Private naming
A guide for naming privately
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A guide for naming privately
Last updated
Was this helpful?
You can acquire Handshake names through Namebase using only an email for signup.
Until now, anyone trying to buy a Handshake name using Namebase needed to complete account verification and buy HNS before doing so. It was always possible to transfer HNS from an external wallet and use that HNS to bid on names, but Namers would still need to get their HNS from somewhere. This typically meant using another exchange that required extensive verification or buying HNS OTC which carries its own risks as well.
It’s fine for users to verify their accounts in order to purchase on-chain HNS that can be traded and transferred, but sharing your private information shouldn't be necessary to get a Handshake name when you have no interest in engaging in financial transactions with an exchange. There are important situations where users may want to register censorship-resistant Handshake names privately — in those situations it could mean the difference between life or death!
Sign up for a Namebase account at with a private email address through services like or public email inboxes like (make sure to immediately enable 2FA if you use Mailinator since the inboxes are public).
Purchase HNS name credits with at . The HNS credits can be used to purchase Handshake names on the marketplace and to bid in Handshake name auctions, but it is important to understand that buying HNS credits does not give you the right to acquire any HNS or engage in any other transactions on Namebase until you submit . You can always complete account verification if you would like to acquire and transact with on-chain HNS.
Search for the names you want at . You can buy a name on the marketplace instantly, or participate in a Handshake auction to win a name that hasn’t been registered yet.Handshake name bulk search
You now own a name on the new internet! Your domain is , , and truly by you instead of merely rented like in the traditional internet. You can now set up your devices to and learn how to on Handshake.
