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THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL IDENTITY

THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL IDENTITY

Today, we announce the next major evolution of the Zero Name Service (ZNS): a comprehensive upgrade that goes beyond technical improvements to represent a new approach to digital identity ownership.

The transition from ZNS v1.0 to v2.0 isn't just about updating code; it's about building a better foundation for how we own, manage, and express our digital identities. This upgrade reflects our commitment to decentralization, user sovereignty, and empowering creators in the digital economy.

Digital identity has long been controlled by centralized platforms that profit from user data while providing limited ownership rights. The Zero Name Service was built with a different approach: true ownership of your digital identity, where your domain represents genuine control over your online presence.

The Vision Behind v2.0

"The future belongs to those who understand that identity is not given; it is earned." The Cypherpunk Manifesto.

ZNS v2.0 is built on the understanding that the next phase of the internet requires more than incremental updates. It needs a fundamental rethinking of how digital ownership works at the protocol level. Every technical decision we've made serves one goal: making it easier for creators to build and own their digital presence.

Our approach is guided by three core principles:

  • Sovereignty: Complete control over your domain and its usage.
  • Simplicity: Digital identity should be intuitive and easy to manage.
  • Permanence: Your digital identity should be stable and long-lasting.

Technical Improvements

The upgrade from v1.0 to v2.0 represents a significant technical advancement: a complete redesign of how decentralized naming systems work in the modern web.

Unified Ownership Model
We've eliminated the confusion around split ownership. In v2.0, when you transfer a domain token, you transfer complete ownership: the hash, the token, and all associated rights. This creates clear, unambiguous ownership that's easy to understand and manage.

Stateless Pricing Architecture
Our pricing system has been improved. Pricers are now stateless contracts: mathematical functions that calculate prices without storing state. This enables complete domain configuration in a single transaction, making the registration process faster and more cost effective.

Hierarchical Control System
We've introduced a new ownership model: hierarchical control that reflects natural organizational structures. Domain hash owners have ultimate authority and can delegate usage rights without giving up control, creating new possibilities for domain management, specifically targeted for companies, hierarchical teams, email systems and more.

Emergency Controls
Recognizing that even decentralized systems need safeguards, we've implemented registration pause mechanisms. This isn't centralization; it's responsible system design that protects users during critical updates or emergencies, which will be managed by the ZNS security council.

Bulk Operations
Creators often need to register multiple related domains. Our new bulk registration system allows complex domain structures to be created in single transactions, saving time and gas costs.

String Resolution
Beyond simple address mapping, domains can now store text data: descriptions, metadata, or other information. Your domain becomes more than just a pointer; it can carry meaningful content.

Gas Efficiency Improvements

Every optimization in v2.0 focuses on reducing costs and improving user experience. Custom errors replace expensive require statements. Storage operations are optimized for gas refunds. Bulk operations reduce transaction overhead. These improvements make the system more accessible to all users.

Lower costs mean more creativity. Efficient transactions enable faster innovation. Better systems lead to broader adoption.

The Creator Economy

The Z Chain migration positions ZNS at the center of the growing creator economy. As AI tools democratize content creation and virtual worlds become mainstream, digital identity becomes increasingly valuable.

Your ZNS domain is more than a name; it's your identity in the creator economy, your stake in the digital future, and your declaration of independence from traditional platforms.

Ecosystem Integration
On Z Chain, your ZNS domain integrates natively with ZERO social networking and messaging, Wilder World metaverse experiences, and the MEOW creator economy. Your domain becomes the foundation of your complete digital presence.

Composable Systems
When naming, social, virtual worlds, and economic systems are built as integrated components, new possibilities emerge. Your domain becomes the starting point for building entire digital experiences. Read the ZNS docs here

As AI generates more content, virtual experiences become more realistic, and the line between digital and physical blurs, your digital identity becomes one of your most important assets. ZNS v2.0 on Z Chain ensures this asset remains under your control.

Migration to Z Chain

The real transformation comes from where we're taking ZNS: our migration to Z Chain.

Z Chain: Purpose-Built Infrastructure
Moving ZNS to Z Chain represents more than a technical migration; it's a move to infrastructure designed specifically for the creator economy. Z Chain isn't just another blockchain; it's built for the specific needs of social networks, metaverses, and creator applications.

Why does digital identity need its own blockchain?

  • Scale: Consumer applications need fast, reliable infrastructure that can handle millions of users.
  • Governance: Digital identity systems should be governed by creators and builders, not distant validators with different priorities.
  • Integration: When your naming system, social network, and virtual world share the same infrastructure, they can work together seamlessly.

Z Chain: Migration Details
We understand that migration is about trust. Users are trusting us with their digital assets and identities. Our migration approach reflects our commitment to our community.

  • Stake Refunds: Every stake payment made to ZNS v1.0 will be fully refunded during migration. Refunds will be processed in the original payment token (MEOW, WILD, etc.). This commitment honors the trust our early users placed in us.
  • Seamless Domain Transfer: All domains and ownership records will transfer to Z Chain. The migration preserves complete ownership and provenance of digital assets.

This migration represents the maturation of decentralized identity from experimental technology to core infrastructure. We're building the foundation for the next phase of digital evolution.

Complete Refunds
Every domain payment made to ZNS v1.0 will be fully refunded during migration. Refunds will be processed in the original payment token (MEOW, WILD, etc.). This commitment honors the trust our early users placed in us.

Seamless Domain Transfer
All domains and ownership records will transfer to Z Chain. The migration preserves complete ownership and provenance of digital assets.

This migration represents the maturation of decentralized identity from experimental technology to core infrastructure. We're building the foundation for the next phase of digital evolution.

What data is migrated
1. Domain name, hash and tokenID
2. Owner address
3. Domain NFT
4. Address resolution (if set originally)

What is Not migrated
1. Distribution config
2. Price config
3. Payment config
4. Mintlist
5. Operator list
6. Staked tokens for purchased domains (they will be refunded separately on Ethereum)

Next Steps

The migration timeline will be announced soon, with comprehensive support for all domain holders. Our commitment is clear: every domain migrated, every user supported, every creator empowered.

Important information for all Domain Holders!
From the migration start date parts of Zero ecosystem will go into maintenance mode until the full launch of ZNS v2 as a part of Zero migration to Z Chain.

During this maintenance period, ETH mainnet ZNS will be paused and the migration process for ZNS v2 on Z Chain will be initiated. The ZNS v1 pause will mean that no domain operations will be available, including: registration of new domains of any kind, revocation, reclamation, any domain data or configuration changes. The system will essentially be frozen, but the existing data will still be available.

After ZNS v2 is launched on Z Chain and domains are migrated, ZNS v1 on Ethereum will be officially deprecated and inaccessible. Stay tuned for more details on configuring your domains on Z Chain in the coming days.

Important Dates

  1. August 25th, 2025 (Today): This ZINE article is released, disclosing key migration information.
  2. August 25th, 2025 (Today): Official migration process begins. ZNS v1, including domain registrations, updates and transfers, is frozen and enters its deprecation period.
  3. August 28th, 2025 (Thursday): All domains migrated to ZNS v2 on Z Chain and are transferred to user wallets that owned original domains on Ethereum (same account addresses are used).
  4. August 29th, 2025 (Friday): Domain registration and updates via Z wallets are opened at explorer.zero.tech. Owners of v1 domains will be airdropped small amounts of Z token to transfer their domains to their respective Z Wallets (if they choose), after which full domain management will be unlocked.

ZNS V2 & MIGRATION FAQs

  • Who gets a refund as part of the Airdrop?
    • Only users that staked to purchase their domains.
  • What happens to domains on L1?
    • Technically, they still exist, but cannot be used anymore. ZNS v1 on Ethereum is officially deprecated and invalid once ZNS v2 launches. Users will not be able to call any methods and register or revoke their domains.
  • Will my price and payment configurations be migrated to v2?
    • No. Existing L1 configurations are tied to specific contracts on Ethereum and so do not apply to Z Chain. Each domain owner will have to re-set all their configurations and all domain data after their domain is acquired to new values specific to Z Chain ecosystem.
  • Will we be able to use these domains in the same way we use L1 domains?
    • Partially, yes. New ZNS v2 domains have all of the same features and more, but they live on a different blockchain now. That means some Ethereum specific integrations with 3rd party applications may not work the same way.
  • When can I start selling subdomains? How do I change domain resolution or config settings for my domain?
    • As soon as you are able to send transactions on Z Chain, you can call all available methods on ZNS v2 smart contracts. But we encourage all users to use our official Explorer application, which will help tremendously in figuring out pricing and creating transactions for you with our wizard.
  • What if I revoke my domain BEFORE migration?
    • Any domain can be revoked before the migration starts and contracts paused. Your revocation will just be the default regular flow of the ZNS v1 system without any changes.
    • You will get your stake back (if any was provided at registration), and your domain will be destroyed along with the token. Your domain will NOT be migrated to ZNS v2 on Z Chain, and you will not get tokens as part of the Airdrop.
  • What if I revoke on ZNS v1 after the migration?
    • Any attempts to revoke on v1 contracts after the migration will revert as the contract is paused
  • What if I revoke on ZNS v2 after the migration?
    • All revokes do not get refunds for migrated domains. No migrated domains have stakes associated with them. We’re basically giving original community members their domains for free but on Z Chain. The tokens you staked as part of your v1 domain registration will be refunded to you during the migration in an airdrop.
  • I don't want my domain anymore, what should I do?
    • If you don’t want to use your domain anymore, we encourage you to properly revoke your domain to make the name available for other future registrants.
  • If I only own the token, do I own (or can I reclaim) the full domain?
    • Not anymore (see official documentation), in v2 the domain record/hash/name holder (in ZNSRegistry) is the TRUE canonical owner of the domain, not the ERC721 token owner, the token owner is someone who can use the domain at the will of the domain owner. The reclamation feature has been removed, since in the past you could reclaim the record ownership if you owned the token, which would give the token more ownership rights. Now, the record has the highest power.
  • In v2 do I still have to reclaim domains that I have purchased or have been gifted to me?
    • If you received your domain through standard means (ERC721 transfer), you are already the true canonical owner. Nothing else needs to be done.
    • If you received your domain for usage through a specific Token Assignment flow in ZNS (see docs), then you are just a Temporary User of the domain, since the canonical owner of the record can transfer the domain token that belongs to him from any wallet to any wallet at any time. Please, be aware and always double-check the means by which domain is transferred to you. You can also check the owner in ZNSRegistry to know who is the canonical owner of any domain. Token ownership may lead you astray.

Closing

We're building a future where:

  • Digital identity is as important as physical identity
  • Creators own their entire digital stack
  • Communities form around shared values, not platform algorithms
  • Innovation happens quickly and openly

The future of digital identity is here. It belongs to those ready to claim it.

From ZERO to Infinity,

The ZNS Team