cDNSd Links Cardano Domains With Handshake and ICANN

Blink Labs CEO Chris Gianelloni has detailed how cDNSd can bridge blockchain-managed domains with existing internet infrastructure. The open-source resolver reads domain records from Cardano, verifies top-level domain ownership through Handshake and uses ICANN root data for conventional addresses.

The presentation follows the completion of a Catalyst Fund 13 project that added Handshake support to cDNSd. The project received 130,500 ADA, with all four development milestones completed by May 2026.

cDNSd Resolves Cardano, Handshake and ICANN Domains

DNS converts readable names such as example.com into network addresses used by browsers and applications. The conventional system operates through ICANN, registries and registrars responsible for top-level domains such as .com, .org and .io.

Handshake provides a separate blockchain for establishing ownership and control of top-level domains. Its protocol focuses on replacing the conventional root zone and root servers with cryptographically authenticated ownership records.

cDNSd combines these systems inside one resolver. It indexes domain records stored on Cardano, reads ownership data from Handshake and uses ICANN root information for domains outside the blockchain-based naming system.

The cDNSd software supports standard DNS over UDP and TCP, DNS over TLS and DNSSEC validation. It also maintains a local database containing synchronization state and discovered blockchain data.

Blink Labs develops the resolver in Go and has designed it for use in applications, wallets and network devices. Gianelloni said the software can also be compiled to WebAssembly, creating a potential route for applications to resolve blockchain-based domains without relying entirely on the browser’s default DNS configuration.

Cardano Smart Contracts Manage Second-Level Domains

The architecture separates ownership of top-level domains from the management of second-level domains. A top-level domain owner can provide cryptographic proof of control through Handshake and connect that namespace to a corresponding smart contract on Cardano.

The Cardano contracts define how second-level domains are created, transferred and configured. cDNSd first discovers the controller contract, then indexes the registered top-level domains and the contracts containing their second-level domain records.

Blink Labs initially described part of the system as a marketplace, but Gianelloni said the marketplace is primarily a reference implementation. The underlying product consists of the smart contracts, standards and resolver infrastructure, allowing other applications to integrate without using a specific Blink Labs website.

The team has also moved away from an earlier custodial design that would have required domain owners to transfer control to a third party. The revised model requires proof of ownership without assigning custody of the top-level domain to Blink Labs or another intermediary.

Domain owners can define their own registration conditions, including whether second-level domains are transferable and who can modify or remove them. The system can also delegate selected records back to conventional DNS providers.

An organization could retain ownership and core domain data on Cardano while assigning dynamic subdomains to Amazon, Google or another cloud operator.

The .ada Path Still Depends on ICANN

The Cardano Foundation previously received 74.5% community support to pursue the .ada and .cardano generic top-level domains. The application window for ICANN’s 2026 round ran from April 30 to August 12, although no public confirmation of approval or delegation for .ada has been issued.

According to Gianelloni, Blink Labs has also been working with the owner of .ada on Handshake. The proposed structure would align Handshake-based ownership proof with a potential ICANN delegation, while the Cardano Foundation would determine the smart-contract rules governing how .ada domains are issued and managed on Cardano.

An ICANN-delegated .ada namespace could be resolved through standard DNS and accessed through conventional browsers. Handshake domains without ICANN delegation still require a compatible resolver, proxy or dedicated application integration. Secure browser access also introduces certificate and TLS requirements that extend beyond domain resolution itself.

The current cDNSd release includes only Cardano pre-production profiles. Its documentation states that several requirements for an internet-facing production resolver remain incomplete, including full handling of blockchain reorganizations and domain expiration.

For cDNSd, the next technical threshold is a verified Cardano mainnet profile and production-grade handling of chain changes and expirations. The separate .ada opportunity depends on ICANN delegation. Those are the two boundaries between a working pre-production resolver and a Cardano-based namespace that users could access through everyday browsers.