TON DNS: readable .ton names

A wallet address is a long string of letters and digits. It is hard to dictate, easy to mistype, and nerve-racking to send money to. TON DNS swaps it for a short readable name: a domain ending in .ton. 🔤

A name instead of an address

TON DNS is the domain name service of the TON blockchain. A .ton domain can point to a wallet, a smart contract, or a website that lives inside the TON network.

In the mini app you buy a name and then set what it leads to. After that, any app that supports these names lets you type it in place of a long address.

How a domain is won

Domains are sold in an open auction. To start bidding on a free name, you place the first bid. Whoever offers the most when the auction time runs out wins.

The auction screen shows:

• The current top bid. You have to beat it.
• The bid step and minimum. A bid that is too small is rejected.
• Time left. Until bidding closes.

If someone outbids you, your money returns to your wallet. The starting price depends on name length: shorter names cost more, while longer ones are cheap to start. 💎

Why bother in practice

A short name helps people who take payments or share an address in public: bloggers, project authors, small shops. It is easier to print on a business card and to read out over the phone.

For an ordinary user it is a nice extra rather than a necessity. Buy a name only if you will really use it. 📌

Paying without losing sleep

You need a connected wallet to bid. The app advises using non-custodial wallets only, meaning wallets where you hold the private keys yourself instead of an exchange or other middleman.

You can pay by confirming in your wallet app, by QR code or through a payment link. After payment, the site shows a status: checking, success, rejected or error.

What to do after you win

Winning the auction does not make the name work yet. The domain must be set up, or it shows nothing.

1. Open "My domains". It lists the names you own and the time to expiry.
2. Set a wallet. Then payments can go to the name.
3. Add a site or storage. Owners can attach a TON site and hosting through TON Storage.
4. Create subdomains. For example, separate names for different projects.

Domains do not last forever

Each domain has an expiry date. It is visible in the list, with a renew button next to it. A forgotten name can return to auction, and someone else may take it. ⏰

Set a reminder early, especially if payments or a website depend on the name. Losing the name means losing the address people use to find you.

What to keep in mind

A .ton domain is an NFT, so names can be resold. Short, attractive names can draw strong demand, but prices swing and resale is never guaranteed.

Be careful with names that imitate well-known brands, since they may infringe on someone's rights. Make sure you opened the official mini app, and never share your seed phrase. ⚠️