bitskwela.com). These domains can be purchased from registrars like GoDaddy, which provides domain registration and web hosting services to over 20 million individuals and businesses worldwide.

Uniqueness of Ethereum Name Service (ENS):

Unlike centralized domain registrars like GoDaddy and Namecheap, ENS uses .eth as a TLD, providing blockchain-based decentralized domain registration on the Ethereum network. ENS domains are created through smart contracts and stored on the blockchain, compatible with wallets, NFT platforms, metaverse, decentralized applications, and other aspects of the blockchain ecosystem.

Advantages for GoDaddy Users:

This new integration offers several significant benefits for GoDaddy users:

1. Lower Barriers to Entry: Millions of Web2 users worldwide can more easily access blockchain-based decentralized domains without incurring additional costs or complex multi-platform integrations.
2. Unified Identity: Users can use a single domain across Web2 and Web3 platforms, achieving identity unification.
3. Simplified Payments and Integration: Website owners can receive cryptocurrency in their wallets or integrate with Web3 applications without having to separately connect Web3 wallet addresses.
   For example, users of the Brave browser may already be familiar with this concept. Brave allows users to set up wallets and earn Basic Attention Tokens (BAT) through browser activity, which can then be withdrawn through a crypto wallet or used to tip content creators. Similarly, the GoDaddy-ENS link allows customers to seamlessly connect their existing websites with blockchain-based applications.

Limitations and Challenges:

Despite the many conveniences this integration brings, there are still some limitations:

1. Compatibility Issues: Some browsers do not fully support ENS yet.
2. Blockchain Network Issues: Network congestion or other issues with the blockchain network may affect the success of transactions.
   Users need to ensure they are using compatible software and a stable blockchain environment when utilizing this feature.

Impact on Future Web3 Adoption:

Through this collaboration, traditional internet giant GoDaddy and next-generation blockchain service ENS demonstrate the potential for coexistence between Web2 companies and Web3 services. The future is not about competition but simplifying integration between the two and leveraging the strengths of each ecosystem to enhance the experience for all users.
For example, a fashion e-commerce website named fashionclothing.com wishing to accept crypto payments from Ethereum users can achieve seamless integration of crypto payments by purchasing the ENS name fashionclothing.eth and linking it with the traditional domain on GoDaddy. This approach allows the website to start accepting crypto payments without additional service integration costs or coding changes.
In conclusion, the partnership between GoDaddy and ENS marks the beginning of a new era where traditional centralized Web2 companies coexist with decentralized Web3 services, providing users with a more convenient and unified internet experience.

The Future is Uncertain: Web3 Domain Registration Still in Concept Stage, Far from Widespread Adoption and Application

Although GoDaddy is a leader in domain registration and web hosting and has demonstrated the potential integration of Web2 and Web3 services through its partnership with ENS, it faces several challenges in this process. In September 2022, True Names Ltd., the company behind ENS, filed a lawsuit against GoDaddy, accusing it of incorrectly declaring the eth.link domain expired and selling it to a third party. This lawsuit has been submitted to the U.S. District Court in Arizona, involving Dynadot and Manifold Finance. True Names Ltd. stated that the domain was originally registered by former employee Griffith in 2018.

Additionally, leaders in the Web3 space have also questioned the use of GoDaddy's DNS services. In August 2022, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao commented after the Curve domain hijacking incident that no Web3 project should use GoDaddy's DNS services due to their vulnerability to social engineering attacks. Although Curve Finance officials denied that the incident was related to GoDaddy and pointed out that the issue lay with the domain server iwantmyname, this incident sparked widespread discussion about GoDaddy's security and reliability.
GoDaddy's security issues are not limited to the aforementioned incidents. In November 2020, crypto mining company NiceHash discovered that its domain registration records at GoDaddy had been altered without authorization, leading to a brief redirection of the website's email and web traffic. Although no data was stolen, this incident exposed GoDaddy's shortcomings in preventing social engineering attacks. That same year, GoDaddy also experienced multiple security vulnerabilities, including a phishing scam and attacks on 28,000 web hosting accounts. These incidents not only affected GoDaddy's reputation but also raised questions about its security measures.
Overall, the collaboration between GoDaddy and ENS showcases the possibility of coexistence between traditional Web2 companies and decentralized Web3 services, providing users with a more convenient and unified internet experience. However, the accompanying legal challenges and security issues still require attention. As the Web3 era approaches, can GoDaddy address security vulnerabilities and earn the trust of the Web3 community? The future's answer will be revealed in time.