Unstoppable Domains Faces Criticism Over Alleged Patent Appropriation from Ethereum Name Service

According to CryptoPotato, Unstoppable Domains is currently under fire for allegedly appropriating the open-source advancements of the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) through the filing of a patent named “Resolving Blockchain Domain Names” in January this year. In an open letter, Nick Johnson, the lead developer of ENS, expressed significant concerns about Unstoppable Domains’ patent applications related to blockchain domain names while highlighting ENS’ advocacy for open source, open standards, and governance. At the center of the debate is Unstoppable Domains’s first patent, US11558344, granted in January, which, according to Johnson, is based entirely on innovations developed by ENS. The letter claims that the patent lacks original innovations and questions the irony of supporting open innovation while pursuing patents mirroring ENS’s work. The open letter also highlighted Unstoppable Domains’ ongoing pursuit of additional patents, including one for reserving names similar to a “Sunrise Phase,” a concept well-established in the DNS world. In response, CEO of Unstoppable Domains, Matthew Gould, invited ENS to join the Web3 Domain Alliance as a founding charter member, fostering a proactive discussion forum. Unstoppable Domains and ENS are the two most prominent Web3 domain providers in the space. In July, Unstoppable Domains announced extending support for .eth domains, allowing users to make purchases directly through the official website.