Learn About Web3 TLDs

What exactly am I buying?

When you register a TLD on TDLNoot you are purchasing ownership rights to a top-level domain on the Handshake blockchain — a decentralized, permissionless naming protocol.

Unlike traditional domains that are rented annually, a Handshake TLD is a one-time purchase. Once the blockchain auction completes, the TLD is permanently associated with your cryptographic key. No one can take it away.

Think of it like owning .com — except on a decentralized network where no central authority controls it.

How long does registration take?

Handshake TLDs are allocated through a Vickrey auction process on the blockchain. The full process takes approximately 30 days:

How do I use my TLD in a browser?

Handshake domains don't work in regular browsers by default — they need a Handshake-aware DNS resolver. Here are your options from easiest to most technical:

• HNS.to Gateway (easiest)
  Access any Handshake domain by prefixing with hns.to/ — no setup needed. Example: hns.to/yoursite.yourtld
• NextDNS
  Create a free account at nextdns.io, enable "Resolve Handshake domains" and set your device DNS to NextDNS.
• HDNS.io
  Change your DNS server to 103.196.38.38 (IPv4) or 2a0d:2a00:1::: (IPv6). Free, no signup.
• Bob Wallet / browser extension
  Install the Bob Wallet browser extension which includes built-in Handshake resolution.

How do I earn royalties?

Once your TLD is active, you become a mini-registrar. You can sell second-level domains (SLDs) under your TLD and earn 50% of every sale.

For example: if you own .noot and set the SLD price at $9.99, every time someone buys a domain like alice.noot or bob.noot you earn $4.99.

Can I use it as a crypto wallet address?

Yes! One of the most useful features of Handshake domains is using them as human-readable crypto wallet addresses. Instead of sharing a long address like hs1qxyz... you can share yourname.yourtld.

This works with any wallet that supports Handshake name resolution. The domain resolves to your wallet address on-chain, making it easy for anyone to send you cryptocurrency.

What if someone outbids me?

The Handshake auction uses a Vickrey (sealed-bid) format — bidders don't see each other's bids. TDLNoot places a competitive bid on your behalf using the funds you paid.

If for any reason the auction is lost (extremely rare for newly available TLDs), we will refund your payment in full and notify you immediately. You can then search for a similar available TLD.

Most TLD auctions on less-trafficked names are won with a minimal bid, as competition is low on the Handshake network currently.

Pricing breakdown

All prices are one-time. No renewal fees. Ever.

Is this the same as ENS or Unstoppable Domains?

They are similar concepts but different technologies:

• ENS (.eth) — Ethereum-based, only .eth TLD, has renewal fees
• Unstoppable Domains — fixed TLDs like .crypto, no custom TLDs
• TDLNoot (Handshake) — any TLD you can imagine, one-time fee, earn royalties, open protocol

The key advantage of Handshake is that you own the TLD itself, not just a domain under someone else's TLD. You become the registrar.