The vision of decentralized identity is rapidly becoming a reality as developers move from isolated ecosystems to more interoperable ones. And there doesn’t seem to be any company doing more in this space right now. ZNS Connect announces a major expansion of Web3 Identity, launching four dedicated name services across diverse blockchain networks, from traditional financial platforms to emerging Layer 2, positioning it as a cross-chain hub for digital identity.
Bridging traditional finance and Web3 with .hood and .ink
One of the most exciting parts of this expansion is connecting to Robinhood’s network using a .hood domain. With the launch of hoodnames.io, ZNS Connect is establishing a bridge that allows retail investors to wake up to Web3 safely using a brand they already recognize. On the other hand, we’re launching an .ink domain on Ink, a nervous internet hungry for Kraken’s upcoming Layer 2.
Built on the OP stack, Ink aims to incorporate Kraken’s large user base into DeFi. ZNS Connect enables users to maintain the same “on-chain” persona when moving between centralized exchanges and decentralized protocols by securing identities on Ink through inknames.ink.
Powering DeFi and Scalability – .defi and .light
ZNS Connect targets not only major currency-backed exchanges, but also the heart of the DeFi market with the introduction of .defi domains running on Unichain’s mainnet. Unichain is a blockchain developed by Uniswap Labs and designed for DeFi use, with a streamlined naming service that reduces the complexity of decoding 42-character wallet addresses into human-readable names.
At the same time, .light domains were added to the Pharos Network. Pharos Network’s ultra-high-speed execution and deep parallel performance are attracting attention. The introduction of Native Name Service (pns.life) demonstrates ZNS Connect’s commitment to developing high-performance infrastructure. By taking a multi-pronged approach, ZNS Connect maintains the portability of users’ digital identities when transacting on the main network or test platforms.
The growing importance of cross-chain identity
As Layer 2 implementations grow rapidly across industries, the user experience suffers from fragmentation, making it increasingly important to maintain a unified identity. According to L2Beat data, the total value locked and the number of active chains continues to grow, creating the need for protocols designed to provide “social glue” between these disparate environments.
As the network continues to grow, users will need to keep track of multiple gas tokens and wallet settings for each new app they use. ZNS Connect outlines this simple process for users to overcome the challenges of manual network switching by creating a single domain that removes all barriers to facilitate network switching.
Changes to more chain-agnostic services facilitate the flow of users’ digital reputations and social presence across all these architectural boundaries without losing community trust or historical data. This move toward a new chain-agnostic, experiential future will ultimately connect tech niche enthusiasts to a larger mainstream market.
conclusion
The recent expansion of ZNS Connect across the Robinhood, Unichain, Pharos, and Kraken’s Ink domains represents a significant development for Web3 domain adoption. By expanding its services to include both mainnet and specialized ecosystems, ZNS Connect is not only providing domain names to consumers, but also creating the social base for a new generation of the Internet. As Web3 continues to evolve through 2026, consumers will have a standardized way to convey identity from chain to chain, rather than having exceptions to this standard.
