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Dev tools · October 31, 2020

Handshake (HNS)

Dismantling the monopoly on top-level domains

Handshake (HNS) launched on October 31, 2020 with 279 votes, #71 of 4,018 launches that month and more than 95% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 5 years on.

Visit handshake.org ↗Handshake (HNS) alternativestop 2% of October 2020

In plain words

Handshake is a decentralized system for managing top-level domains that replaces ICANN's current control. Instead of the traditional monopoly on domains like .com and .org, Handshake distributes TLDs through Vickrey-style auctions, eliminating the $185,000 application fees required by ICANN. The open-source platform aims to democratize domain ownership and management through a Web3 approach.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

Hanshake dismantles the current monopoly on top-level domains (.com,net,org are all TLDs), which are all controlled by ICANN. While ICANN TLDs cost $185,000 just to apply for, Handshake TLDs are instead distributed through vickrey-style auctions.

Decentralized certificate authority and naming

Source Code: Multiple implementations may exist. Initial code: GitHub , Download Claim HNS for FOSS developers: Claim here and register names. Handshake is a decentralized, permissionless naming protocol where every peer is validating and in charge of managing the root DNS naming zone with the goal of creating an alternative to existing Certificate Authorities and naming systems. Names on the internet (top level domains, social networking handles, etc.) ultimately rely upon centralized actors with full control over a system which are relied upon to be honest, as they are vulnerable to hacking, censorship, and corruption. Handshake aims to experiment with new ways the internet can be more…from handshake.org

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