ENS Labs has submitted a draft proposal to the ENS DAO to activate the ENSv2 protocol on the Ethereum mainnet. The plan includes halting all new .eth registrations on the current v1 registrar while allowing existing owners to renew their names indefinitely through a new contract, ETHRenewerV1.
The transition involves a pre-migration synchronization process to ensure all active v1 names are recognized in the new system. Following activation, all administrative roles for ENSv2 will be transferred to the ENS DAO, effectively removing the privileged status currently held by ENS Labs.
ENSv2 introduces a hierarchical registry structure designed to improve subname management and permission settings. Users should note that the renewal grace period on v2 is reduced to 28 days, compared to the 90-day period currently available on the v1 registrar.
The proposal follows a February 2026 decision to develop ENSv2 exclusively on the Ethereum mainnet, citing lower registration costs and higher gas limits. If the DAO approves the proposal, it will assume full governance over both protocol versions.
