The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is seeking approval from its decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to enable an upgraded naming protocol on the Ethereum mainnet.
ENS founder Nick Johnson has submitted an executable draft proposal to activate ENSv2, the next version of the protocol. If approved, this upgrade will freeze new registrations on the original ENS registrar while allowing existing domain holders to continue renewing their domains.
This upgrade introduces a redesigned registry architecture, offering more flexible domain management and permission settings. After activation, ENS Labs plans to transfer its remaining administrative control over the upgraded contract to the DAO.
After domain record synchronization is complete, new .eth registrations will be migrated to the upgraded system. Johnson warned that during the transition, new registrations will be temporarily unavailable on either version, potentially for several hours.
Under the proposal, existing domain holders do not need to migrate; their names will continue to operate normally. ENS Labs has also preserved existing .eth names for current owners within the upgraded system, allowing users to migrate at their convenience.
This activation proposal is still in draft form and must first go on-chain for DAO voting before it can be implemented.
According to ENS governance rules, an executable proposal requires a minimum participation rate of 1%, equivalent to 1 million ENS votes, and must receive majority support during a seven-day voting period. If approved, the upgrade must also undergo a minimum two-day timelock before execution. The voting date has not yet been announced.