ENS DAO Newsletter #75 — 12/3/24

DAO-Wide Newsletter
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ENS DAO Newsletter #75 - 12/3/2024

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:sunny: Welcome

:newspaper: Newsletter Roundup

  • ENS Labs: Open Roles @ ENS Labs, Presence at TBW
  • Community: Integrations from Yodl Go, Fileverse, and Nani
  • Meta-Gov: Amendments, Service Provider Brainstorm, DAO Tooling Updates
  • Ecosystem: Gitcoin Grants, Mini Grants, ENSIP Updates
  • Public Goods: Builder Grants, Gashawk Update, Octant Funding

:date: Calendar

Refer to the ENS DAO Calendar for working group calls and events.

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:classical_building: Term 5 Proposals

November Executble Proposals

  1. [5.25] [Executable] Collective Working Group Funding Request
    This is a resubmission of [EP 5.24], with no changes to the funding amounts or technical specifications.

  2. [5.26] [Executable] Implementation of ENS Governance Distribution Pilot Program
    This executable proposal implements the Governance Distribution Pilot Program approved in EP 5.19. Following the community’s selection of the 30k ENS distribution option, this proposal authorizes the transfer of ENS tokens from the treasury to implement the program.

Temperature Check

1. Revoke DAO’s ability to upgrade Name Wrapper

Proposed by Nick.eth, this aims to enhance security by revoking the DAO’s ability to upgrade the Name Wrapper, addressing a vulnerability that may allow for a malicious DAO to control wrapped names. The plan involves deploying a new metadata contract, updating the Name Wrapper, and revoking administrative ownership over it.

More: Revoke the DAO’s ability to upgrade the name wrapper

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2. ENSIP19 Support Proposal

  • Proposal Details: Unruggable submitted a funding request for building and operating gateways supporting ENSIP19: TEMP CHECK - Funding Request for ENSIP19
  • Context: While initially discussed under the Service Provider program, the proposal has been escalated to the wider DAO for consideration due to its broader impact and infrastructure significance.
  • Key Highlights:
    • Robust infrastructure is critical for global rollout; top-tier engineers and 24/7 scaling expertise are required.
    • Funding aims to ensure no downtime and proactive support, avoiding reactive operations.
    • Grant request includes provisions for voting power and incentive alignment with ENS goals, open to vesting schedules.
    • Hiring urgency stems from the need for highly skilled personnel to meet standards.
    • Proposal is aligned with long-term ENS objectives, such as Namechain support.

About Proposals

Proposals are the means by which changes are made to the status quo. There are two types of proposals:

  1. Social Proposals: Offchain proposals seeking the DAO’s agreement on social considerations that cannot be enforced onchain.
  2. Executable Proposals: Onchain proposals that execute code related to the ENS Protocol and ENS DAO smart contracts, as voted on by the DAO.

Proposal Threshold: A minimum of 10k $ENS is required to submit social proposals, while 100k $ENS is needed for executable proposals.

Resources

Stay updated on DAO governance and proposals by regularly checking the Term 5 Dashboard and the Voting Period Bulletin. For detailed governance information, refer to our Governance Docs. To see real-time voting power distribution, visit votingpower.xyz.

:cyclone: ENS Labs Updates

Namechain Announcement

Namechain by is a purpose-built Layer 2 solution, marking the next evolution in ENS as part of the ENSv2 initiative.

Announced during frensday, Namechain promises to significantly reduce costs, enhance performance, and maintain a familiar Ethereum developer experience.

Watch the entire stream here.

ENS Labs Hiring

Inspired by the inaugural frENSday in Bangkok? ENS is shaping the future of decentralized identity and is hiring to help build the next generation of the web.

Explore open roles: Apply Now.

ENS Developer Updates by Gregskril.eth

Gregskril.eth shares key updates from frENSDay on upcoming ENS developments:

  • L2 Primary Names: Now available on testnet, with mainnet launch coming soon.
  • Flexible Smart Contracts: Enhanced contracts expected in ENSv2.
  • Namechain Preview: Insights into building on Namechain.

Catch the full update video from Gregskril.eth here.

ENS Keynote Highlights at Devcon by Jefflau.eth

At Devcon, Jefflau.eth presented a comprehensive Year in Review for ENS, sharing notable milestones and advancements:

  • Major Milestones:

    • Over 13 million ENS names registered.
    • Gasless DNSSEC for enhanced security.
    • GoDaddy’s one-click ENS integration for any DNS.
    • Google now recognizes .eth in search results.
    • PayPal & Venmo ENS integrations.
    • Growing support from service providers like EFP and Namestone.

  • Technical Advancements:

    • Namechain: A Layer 2 solution designed to improve speed and cost-effectiveness.
    • ENSv2: A complete rewrite introducing simplified name migration, record sharing, and logic passthrough.
    • Primary Names on L2: Enabling scalable primary name functions on Layer 2.

The ENS team expresses gratitude to the community for seven years of growth and looks forward to future innovations.

Read more about the keynote and progress here.

Building Digital Identity with Basenames

At frENSday, Jesse Pollak and Katherine Wu discussed creating Basenames: a unified identity for Base and the onchain economy, powered by ENS.

Watch: frEnsday Fireside Chat w/ Jesse.eth

Exploring Namechain’s UX Vision

Domico.eth unveiled a sleek hypothetical userflow for Namechain, emphasizing ease of use and efficiency. Goals include registering names from any L2 without connecting to Namechain, gasless ETH payments, and reducing registration time to just 10 seconds.

Watch the full keynote: frENSday Keynote

ENS Labs Transparency Initiative

ENS Labs commits to quarterly transparency reports on ENSv2 development, covering financials and technical progress, starting Q1 2025. Reports will detail budget usage, milestone achievements, and timeline adjustments, supporting community trust and showcasing advances in ENS protocol evolution.

Jeff Lau at Taipei Blockchain Week 2024

Jeff Lau, Co-Founder of ENS, will speak at Taipei Blockchain Week about ENS’s role as the “DNS for web3,” simplifying wallet and profile identities while championing decentralization.

Details: Announcement

Makoto Inoue at Taipei Blockchain Week 2024 :star2:

Makoto Inoue, Core Developer at ENS since 2018, will share insights on scaling ENS at Taipei Blockchain Week. From frontend to smart contracts and data analysis, Makoto’s contributions have been pivotal.

Details: Announcement

frENSday Sessions Now Available on YouTube

The frENSday event featured talks from Web3 founders, builders, and community members. All sessions are now available on YouTube, providing insights into the latest developments in the Web3 ecosystem.

:tv: Watch the sessions here: frENSday YouTube Playlist

:globe_with_meridians: ENS Media Alerts

:busts_in_silhouette: Community Updates

:speaking_head: Call for Community Feedback

Help improve the ENS ecosystem by providing feedback on Canny, where ENS Labs members and Working Group stewards will address your submissions. You can submit Feature Requests, Integrations, Bug Reports, or upvote and comment on existing posts. Share your feedback on Canny here.

Newsletter Contributions

Submissions for the ENS newsletter are open! Share updates on projects, events, achievements, or community changes for inclusion. Submit your segment by visiting the Newsletter ddocs site here and leaving a comment.

ENS DAO Basics: Your Gateway to Governance

New to the ENS DAO or curious about how it works? basics.ensdao.org is your go-to resource for learning about governance, proposals, and ways to get involved in the ENS ecosystem. Whether you’re exploring ENS for the first time or looking to deepen your participation, this guide provides all the essentials.

Start your journey today: Visit ENS DAO Basics.

Yodl Go: Turbocharging ENS Payments

Yodl Go integrates ENS, providing free subdomains (e.g., alice.yodl.eth) for seamless payments. Users can set token and chain preferences, with payments automatically routed, swapped, or bridged. ENS domains become personalized payment hubs, unifying Ethereum tools.

Fileverse Launches Async P2P Collaboration

Fileverse’s new ddocs.new update introduces text-specific commenting, enabling async collaboration. Users can link comments to specific text and work in parallel—now with ENS for seamless identity integration!

Learn more: Fileverse Update

First Legal Entity with Onchain AI Membership

Ross (@z0r0zzz) launched the first legal entity listing an ENS identity for an onchain AI agent in its operating agreement. This innovative LLC is managed algorithmically via smart contracts, redefining governance.

Dive into the details: Read More

ENS POAP Collection Leaderboard

Limes.eth launched the ENS POAP Collection, showcasing top collectors in the ENS ecosystem! Check out the leaderboard, spot your rank, and see if you made the top 10.

Explore: ENS POAP Collection

ENS at the Core of the Internet of Money

Brian Armstrong highlights the Internet of Money, with ENS playing a critical role in identity for this new ecosystem. Paired with Base for scaling, USDC for stability, and smart wallets for usability, ENS cements itself as essential Web3 infrastructure.

Exploring the Reality of DAOs

At Devcon in Bangkok, Lefteris.eth shared his insights from over a decade in the ecosystem, breaking down why many DAOs fall short of their potential, while praising exceptions to the norm (ENS DAO).

If you missed it, catch his talk here: Watch Now.

ENS Names: The Pure Utility NFTs

Validator.eth highlights that ENS names are more than traditional NFTs. These blockchain-based identifiers simplify crypto transactions, support dApps, and serve as entry points for Web3. ENS names go beyond being collectibles—they are purpose-built tools shaping the infrastructure of Web3 and redefining the blockchain space as Pure Utility NFTs.

Exploring Digital Identity: ENS as the Immutable Standard

Mely.eth offered a thought-provoking take: “True identity lies in the non-physical, which is perfect and immutable.” In their article, they expand on this by describing how ENS offers a decentralized and permanent identity layer for Web3.

Dive deeper into this perspective: Read More

Slobo.eth highlights the potential of Primary Names on L2s

Ecosystem steward Slobo.eth discussed the prospect of Primary Names on L2 networks, noting that out of 16M ENS names, only 900k use primary names—a feature that creates portable global profiles. L2 advancements cut costs by 100x ($10 → $0.10) and enable sponsorable primary names. Apps can even set them for free. Mainnet is expected in Q1 2025.

Learn more: ENSIP-19 Details

Spotted in Warpcast: Avsa.eth discusses ERC26

Back in 2015, ERC26 introduced the Default Ethereum Name Registrar, combining a registrar, auction, and election contract. While ambitious, it was later streamlined by Nick into the elegant system we now know as ENS. A pivotal moment in blockchain history. Read more

Visa Joins the ENS Ecosystem

Visa now officially owns their ENS domain, enhancing their Web3 presence with visa.box. Another major corporation embracing decentralized identity solutions and showcasing the growing importance of ENS in the global digital landscape. :globe_with_meridians:

Spotted: Ecosystem Stewards at Privy HQ :eyes:

ENS stewards were seen at Privy HQ last week, hinting at potential collaborations or exciting developments. What could be brewing between ENS and Privy?

Spotted in Warpcast: Lefteris.eth Shares Devcon Lore

A decade ago, Devcon-0 gathered just ~40 attendees in Berlin. Fast forward to today, Devcon 7 in Bangkok attracted over 12k participants! A nostalgic reminder of Ethereum’s humble beginnings, as Lefteris.eth reflects on his early talk about C++, Ethereum & Emacs.

:pushpin: Working Group Bulletin

Term 5 Lead Working Group Stewards + Secretary Appointment

The responsibilities of the Lead Stewards & Secretary are set out in Rule 9.8 and Rule 9.9 of the Working Group Rules.

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ENS DAO Working Group Schedule (2024)

Working Group Time Schedule Location
:balance_scale: Meta-Governance 2pm UTC Tuesday Google Meet
:seedling: Ecosystem 5pm UTC Thursday Google Meet
:sunny: Public Goods 6pm UTC Thursday Google Meet

Nominate Yourself for ENS DAO Steward Role

Love ENS? Build on it, talk about it, and want to contribute more? Consider nominating yourself for a Steward Role in the upcoming ENS DAO elections. It’s your chance to help shape the future of ENS governance.

Learn more and nominate here: Steward Nominations & Election Process.

:bar_chart: ENS Q3 2024 Revenue Summary

In Q3 2024, ENS generated $6.3M in total revenue:

  • $4.72M from registration fees,
  • $838k from temporary premium fees,
  • $738k from DeFi returns on the ENS endowment.

Year-to-date revenue stands at $22.6M, driven by registration, premium fees, and DeFi yields. For more details, read the full report.

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:chart_with_upwards_trend: ENS Q3 2024 Working Group Spend Report

In Q3 2024, ENS Working Groups collectively spent approximately $501k.

  1. The Ecosystem Group allocated 197,707 USDC and 6 ETH, covering initiatives like bug bounties, grants, events, and services.
  2. Meta-Governance spent 151,300 USDC, focusing on compensation, DAO tooling, and events.
  3. Public Goods dedicated 136,999 USDC to grants, including ETH Mexico and various projects, along with event sponsorships. Full balance details are viewable at enswallets.xyz.

For more details, read the full report.

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:balance_scale: Meta-Governance

The Meta-Governance Working Group provides governance oversight and support for working group operations through DAO tooling and governance initiatives.

Meeting Minutes:

Term 5 Meta-Governance Stewards:

Proposed Amendments to Working Group Rules

@alextnetto.eth posted proposed amendments to the ENS DAO Working Group Rules. With an aim to enhance governance by limiting roles, ensuring diversity, and addressing conflicts of interest, with each amendment requiring individual approval through a voting process.

More: Amendments to Working Group Rules

ENS Service Provider Program Brainstorm

Avsa.eth shared an iterative framework for the second season of the ENS Service Provider Program, aiming to support full-time developers with proposals for improved scheduling, voting, and funding strutures.

More: Service Provider Program Season 2

October 2024 Endowment Report

Balance Overview:

  • Total funds in the endowment: $80m
  • Capital utilization: 100%
  • Monthly DeFi results: $261k

Review the full report prepared by @Karpatkey here.

November 2024 Financial Report

Financial Overview

  • Revenue > Cash Burn, Runway: 131 months
  • Revenue: $1.8m (vs. $1.6m last month)
  • Cash Inflow: $.9m (vs. $.7m last month)
  • Normalized Cash Burn: $1.1m
  • Reserves: $142m (ETH: 134m, USDC: 8m)
  • Total Endowment: $109m
  • P&L: $28.0m ($27.7M from ETH M2M)

Review the full report prepared by @Steakhouse here

Coinbase’s Role in Governance

Agora are considering ways to unlock ENS Delegations held by Coinbase to increase governance participation—proposed solutions include an upgrade to the ENS Governor followed by a delegate race.

More: Increasing Voting Supply with Coinbase

DAO Tooling

Agora

  • Governor Update Discussion: Another social vote will be held prior to the proposal for upgrading the governor, ensuring clarity and quorum.
  • Quorum Issue: Previous social vote failed due to confusion around the proposal.
  • Delegate Consideration: Voting twice will only be requested for crucial decisions.
  • Gasless Voting Implementation: Tally and Agora are exploring solutions to eliminate voting costs, making participation more accessible in the future.

ENS Ledger

  • Creator: @danch.quixote developed the ENS Ledger app through an initial grant, now seeking ongoing funding for maintenance and support.
  • Grant Details: Meta-governance working group approved a $7,500 USDC grant for a 6-month milestone-based support initiative.
  • Try the ENS Ledger App

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:seedling: Ecosystem

The Ecosystem Working Group strengthens the ENS Protocol by facilitating developer relations, identifying and funding high-potential projects that enhance ENS, and supporting ENS-aligned initiatives.

Meeting Minutes:

Term 5 Ecosystem Stewards:

ENS Labs Updates

A key focus has been on enabling L2 primary names, which allow users to set primary names on Layer 2 networks, offering a full ENS experience without involving mainnet smart contracts. This feature is currently available on L2 testnets and is planned to roll out to L2s in the near future.

Discussions are underway involving multiple teams to coordinate the implementation of this update.

ETHGlobal 2025 Hackathon Calendar

ETHGlobal has unveiled its 2025 in-person hackathon schedule, featuring a diverse lineup of events across the globe. The calendar includes:

  • Taipei, Taiwan: April 4–6, 2025
  • Prague, Czech Republic: May 30–June 1, 2025
  • Cannes, France: July 4–6, 2025
  • New York, USA: August 15–17, 2025
  • New Delhi, India: September 26–28, 2025
  • Devconnect (Location TBD): November 2025

Term 5 Grants Update: Web3Bio

Web3.bio, a platform for managing Web3 identities, has been awarded a $25,000 USDC grant by the ENS Ecosystem Stewards. This funding will support operational costs, enhanced APIs, and new features for identity management.

Explore Web3.bio: web3.bio.

ENS Mini Grants Announcement

The ENS Ecosystem Stewards awarded three 1 ETH mini grants to support innovative tools and contributions:

  1. Rescue Name: Incentivizes renewing others’ ENS names. Built by nevvdevv.eth. GitHub.
  2. ENS Reminders: Alerts users about expiring ENS names. Built by stephancill.eth. GitHub.
  3. lcfr.eth: A longtime contributor offering token rescue via Flashbots. GitHub.

More information: Mini Grants Announcement

ENS Ecosystem Builders Funded

Gitcoin Grants Round 22 distributed $80,138 to 42 ENS projects, powered by $70k in matching funds and 1,995 unique donors. Innovations like private transfers, privacy-first gateways, and ENS profiles took the spotlight.

Learn more: Ecosystem Update

ENS Name Renting Hack at ETHGlobal Bangkok

Team @Blockful participated in ETHGlobal, developing an innovative project focused on “renting” ENS names. Their creative approach won them a prize at the event. The project, Rent.eth, explores new use cases for ENS names, offering exciting possibilities for the community.

For more details: Rent.eth | ETHGlobal.

Namespace Expands ENS on Optimism

Namespace now supports ENS subname minting, record management & resolution on Optimism. All subnames & records are managed on L2 for lower fees & easier access. Devs & non-tech users alike can integrate subname registrations with their apps.

More: Namespace Docs

Spotted: Brantly.eth shares EFP presentation

Brantly.eth presented at frENSday in Thailand, explaining EFP (Ethereum Follow Protocol). Highlighting how Vitalik.eth and others got onboarded, he shared EFP’s vision for global adoption.

Watch the talk here: Full Video

Devcon Talk on CCIP Read by @clowes.eth

@clowes.eth delivered an insightful talk at Devcon on CCIP Read, providing a deep dive into using ERC-3668 for trustlessly reading Layer 2 data from Layer 1. The session explored the technical details and applications of this approach, offering valuable knowledge for developers and blockchain enthusiasts.

Watch the full video here: Devcon 2024 - Gateway Documentation.

Blockful’s Lightning Talk at frENSday

@alextnetto.eth presented a lightning talk at frENSday focused on improving the management of ENS domains, highlighting innovative strategies and tools to streamline domain handling for users. The session offered practical insights and potential improvements for the ENS ecosystem.

Watch the talk on YouTube: Blockful’s Lightning Talk at frENSday.

Bi-Weekly ENSIP Update

The ENSIP GitHub repository continues to serve as the hub for ENS Improvement Proposals. Recent efforts include ongoing coordination on ENSIP-0, a foundational proposal drafted and maintained by the Unruggable Labs team (ENSIP-0 Draft Link).

Additionally, ENSIP-19, focused on EVM-chain reverse resolution, is progressing with an updated pull request by Tate. (ENSIP-19 PR Link).

At Devcon, the team engaged with members from Base, expressing enthusiasm for future collaborations on ENSIPs. The most recent proposal draft on Hooks has also been shared, with the team welcoming all feedback and encouraging community involvement.

To contribute, interested parties can reach out to @nxt3d on Twitter.

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:sunny: Public Goods

The Public Goods Working Group supports the Ethereum ecosystem by identifying and funding open-source development.

Meeting Minutes:

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Term 5 Public Goods Stewards:

GasHawk Awarded $40K ENS Grant

The Public Goods Working Group has awarded GasHawk $40,000 USDC to enhance on-chain transaction efficiency. GasHawk is developing paymaster services, private mempool solutions, and blob execution tools for chains like Optimism, Base, and Sepolia.

Learn more: GasHawk Grant Details.

Builder Grants Project by Buidl Guild

Pablo Alayeto presented the Public Goods Builder Grants project, a collaboration focused on education, tooling, and milestone-based grants within the Ethereum ecosystem. The ENS PG Grants platform enables builders to receive funding as they achieve predefined milestones, creating a structured and transparent process.

Building on Ethereum? Apply now: Builder Grants Platform.

Onboarding Latam Milestone Update: Domínio Web3

Caio Mattos presented an update on the Domínio Web3 initiative, highlighting efforts to onboard new developers into the Web3 ecosystem in Latin America. The initiative has successfully brought together university and enterprise partners for conferences, with 94% of attendees being first-time users of Solidity.

Key accomplishments include:

  • Onboarding many new developers into Web3 technologies.
  • Assisting attendees with grant applications to support their projects.
  • Collaboration with partners such as @simona.eth, who will connect with Urbe Campus to expand outreach.

For more details, explore the presentation here: Domínio Web3 Presentation.

Octant Update: Sustainable Public Goods Funding

Rev from Octant (https://octant.pp) presented Octant, a protocol designed for sustainable funding of public goods by leveraging yields on staked ETH. The team is currently developing Octant v2 and exploring collaborations with the ENS DAO to enhance public goods funding efforts.

Key Highlights:

  • Forum Post: Learn more about Octant in the Introducing Octant forum post.
  • Metrics and Progress: Check out Octant’s current metrics on the Octant App.
  • Discussions: There were extensive talks on the flywheel effects of Octant v2 and improving ecosystem-wide sustainable funding. @coltron.eth suggested diversifying strategies beyond Golem tokens for public goods funding.
  • Future Plans: Octant plans to share more tangible updates with the ENS DAO after the holidays.

Additional Resources:

Web3j Code Samples and Resources Shared by Nischal Sharma

Nischal Sharma shared valuable resources for developers working with Ethereum clients. These include:

  • Web3j Code Samples: A collection of added code examples for better integration with Ethereum clients. Check out the details in the GitHub Pull Request.
  • Hyperledger Web3j Library: A lightweight Java and Android library for Ethereum client integration. Explore the library on GitHub - Hyperledger Web3j.

:green_book: Resources

ENS DAO offers several resources for understanding and participating in its ecosystem:

Thank you for reading! Goodbye. :wave:

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