Protocol Overview
Last updated
Last updated
Doma Protocol provides a suite of APIs and smart contracts that enable ICANN Registrars and Registries to tokenize and detokenize domains on the blockchain. When a domain is tokenized, a Domain Ownership Token is minted on the blockchain selected by the Registrant, while Doma blockchain maintains the authoritative record of all tokenized domains. Through signature verification, Doma ensures that domains can only be tokenized only by the hosting Registrar, preventing unauthorized tokenizations.
Doma Protocol provides support for off-chain legal processes, such as UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy), ensuring consistent governance across both traditional and blockchain environments. The Compliance Module provides the following enforcement mechanisms, authorized using keys controlled by Doma Foundation:
Transfer Lock: Immediately prevents transfer of all associated domain tokens across all blockchains during active investigations
Forced Detokenization: Executes controlled burning of all domain tokens across all blockchains, effectively returning full control to the Registrar to implement mandated ownership transfers resulting from dispute resolution
The Bridging Module provides native bridging of Domain Ownership Tokens and Synthetic Tokens across all supported L1/L2 blockchains. This cross-chain interoperability allows tokenized domains to interact with DomainFi applications throughout the broader blockchain ecosystem. Doma blockchain maintains authoritative records of all tokenized domains as they are bridged, ensuring consistent domain states, ownership, and permissions across blockchains.
The Custodian Module integrates domain registration capabilities with blockchain tokenization while maintaining ICANN compliance. It provides reseller APIs for non-ICANN accredited entities to register domains and tokenize them on the blockchain, while also offering a unified interface that Registrars can opt-in to for listing availability and pricing. This enables developers to discover optimal pricing for their customers and expands distribution of Registrar inventory through new DomainFi applications.
When a Domain Ownership Token is transferred on-chain, signifying a change in domain ownership, the Custodian Module manages the compliance process. Since blockchain wallets don't inherently provide the valid Registrant contact information required by ICANN, the Registrar is notified of these transfer events and temporarily moves the domain to a Doma Proxy Registrant. This proxy acts as an escrow holder until the new wallet owner completes the claim process. The Module verifies the wallet's ownership of the Domain Ownership Token and securely collects the required Registrant information through off-chain storage. Once this information is verified, it's forwarded to the Registrar, which then completes the final transfer from the Doma Proxy to the new Registrant.
The Composer Module transforms domains into programmable digital assets by enabling the decomposition of Domain Ownership Tokens into multiple Synthetic Tokens. Each System Token represents specific rights to the domain, creating granular control and new utility.
For example, a Domain Ownership Token can be divided into two distinct Synthetic Tokens:
A Synthetic Token granting exclusive rights to control the domain's DNS settings
A Synthetic Token retaining all other domain permissions and rights except NameServer management
When decomposition occurs, the Registrar receives notification of the change in permission structure. The original Registrant's access to the split permissions becomes restricted, and these permissions can only be exercised programmatically through Doma Record Contracts by the respective Synthetic Token holders.
This permission-based architecture enables developers to build innovative DomainFi applications that unlock the underlying value of domains through programmable smart contracts.
Domain Ownership Tokens are initially minted on a target chain specified by the Registrant during the domain tokenization process. These tokens grant the owner full ownership of the domain and transfer of the Ownership Token requires the new owner to go through the claim process specified above. Domain Ownership Tokens can be burned and split into multiple Synthetic Tokens for finer-grained access rights and utility within DomainFi apps.
Domain Synthetic Tokens represent specific management rights extracted from a Domain Ownership Token through a controlled decomposition process. Each Synthetic Token grants its holder authority over a particular domain function—such as DNS management or subdomain creation—without conferring full ownership. Synthetic Tokens can be independently traded on NFT marketplaces, used within DomainFi applications, or recombined to reconstruct the original Domain Ownership Token. The Doma Protocol maintains records of all Synthetic Tokens derived from each domain, ensuring that permissions remain mutually exclusive and collectively represent full ownership rights of the domain.
