You can use your existing .com, .net, or .org as a crypto wallet address — people send crypto to yourname.com instead of a long 0x address. You'll need DNSSEC enabled on your domain. There are two ways to do it.

Onchain or offchain?

Route	Cost	Where records live	Best if
Onchain (this article)	One gas-only transaction on Ethereum Mainnet	In the ENS App	You want a wrapped NFT, want to manage records and subnames in the ENS App, or want to transfer the name later.
Offchain (gasless)	Free	At your DNS provider	You want zero gas. You'll keep managing records in your DNS panel. Quickest to set up.

Both routes need DNSSEC on the domain. The rest of this article covers the onchain path.

Good to know

You need to already own the DNS domain at a registrar — ENS doesn't sell DNS domains.
Your domain must have DNSSEC enabled using RSA/SHA-256 or ECDSA keys. WordPress.com doesn't support DNSSEC; move your DNS to another provider while keeping WordPress for the site.
Onchain import needs ETH on Ethereum Mainnet for gas — no other cost. No ENS registration or renewal fee. You only pay your DNS registrar each year.
For example: Coinbase issues all *.cb.id usernames under their cb.id DNS name that was imported into ENS. Over 11 million cb.id usernames have been claimed.

Important: DNS controls ENS. ENS ownership of a DNS name follows DNS ownership. If your DNS domain expires or transfers, your ENS name goes with it. Keep your DNS domain active to keep control.

Steps

Enable DNSSEC at your DNS host. Open your registrar's control panel and turn DNSSEC on. The keys have to be RSA/SHA-256 or ECDSA — other types won't work. See the provider table below.
Add the _ens TXT record. In your domain's DNS panel:
- Type: TXT
- Name: _ens
- Value: a=0xYourWalletAddress (use the checksummed address — the one with mixed-case letters; some registrar UIs normalise to lowercase, double-check after saving)
- TTL: 3000
Open the ENS App and find your domain. Go to app.ens.domains, connect your wallet, search for your DNS domain, and click through.
Run the DNSSEC check. Click Check. The ENS App reads your DNS records and confirms DNSSEC is set up. If it doesn't detect the changes, wait 10–30 minutes — DNS changes take time to spread — and refresh.
Click Claim, then Register. Approve in your wallet. Most confirm in 1–2 blocks (12–24 seconds); busy networks can take longer. After that, your domain will appear in the ENS App with you as the Owner, and you can start setting records or creating subnames.

What the TXT record looks like

ENS checks for a specific TXT record on your domain to confirm you own it.

Field	Value	Notes
Type	`TXT`	The DNS record type
Name	`_ens`	The record name
Value	`a=0xYourWalletAddress`	Use the checksummed address (with mixed-case letters)
TTL	`3000`	Time-to-live (seconds)

DNSSEC support by hosting provider

Provider	Key support	Setup guide
easyDNS	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	DNSSEC docs
Google Cloud DNS	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	DNSSEC docs
Namecheap	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	DNSSEC docs
Hostinger	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	Check provider docs
Hostgator	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	Check provider docs
Bluehost	RSA/SHA-256 & ECDSA	Check provider docs

For any provider not listed, search "DNSSEC" in their docs. Some major hosts charge extra for it.

What if the DNSSEC check fails?

Wait 10–30 minutes — DNS changes propagate slowly. If it's still failing, run a DNSSEC Analyzer to check the DNS side for errors. See How do I fix common DNS import errors? for more cases.

Common questions

Can I transfer ownership of a DNS-imported ENS name?

Yes, but ENS and DNS ownership are separate. On the ENS side, you can transfer the wrapped NFT like any other ENS name. On the DNS side, changing DNS ownership doesn't automatically update ENS — the new DNS owner has to update the _ens TXT record and click Refresh DNS on the Ownership tab.

Does changing the DNS TXT record automatically update the ENS record?

No. Anyone can click Refresh DNS on the name's Ownership tab to bring ENS in line with the current TXT record. Until someone does, the ENS side still reflects the previous TXT value.

Can I change the Manager of an imported DNS name?

Yes. You can set a new Manager from the ENS App. But if you don't update the _ens TXT record to match, anyone can click Refresh DNS and revert your Manager back to whatever the TXT record says. Update both to make the change stick.

Do DNS-imported names support Fuses?

No. Imported DNS names can't use the Name Wrapper fuse system. Only .eth names do.

How do I refresh or sync a DNS-imported name?

Open the name in the ENS App, go to the Ownership tab, and click Refresh DNS. It re-reads your _ens TXT record and updates the ENS Owner and Manager if they've changed.

Who can run Refresh DNS?

Anyone. That's why the _ens TXT record is the single source of truth — if it's outdated, anyone can sync the name back to that outdated address. Keep the TXT record correct.

What's next?

How do I import my DNS domain into ENS without paying gas? — the no-gas alternative
Can I use my DNS domain as an ENS name? — the choice between onchain and offchain
How do I fix common DNS import errors?

Video walkthrough

How do I import my DNS domain into ENS without paying gas?

Where do I find my ENS names?

Can I use my DNS domain as an ENS name?

What do these ENS words mean?

How do I fix common DNS import errors?

How do I import my DNS domain into ENS?