One year after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office dismissed a challenge filed against Unstoppable Domains, the company says the ruling continues to shape its approach to responsible innovation across the Web3 naming ecosystem.
The USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) had, on November 22, 2024, declined to institute a review of U.S. Patent No. 11,558,344 — titled “Resolving Blockchain Domains.” The petition, filed by ENS Labs Ltd., aimed to invalidate all 20 claims of the patent. The PTAB found the challenge insufficient under U.S. patent law, noting that the cited materials did not qualify as prior art nor undermined the validity of the patented technology.
The ruling left Unstoppable’s patent fully intact and enforceable.
Since then, Unstoppable Domains says it has upheld its earlier commitment to refrain from using its patent portfolio to pursue enforcement actions within the industry. The company maintains that its intellectual-property strategy is focused on defensive protection and fostering interoperability across Web3 naming systems.
“We are proud that the USPTO affirmed the integrity of our intellectual property,” said Matt Gould, Founder and CEO of Unstoppable Domains, reflecting on the decision one year later. “It underscores the originality of our technology and strengthens our commitment to responsibly advancing the Web3 naming ecosystem.”
Patent and Technology
Issued on January 17, 2023, the ‘344 patent covers methods for resolving blockchain-based domain names using smart contracts. The technology enables human-readable onchain names, gasless transactions, and decentralized domain management — foundational elements of Unstoppable’s .crypto registry since 2020.
Why the Ruling Matters
The USPTO decision affirmed that blockchain-domain resolution systems fall squarely within the scope of U.S. patent protection, setting an important precedent for decentralized identity technologies. It also reinforced Unstoppable Domains’ long-term role in shaping secure, interoperable Web3 infrastructure.
“Protecting IP is essential to ensure that innovation in Web3 continues responsibly,” said Sandy Carter, Chief Business Officer at Unstoppable Domains. “We remain focused on building open infrastructure that empowers developers, users, and partners globally.”
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