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FAQ

What are Tezos Domains?

Tezos Domains is a distributed, open, and extensible naming system using the Tezos blockchain.

The main function is to translate a meaningful and user-friendly alias to its corresponding Tezos address and vice versa. This translation is globally consistent so that all users see the same address for a given alias.

Learn more about domains.

How much does a Tezos Domain cost?

The pricing of domains depends on the length:

  • Five-letter domains and longer cost 1 per year.
  • Four-letter domains cost 25 per year.
  • Three-letter domains cost 100 per year.

Auctions may drive the prices of popular domains higher. You will only pay the higher price for the first year, and renewals for the following years will have standard pricing.

Why auctions?

To ensure fairness when distributing domains when we launch and when domains expire.

Without auctions, people could spam the network with automatic registration requests and gain an unfair advantage. The default auction period currently only takes one week from start to finish. If there are no bids, the domain is open to direct registration.

Learn more about auctions.

What kinds of names can be registered?

Domains that are three characters or longer (not including the top-level domain .tez) can be registered at the moment.

We currently only allow names with Latin characters, numbers, and hyphens. International (Unicode) names are a strong possibility in the future, though.

How can I add an avatar to my domain?

You can use Gravatar to add an avatar to your domain. To do this, simply:

  1. If you don't have a Gravatar account, start by creating one and setting up your avatar.
  2. Create an MD5 hash of your email. This can be done using a 3rd-party application available at https://daveceddia.com/calculate-gravatar-hash/. Please note that we are not responsible for any issues that may arise from the use of this third-party application.
  3. On the detail page of your Tezos Domain, click Edit and then open the Additional Data list.
  4. In the Add new key picker, select Gravatar Hash, and hit Add key. Then paste the hash in the Gravatar Hash field and save the domain.

Somebody outbid me in an auction. Where is my money now?

When you are outbid by someone else, the former highest bid is safely stored in the contract. You can either use the balance to place another bid or withdraw it at any time.

Learn more about auction balances.