ENSv2 to launch exclusively on Ethereum as team abandons Namechain Layer 2

The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is sticking exclusively with Ethereum, launching its ENSv2 on the network; however, the transition means leaving its self-developed NameChain Layer 2.

The ENS, best known for giving human-readable names like vitalik.eth to blockchain addresses, had been developing Namechain — a custom Layer 2 network — as part of its ENSv2 rollout. The goal was to reduce transaction costs and boost scalability by processing name registrations and related activities off the main Ethereum chain.

The ENS team explained that Ethereum‘s major gains in L1 scalability and lower registration fees have removed the need for a standalone L2; just in 2025, Ethereum’s gas limit increased from 30 million to 60 million.

The decision comes as the base Ethereum network has scaled faster and more efficiently than earlier projections suggested.