ENS Transfers $65M Endowment to Newly Established ENS Foundation
The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) has taken a significant step towards maturity by transferring administrative control of its $65 million endowment to the newly established ENS Foundation. The transfer was made possible after tokenholders voted in favor of the proposal, titled 'Next Era of ENS DAO: Empowering the ENS Foundation', on August 11, 2026.
The ENS Foundation is a legally recognized entity based in the Cayman Islands, which will now handle grants, intellectual property, and policy engagement on behalf of the protocol. The foundation has appointed Alexander Urbelis as its inaugural Executive Director, with Nick Johnson, the founder of ENS, joining the board alongside three independent members.
The new structure includes a nine-day timelock on all transactions from the endowment, providing an additional layer of security. Tokenholders retain direct control over 54.6 million ENS tokens, which represents the protocol's core treasury and governance authority.