Minting as a Service
Transforming .tlds into digital identities
The internet was built without borders. Domain names should work the same way.
Minting as a Service (MaaS) is Orange Domains' white-label solution for registry operators who refuse to be left behind. It bridges Web2 and Web3, not as a compromise, but as a complete, unified experience that transforms standard domain names into multi-chain digital identities that work seamlessly across the entire internet.
This isn't a concept. MaaS is already live, powering .locker — an ICANN-accredited TLD available across the world's largest domain registrars. Real infrastructure. Real users. Real proof.
For the first time, top level domains can be more than just a website address. Anchored on Bitcoin and resolving on Ethereum, MaaS gives registrants best-in-class Web3 access — to the most powerful applications, the most active communities, and the most valuable use cases the decentralized web has to offer. Your TLD doesn't just keep up with the future. It helps define it.
Web3 isn't a trend. AI isn't a trend. The convergence of these forces with the traditional domain industry is the emergence of an entirely new market — and MaaS is how registry operators stake their claim in it. The domain names that win the next decade won't just resolve. They'll do things.
MaaS is how your TLD stays relevant. It's how your registrants stay engaged. And it's how the domain industry moves forward.
Offer practical utility for your registrants starting on day one. MaaS does more than just bridge Web2 and Web3. It gives every person a suite of real, usable capabilities that go well beyond a website and an email address.
With MaaS, every domain name can become a digital identity with just a few clicks. Streamline sending and receiving digital payments, build a profile under an NFT, join communities, and so much more — all under one name.
Registrants onboard with MetaMask, an established digital wallet provider. Because MetaMask is already a household name in Web3, it removes hesitation for first-time users and gives experienced ones a tool they're already familiar with.
Because MaaS .tld identities are verifiable onchain, they work as a login or single sign-on across Web3 applications. A digital identity becomes a trusted credential. It's not just a name — it's proof of who you are.
Going Web3 with MaaS doesn't mean leaving the Web2 world behind. Registrants keep every DNS capability they already have while gaining the ability to use their digital identity on Bitcoin and Ethereum.
As AI agents become more widespread, so does the need to verify them. MaaS .tlds can authenticate AI agents on DNS and onchain, creating a single, authoritative source of trust that works across the internet.
The Digital Asset Reward Engine (DARE) lets registrants earn cryptocurrency through their .tld — attaching real-world value to a digital identity. DARE gives users a meaningful reason to stay engaged, driving retention through genuine incentive.
The domain industry is at an inflection point. Web3 is no longer on the horizon. It's here. And MaaS is how registry operators meet that moment without abadoning everything they've already built.
MaaS was engineered with ICANN's framework at its core. Orange Domains brought together the best of the domain industry and the best of Web3 development to create a solution that doesn't cut corners — one that operates responsibly, predictably, and in alignment with how the industry already works. No regulatory guesswork. No gray areas.
MaaS integrates through the existing Tucows backend, meaning registrars face zero new technical requirements and zero new infrastructure. Your path to offering Web3 capability is faster, cleaner, and simpler than any competing solution on the market. Less time to integration means less time to revenue.
Users shouldn't have to choose between Web2 and Web3 — and with MaaS, they don't. We've done the heavy lifting to strip away the friction of blockchain technology, delivering a seamless experience that feels as familiar as registering any domain name. Your registrants get the power of Web3 without needing to understand it.
MaaS TLDs inherit the core principles that make Web3 worth building toward: decentralized ownership, immutability, and portability. This isn't a bolt-on feature. It's a foundation — making MaaS an ecosystem-friendly solution that earns trust across every corner of the internet.
The domain lifecycle is precise, and MaaS respects that precision entirely. Domains and digital identities renew together, transfer together, and can even be deleted together — automatically, and without any extra steps or fees for the end user. This is what responsible synchronization looks like.
Digital identities are minted as NFTs on Bitcoin and resolve on Ethereum — two of the most active, most trusted, and most valuable blockchain networks in existence. Your registrants aren't just getting a domain name. They're getting a verifiable, onchain asset with real utility across the decentralized web.
MaaS is a complete solution consisting of three main components that work together to create the ultimate "future-proof" .tld domain name.
Register and manage DNS .tld names with Tucows Registry Services.
Bridges the .tld domain names and the .tld digital identities. Responsible for registering, managing, and synchronizing digital identities with their DNS .tld counterparts.
Acts as the gateway to Web3 by registering names on the core .locker BNS contract in a process known as "minting," officially establishing .tld digital identities on Bitcoin.
The powerful proprietary app from Orange Domains that:
Built on Stacks, a Bitcoin scaling solution that enables:
Web2 .tld domain name registration is conducted through ICANN-accredited registrars, following the standard TLD registration procedure. The only difference is that to mint and manage the corresponding .tld digital identities, Orange Domains requires a valid registrant email address (no proxies allowed, though privacy services can still be offered by registrars).
User registers a domain name through an ICANN-accredited registrar with a valid registrant email address.
The DNS registration is completed and confirmed through the standard registrar process.
The MaaS Sync Application detects the new domain registration and reserves the .tld name in the BNS and ENS namespaces.
The user is prompted via email to set up or connect digital wallet to claim their digital identity. MaaS walks users through this process using MetaMask.
The user's name is minted on Ethereum, officially making it their digital identity. They can now use their .tld app to view transactions, addresses, and more.
The Web2 domain and digital identity remain synchronized for renewals, transfers, and status changes — all without any extra fees.
Ready to turn your .tld into a powerful digital identity? Join Orange Domains to unlock Bitcoin and Ethereum interoperability for your registrants.
Don Ruiz, General Manager — don@orangedomains.com
MaaS is a white-label solution for .tld registry providers that bridges a Web2 .tld domain name along with its corresponding Web3 digital identity. For example, a user can claim john.tld as a domain name and obtain john.tld as a corresponding Web3 digital identity on the Bitcoin blockchain. MaaS also allows users to add an Ethereum address to use their .tld digital identity with decentralized applications using the ENS resolver.
MaaS bridges Web2 .tld domains with Web3 .tld digital identities for Web3-curious and Web3-ready users who want the full functionality of their domain name (website, email) with a corresponding Web3 digital identity for one unified name across both ecosystems. This unlocks full control and ownership of identity for the end user, and a new market for your .tld.
Yes. Because Web3 digital identities are minted on the Bitcoin blockchain as an NFT, they must reside in a digital wallet. Digital wallets are the foundation of a user's Web3 experience. If a user already has a Bitcoin network compatible wallet, they can use it for their .tld digital identity. If they don't have one, Orange Domains will guide them through setting up and using their first Bitcoin compatible wallet (such as Leather or Xverse).
A digital wallet is an application that allows users to securely store, send, and receive digital assets like NFTs, tokens, badges, and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, and others. A digital wallet stores the private keys required to access and manage one's digital asset holdings.
.tld domains are renewed at the registrar of record where the domain name is currently managed. Once the domain name is renewed with the registrar, the Web3 digital identity will also be renewed via the DNS Sync Application without any additional payment from the end user.
Yes. A domain name can be transferred or sold to another person like any domain name. Once a registrant email is changed through a sale or transfer, a new corresponding and updated Web3 digital identity will be issued to the new user.
Yes, ENS and BNS are similar to DNS but for their own platforms. ENS is the Ethereum Name System. MaaS is integrated with the ENS resolver, meaning digital identities can be used on Ethereum dApps that support the resolver. BNS is Bitcoin Name System. MaaS mints .tld names on Bitcoin as an NFT, but it also registers .tld names with BNS. MaaS' integration with these name systems reduces the chances of name collision.
For domain name support, users contact the registrar where the domain is currently managed. For Web3 digital identity support, Orange Domains has a specialized support team to assist with any issues.
