Services
Web3/Blockchain Domain Management & Monitoring
Blockchain domains, also referred to as Web3 or NFT domains, are a disruptive technology that brings new opportunities and risks to the domain name space. Blockchain domains differ from traditional domains in several key ways:
| Traditional Domains | Blockchain Domains | |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Centralized Domain Name System | Independent peer-to-peer blockchains |
| Registration and Ownership | Purchased and stored through accredited registrars | Purchased through domain providers, stored in personal blockchain wallets |
| Capabilities | Web content hosting, email distribution | Website hosting, email distribution, identity authentication, NFTs and smart contracts |
| IP Protection | UDRP and URS filings, takedown requests | Limited protection, often depending on the domain provider’s policies. UDRP, URS, and DMCA are inapplicable |
The lack of intellectual property protections makes it critical for brand owners to assess their exposure in the Blockchain domain space and take protective actions in alignment with their business strategy.
FairWinds offers a suite of services to monitor and protect your brands on the decentralized, Blockchain internet. Our services include: brand-specific risk exposure assessments; blockchain monitoring and data analysis; and domain name registration and protection.
Blockchain Domain Risks to Brand Owners
Impersonation
Malicious individuals commonly register domains that include familiar trademarks to impersonate brands and sell gray market and counterfeit goods and services. This threat is greatly enhanced among Web3 domains, as there are no remedies to remove harmful content once it is added to the blockchain.
Fraud
The anonymity and lack of curative measures in the blockchain landscape enables cryptocurrency fraud as well as phishing and other schemes that are already abundant on the traditional/centralized domain name system (DNS), as criminals pose as legitimate businesses to scam consumers, suppliers, and partners.
Squatting and Extortion
Early movers in the Blockchain domain space are purchasing large numbers of domains with corporate trademarks, with the intention to sell them at vastly elevated prices in the future. This will prove costly to unprepared businesses because the only means of domain recovery is a negotiated purchase.
FairWinds Partners’ Blockchain Domain Services
Strategic Guidance
Our Blockchain domain specialists work with your company to identify the brands and services with the highest risks of infringement, while advising on the Web3 providers that warrant close monitoring. Since each company has distinct goals, we collaboratively define tailored priorities reflecting each client’s risk tolerance as we recommend defensive actions.
Monitoring and Data
Leveraging our extensive experience in the traditional domain name space, our team monitors third-party Blockchain domain registrations that include your company’s trademarks, and divert attention to domains that are linked to malicious activity and transactions.
Domain Protection
Our team leverages our relationships with leading Blockchain domain registries to facilitate protective blocks for your trademarks. These blocks prevent further third-party registrations of your trademarks in certain Web3 domain name extensions. We additionally utilize the available IP protection options to limit the registration of infringing domains and NFTs.
Domain Registrations and Custody
In cases where protective blocks are unavailable, our team utilizes our secure blockchain infrastructure to register and secure domains on your behalf to guarantee that they are not taken or misused by third parties. We additionally facilitate domain transfers, and collaborate with a wide range of custody services.
Whether you want to protect your brands in the decentralized internet or ensure you will be prepared for your company’s current and future blockchain initiatives, FairWinds will partner with you to develop a holistic strategy to achieve your goals. We encourage you to review our publications and browse our educational materials.
When you’re ready to learn more about our tailored Blockchain domain services, we encourage you to contact us here.
Contact us to put FairWinds’ experience, as a strategic advisor to over 40 global corporations on matters related to new gTLDs, to work for your company today.