ENSv2 Launch on Ethereum Mainnet Brings NFT Claims Tied to Name Upgrades

Ethereum Name Service launched ENSv2 on the Ethereum mainnet this week, bringing per-name registries for subnames plus an optional commemorative NFT available to wallets covered by a June 1 snapshot. The ENSv2 launch was confirmed in an official blog post on October 27, according to bloomingbit, and the protocol now supports upgrades for existing domains.

The upgrade matters because it reworks how one of Ethereum's most widely integrated naming systems operates. According to ENS, upwards of 36 million names spanning .eth domains and other ecosystem namespaces already run on the protocol, with resolution integrated into more than 600 applications.

What the ENSv2 launch changes

The ENSv2 launch replaces the protocol's previous architecture with hierarchical registries, allowing each domain to operate as an independent onchain registry. Domain owners can set their own subdomain issuance rules and delegate permissions by area, so a company could hand records management to one administrator, payment addresses to a second and the avatar to a third, according to ENS Labs' architecture explanation.

The design swaps the Name Wrapper's fuse-based controls for a roles system, and several names are able to share a single registry contract. ENS Labs describes two organizations drawing on common entries for managers, moderators and members, with one underlying registry supplying those subnames under separate parent names. A community issuing membership names can also replace a registry in a single operation when it wants to reset its namespace.

The release ships alongside a redesigned ENS App and ENS Explorer. The app combines registration with renewal tools, profile customization and notifications, and ENS Labs describes the registration flow as feeling like a single action. The Explorer lets users examine ownership, name history, resolution and configuration.

ENSv2 follows public Alpha and Beta testing phases conducted throughout 2026, which Crypto Economy reported helped address security issues and prepare the protocol for mainnet deployment. The activation plan from ENS Labs separates the governance transaction from later work, which covers a last sync of ownership data, the start of ENSv2 registrations and handover of the administrative roles still outstanding.

Existing names keep working

Holders of existing .eth names do not need to register them again. Previously registered names continue functioning after the launch, and owners can upgrade to ENSv2 through the ENS App whenever they want access to the new features, according to Crypto Economy.

ENS Labs said in its launch announcement that anyone holding an eligible .eth name can shift it into ENSv2 via the application at the point they want the new capabilities. Names that have not migrated remain renewable through a designated ENSv1 renewal contract, and activation stops new registrations through the old registrar while transferring its ownership to a contract that permits renewals, according to the proposal.

The proposal's author, Johnson, emphasized the voluntary nature of the transition. "There's no deadline to migrate," Johnson wrote in the proposal's section on name owners.

Commemorative NFT requires upgrades

To mark the launch, the protocol introduced a commemorative NFT collection created by generative artist Simon Alexander-Adams, known as Polyhop. Eligibility is based on a June 1, 2026 snapshot, with one collectible allowed per eligible wallet regardless of how many names the address held.

The card becomes visible only after all eligible names in a wallet have been upgraded, though names that expired or cannot be migrated will not prevent the reveal. Claiming is optional, involves paying Ethereum gas on the transaction, and holders can view the artwork first because finishing the upgrades never obliges them to mint.

Name length determines the rarity tier: three-character labels are classified as Elemental, four as Rare, five as Uncommon, and six or more as Common. Which name appears on the card is fixed by the snapshot, drawing on the wallet's primary name or, failing that, whichever name it held longest. According to ENS Labs, a fixed seed controls all remaining variation, which means neither an earlier claim nor a page refresh alters the artwork or its rarity.

Wallets and apps line up support

The project's launch posts said upwards of 40 teams stood ready for the new system. MetaMask, Safe, 1inch, Aragon, Arbitrum, Jumper and Lighter appeared among the prepared integrations named in the launch thread, while TokenPost reported that Uniswap, PayPal, Venmo and OpenSea are also adapting their services.

ENS said the new architecture could eventually serve as identification for many kinds of onchain entities, from tokenized assets and companies to organizations and AI agents. A tokenized asset issuer, for instance, could place contract addresses spanning several networks alongside related documents inside one namespace, according to bloomingbit.

The launch extends a run of mainstream integrations for the naming service. In September 2024, ENS Labs announced PayPal and Venmo support letting US users enter ENS names when sending cryptocurrency, and in July 2024 Bitwise published five ENS-tagged addresses for its US spot Ethereum ETF, ETHW, saying the records allowed anyone to verify holdings and flows onchain.

Conclusion

ENSv2 is live on Ethereum mainnet with hierarchical registries, granular permissions, a redesigned ENS App and Explorer, and an optional commemorative NFT for wallets in the June 1 snapshot. Existing .eth names keep working without re-registration, and upgrades through the ENS App are voluntary with no deadline. The next concrete steps under the activation plan are a final synchronization of ownership records, the opening of ENSv2 registrations and the transfer of remaining administrative roles, with the team committed to publishing the transactions and a script verifying the deployer retains no roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do existing .eth names need to be re-registered for ENSv2?

No. ENS confirmed that previously registered names continue functioning after the launch and do not require a second registration. Owners can upgrade voluntarily through the ENS App whenever they want the new features, and names that have not migrated remain renewable through a designated ENSv1 renewal contract. Johnson wrote in the proposal that there is no deadline to migrate.

Who is eligible for the ENSv2 commemorative NFT?

Eligibility is determined by a June 1, 2026 snapshot, with one NFT allowed per eligible wallet even if the address held several names. The card becomes visible after all eligible names in the wallet have been upgraded to ENSv2, though names that expired or cannot be migrated will not prevent the reveal.

How much does it cost to claim the ENSv2 NFT?

Minting is optional and requires an Ethereum transaction, so claimers pay the associated network gas fees. Holders can inspect the artwork before claiming, and finishing the upgrades never obliges them to mint. According to ENS Labs, a fixed seed controls the outcome, so claiming earlier does not change the result.

Which applications support ENSv2 at launch?

The project's launch posts said upwards of 40 teams stood ready for the new system. The launch thread named MetaMask, Safe, 1inch, Aragon, Arbitrum, Jumper and Lighter, and TokenPost reported that Uniswap, PayPal, Venmo and OpenSea are also adapting their services for the upgrade.

What are the rarity tiers for the Polyhop ENSv2 NFT cards?

Name length sets the rarity tier for the cards designed by generative artist Simon Alexander-Adams, known as Polyhop. Labels with three characters fall under Elemental, four under Rare, five under Uncommon, and six or more under Common. Which name appears on the card is fixed by the snapshot, drawing on the wallet's primary name or, failing that, whichever name it held longest.