The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is preparing to overhaul its domain registration system on the Ethereum network. ENS founder Nick Johnson submitted an executable draft proposal on October 11, 2026, to activate ENSv2 on mainnet. The plan halts new domain name registrations through the legacy .eth registrar and shifts all subsequent registrations to the new architecture.
There is one immediate consequence for prospective registrants: the process of registering new .eth names will be completely frozen for several hours.
What Happens During the Registration Freeze
ENS Labs has already deployed the ENSv2 contracts to the Ethereum mainnet. However, the new registrar has not yet been authorized to process domain name registrations. To ensure the new system runs smoothly without data chaos, developers have designed an activation process divided into five stages.
These stages span the deployment of new contracts, reservation of existing domains, freezing of the legacy registrar, final data synchronization, and the official activation of the new registrar. The window between freezing the old registrar and activating ENSv2 is expected to take several hours. Throughout the transition, no one will be able to register new .eth names on any system.
Impact on Existing Name Owners and the Shortened Grace Period
For active domain owners, the upgrade requires no action. Users are not required to perform a manual migration. Johnson confirmed that asset ownership remains secure without additional requirements.
“If you have a .eth name and do nothing, it will still work,” Johnson wrote in his draft proposal.
Technical changes are evident in the post-expiration grace period rules. Under the ENSv1 system, expired domains had a 90-day grace period before being released to the public. In ENSv2, the grace period is shortened to 28 days. To keep the timeline consistent for existing owners, migrated domains will automatically receive a 62-day extension on their active duration.
Different rules apply to domains that have already expired and passed their grace period before the migration takes place. The system will not reserve or hold these names, meaning anyone can register them as soon as ENSv2 goes live.
Administrative Control Shifts to the DAO
The ENSv2 upgrade transforms the legacy registrar’s flat structure into an interconnected registry system. This new architecture grants domain owners greater control over managing both their primary names and subdomains.
This move also marks a handover of control from the core development team. Once activation is complete, ENS Labs will transfer all remaining administrative control directly to the ENS DAO. Even so, the community still awaits launch confirmation, as Johnson’s proposal remains in draft status without a confirmed voting date.
For .eth domain holders, your names remain safe without any technical intervention needed. But if you are eyeing a new name, be prepared for a several-hour registration pause once the vote is approved and the official migration begins.
Reported via crypto.news.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
