The vision for a decentralized identity is starting to become a reality quite quickly as developers move from siled ecosystems to something much more interoperable. And no one seems to be doing more in this area today than ZNS Connect, which has unveiled a massive expansion of its Web3 identity by launching four special name services across various blockchain networks, from legacy financial platforms to emerging layer 2 platforms, and positioning them as a cross-chain hub of digital identity.
A bridge between traditional finance and Web3 with .hood and .ink
One of the most exciting parts of this expansion is connecting to the Robinhood network using .hood domains. By launching hoodnames.io, ZNS Connect is building a bridge so that private investors can safely get to know Web3 using a brand they already recognize. On the other hand, we have the launch of .ink domains on Ink, Kraken’s upcoming Layer 2 hungry just nervous.
Ink is built on the OP Stack and aims to integrate Kraken’s massive user base into DeFi. By securing identity on Ink through inknames.ink, ZNS Connect ensures users maintain the same on-chain personality as they transition between centralized exchanges and decentralized protocols.
Drives DeFi and scalability – .defi and .light
In addition to targeting major currency-backed exchanges, ZNS Connect is also targeting the heart of the DeFi marketplace with the introduction of .defi domains that will run on Unichain’s mainnet. Unichain is a blockchain developed by Uniswap Labs and designed for DeFi use and has a streamlined naming service that alleviates the complexity of decoding a 42-character wallet address into a human-readable name.
At the same time, .light domains have been added to the Pharos network. The ultra-fast execution and deep-parallel performance of the Pharos network attract attention. The introduction of a native name service (pns.life) demonstrates ZNS Connect’s commitment to developing a high-quality infrastructure. By taking a multi-pronged approach, ZNS Connect will maintain the portability of users’ digital identities when trading on a main network or on a test platform.
The growing importance of cross-chain identity
As Layer-2 implementations grow rapidly in the industry, the user experience suffers from fragmentation and as a result, the importance of maintaining a unified identity becomes increasingly important. According to L2Beat data, the total value and number of active chains continue to rise, creating a need for protocols designed to provide a “social glue” between these disparate environments.
As networks continue to grow, users will need to maintain multiple gas tokens and wallet settings for each new app they use. ZNS Connect outlines this simple process that allows users to overcome the challenges of manually switching between networks, creating a single domain that would remove all barriers to making networking easy.
The change to a more chain-independent service will facilitate the flow of a user’s digital reputation and social existence across all these architectural boundaries without losing community trust or historical data. The move toward this new chain-agnostic experiential future will ultimately connect niche tech enthusiasts to the larger mainstream market.
Conclusion
The recent expansion of ZNS Connect across Robinhood, Unichain, Pharos, and Kraken’s Ink domains represents a significant development for Web3 domain adoption. By expanding their offering to both mainnets and specialized ecosystems, ZNS Connect is creating a social foundation for the new generation of the internet, in addition to offering domain names to consumers. As Web3 continues to evolve in 2026, consumers will likely have a standardized way to transfer their identity from chain to chain, rather than having exceptions to this standard.