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Encyclopedia Ethereum · Entry 238

What is ENS? Names, addresses and the resolver between them

AI-assisted research · separate automated verificationCorrections

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Ethereum
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In this article

At a glance

Key facts

Key facts for What is ENS? Names, addresses and the resolver between them
FactDetailSource
RegistryThe registry records a name’s owner, resolver and cache hint.[1]
ResolverA resolver supplies records such as payment addresses.[1]
Wallet accessLosing a name does not change the associated account’s private key.[3]
01

Translate a name into the right record

A wallet resolving an ENS name asks for a particular address record. ENS supports more than an Ethereum payment address: different coin or chain records can point to different destinations. The application must request the record appropriate to its intended payment.

The person controlling the name’s records can change its destination. A name saved months ago should not be treated as a permanently fixed account address.

02

One label can point to different chain destinations

Imagine a name with one address for Ethereum mainnet and a different address for another supported chain. A wallet sending on that second chain needs its corresponding record. Resolving the mainnet record and changing the network afterwards is not the same operation.

Confirm the resolved address before sending. Name lookup supplies routing information; it does not move existing funds or bridge an asset.

03

Names and account ownership are separate

A .eth registration can expire or transfer while the old associated wallet continues to function. Whoever controls the account’s keys still controls that account’s assets under its account rules.

Name registration and renewal rules depend on the registrar and version. The ENSv1 .eth registrar is only one naming context; imported DNS names and project-issued subnames can have other lifecycles.

Direct answers

Questions people ask

Does buying an ENS name create an Ethereum wallet?

No. A name can point to an account address, but naming and account key management are separate systems.

Does a recognizable ENS name prove who owns the account?

It proves neither a legal identity nor an endorsement. Verify the intended person or organization through an appropriate independent channel.

Inspect the evidence

The answer and key facts have stable claim links. These records retain the scope and qualification when reused.

ENS, the Ethereum Name Service, maps human-readable names to records such as cryptocurrency addresses. A registry identifies name control and the resolver responsible for records; the resolver supplies the requested information. An ENS name is a label for destinations and data, not the wallet itself, and owning a name does not establish a verified real-world identity.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Registry: The registry records a name’s owner, resolver and cache hint.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Resolver: A resolver supplies records such as payment addresses.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Wallet access: Losing a name does not change the associated account’s private key.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Revision history
  1. — First publication after primary-source research and separate automated verification.

Source register

Sources and references

Retrieval dates and locators are recorded individually.
  1. ENS terminologyENS Labs

    Roles in ENS naming, resolution and management.

    Locator: Owner; controller; resolver; registrant · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.181ZOpen source
  2. ENS address lookupENS Labs

    Resolve the requested coin or chain address rather than assuming all records are one payment destination.

    Locator: Resolving addresses; multicoin lookup · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.398ZOpen source
  3. Expired ENS names and wallet accessENS Labs

    Name expiry affects name use rather than cryptographic ownership of the associated account.

    Locator: Expiry; grace period; wallet access · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.397ZOpen source
  4. ENS ETH registrarENS Labs

    ENSv1 .eth registration and renewal procedure; not an assertion that ENSv2 uses the same pricing or grace period.

    Locator: Registering a name; commit-reveal; renewals · Version / scope: ENSv1 registrar documentation · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.210ZOpen source
  5. ENS name processingENS Labs

    Normalization establishes consistent valid names, not identity authentication.

    Locator: Normalization; ENSIP-15; namehash · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.506ZOpen source
How this article was made

Research and drafting use AI assistance. A separate automated review checks claims against primary sources; no external expert or named human review is implied. Publication, substantive editing, source retrieval and verification are recorded separately. This version was independently checked by an automated reviewer on 2 October 2026.

Editorial method and corrections

Degrees of Satoshi editorial project. “What is ENS? Names, addresses and the resolver between them.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/what-is-ens/