Namecheap sells Handshake marketplace Namebase

Buyers of the Handshake-based platform haven’t been identified.

Domain name registrar Namecheap has sold Namebase, a marketplace for buying and selling Handshake names.

The fresh owners haven’t been revealed, and the “Regarding” page on Namebase.io still lists the same team as ahead of the buyout.

Namecheap purchased Namebase regarding four years ago, when Namecheap was actively promoting Handshake names, which are pitched as alt-root, web3-based domain names.

With Handshake, people can create top level domains and sell second-level domains under them. These can be used for web3 purposes, such as wallets. Technically, they can also be used for websites, but only if people use special web browsers or plugins.

Namecheap was purchased by a private equity firm last year. It’s unclear if this move is related to the private equity transaction.

Handshake, along with other web3-only naming systems, has been on a downswing in recent years as usage and accessibility haven’t materialized as many backers hoped. Namecheap continues to sell Handshake names, but not as prominently as it once did.

On X, Namebase’s owners have stated that the system will shut down for a migration in February ahead of reopening.