BTC domains live on the Bitcoin blockchain and networks similar to .com domains. This guide will explain the BTC domain and give you all the information you need to buy one.
- Step 1: Sign up using your Metamask wallet on Unstoppable Domains.
- Step 2: Check the availability of the desired domain on the platform.
- Step 3: If the domain is available, choose your payment method and buy the domain.
What is a Bitcoin domain?
The blockchain hosts the Bitcoin or BTC domain as a decentralized web identity. These NFT domains can be human-readable wallet addresses and TLDs (Top Level Domains) for Web 3.
These blockchain domain names offer immutable ownership of the URLs or wallet addresses, which is verifiable through blockchain. These smart contracts-based domain names can create a growing, unregulated, decentralized internet – the web 3.
Three kinds of domain names are associated with Bitcoin, all hosted on different blockchains.
- Bitcoin Name Service (BNS) domains are hosted on the blockchain and use a “.b” domain.
- “.bitcoin” domains are hosted on the Stacks Chain, a layer two built on top of the Bitcoin network.
- Domains like “.btc” are hosted on the Ethereum blockchain.
Once you have minted money on a domain, you must pay renewal fees to renew your domain after every few years. Most blockchain domains are registered for five years but can vary from one platform to another.
Should You get it?
The need for a blockchain domain can vary from person to person based on what you want to achieve with it.
Blockchain domains give users complete ownership of their data and simple wallet addresses. They offer multichain compatibility and decentralized identity and save you from paying renewal fees yearly for domain subscriptions.
If you value the benefits mentioned above, getting a BTC domain could be worth it. However, a blockchain domain might not be suitable if you rarely involve yourself in crypto transactions. It is irrelevant if you have nothing to do with the world that stacks blockchain beyond owning or developing Web3 websites.
What are the benefits of BTC Domains?
We have created a list of the benefits of having/owning a BTC domain name:
- BTC domains offer a simple, readable wallet address that is easy to remember.
- BTC domain name can also serve as your domain for a more secure, private, and undetectable website on WHOIS.
- Developers can host their files on IPFS and own them through BTC domains.
- A decentralized website based on the BTC domain name can process financial transactions without intermediaries.
- Users can buy these domains and flip them for potential profits.
Now that you have the benefits, let’s understand how blockchain domains work.
How Do Blockchain Domains Work?
1Bh1Yo5myzpo9wCSx7oGdSRkYEgVU6Hqz
Above is a random BTC address of 33 characters taken from Bitcoin Explorer. This long-form BTC address can be even longer on other blockchains. These wallet addresses are hard to read, bulky, and impossible to remember. Imagine telling your crypto wallet address to someone on the phone to get crypto sent to it.
That was until the introduction of the blockchain domains like .btc and .bitcoin. Blockchain domains can replace these ‘last season’ cryptocurrency wallet addresses with something like your name along with a .btc or .bitcoin.
Your domain is your name and your wallet.
The BTC or Bitcoin marketplace saves the domain name registration app, name, your wallet’s public address, and the duration of the domain name registration in a smart contract when you purchase a domain name.
An automated smart contract determines ownership, and no centralized authority can revoke it, similar to Non-Fungible tokens. The ownership of the blockchain domains can only change if you sell, trade, or transfer your domain to someone else or your registration expires.
Keeping private keys safe is critical to guarantee future access to your wallet. The domain is secured, and now your new wallet address is secured, which you can share to receive over 40 cryptocurrencies.
How to Buy .bitcoin Domain Names?
Bitcoin domains are available on Unstoppable Domains or btc.us. Buying blockchain domains for the first time is called minting. People mint and resell these domains in marketplaces to earn potential profits.
Step 1: Sign up on Upstoppable Domains
Go to the Unstoppable Domains website to register for Bitcoin domain registration and sign up with a wallet by clicking [Connect Wallet]. You can also register and sign up with a Google or Twitter account.
More details
If you're tired of managing those long, different alphanumeric wallets, Unstoppable Domains offers a perfect solution with its user-friendly and human-readable addresses. Built on the Ethereum network, this company leverages blockchain technology, offering an immutable and transparent domain name.
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Supports multiple cryptocurrencies.
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User-friendly interface.
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Offers incentives for newcomers.
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Insurance on currency balances.
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Earn interest with balance.
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High fees compared to its competitors.
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Doesn't support linked debit cards.
Unstoppable Domains offer a huge number of options for wallets to connect. You connect any Ethereum-based wallet like MetaMask or Trust Wallet. We recommend using Metamask as it is the easiest.
If you don’t have a Metamask wallet, follow this easy step-by-step guide.
After selecting your wallet, it will show a popup to sign the login request. Click the [Sign] button to connect your account.
Once your wallet link is connected, it will redirect you to the Unstoppable homepage.
Step 2: Check the domain availability
In the search bar, you can search your required domain and select .bitcoin until you have found your desired domain.
Sometimes, your desired domain could be already registered by someone else. Some domains are protected only for business and might not be available to common users.
Also, the most common word domains belong to the limited or premium category and could be an expensive or limited option (if available). You can play with words to find a similar alternative.
For example, we tried registering someone else’s “CryptoGuide” domain in the above image. Therefore, we found a plural alternative, “CryptoGuides,” for $40.
Unstoppable Domains lets you purchase, sell, modify, and transfer domains for eternity, and users never have to pay renewal fees.
Step 3: Adding to Cart
Click on the .bitcoin domain you wish to buy and click the [Add to cart] button to proceed to pay.
Once your search is done, press the [Cart] button from the top right corner to view your cart and click the checkout button to continue.
Step 4: Claiming the Domain in Self-Custody
Since Unstoppable Domains is a centralized platform, you can keep managing your domain there. The parking fee is only $4 per year, half the price of a regular domain purchase on NameCheap.
However, what’s the point of buying a more decentralized name registry company if you still keep on a centralized platform?
Therefore, to claim self-custody upon sale of your domain, click the parking transactions button, choose self-custody, and then click [Confirm].
The parking transaction fee will be excluded from your total purchase order price, and you claim your domain within seven days of buying it.
Step 4: Buying the Domain
Now comes the buying part. The exchange platform offers several ways to purchase and pay for your BTC names, including credit card, Paypal, Crypto wallet, or Crypto.com Exchange transactions.
To pay with crypto, copy the link to the wallet address provided by clicking [Copy] to pay for the domain. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code on the website to send money.
The easiest is to copy the Cryptocurrency address. Copy the Ethereum wallet address and open your Metamask wallet to request and send payment.
In Metamask, click the [Send] button and paste the address you copied from the website. In the amount section, write the price of the domain.
Click [Next] to sign the transaction and wait for it to go through.
Congratulations, you have now received your .btc domain. It is that simple!
Summary
- Blockchain domains are one of the most important tools of the next generation of the internet, the web 3.
- BTC domain and Bitcoin domain vary in blockchain but offer their users the same perks.
- The blockchain domains offer publicly verifiable ownership, simple address, security, and many other perks.
The Stacks blockchain employs btc domain names is a system for decentralized web identity and human-readable wallet addresses. These domains are registered via a smart contract on the Stacks blockchain, which is secured by Bitcoin, and facilitates a decentralized name registry.
As of today, the current price of Domain is $0.000050 USD, and the 24-hour trading volume is not available. We provide real-time updates for the DMN to USD price. Over the last 24 hours, Domain has experienced a 0.01% increase. It is currently ranked #8635 on CoinMarketCap, and the live market cap is not available.
NFT domains, also known as crypto domains, serve as universal addresses for crypto wallets and websites, and are classified as NFTs. Unlike traditional domains, crypto domains are not stored in a server, but rather in a blockchain.
Julia Zakharchuk
Julia is a professional crypto and blockchain writer known for her insightful YouTube channel "MoneyFest." She showcases her dynamic presentation skills as a host and moderator at blockchain conferences. Julia drives also business development at ChainUp and advises UNITBOX, an innovative NFT renting protocol. With her exceptional expertise, Julia is a highly valued industry contributor and is set to make a lasting impact. We at Coinweb are lucky to have her on board.
