Handshake PriceHNS

What is Handshake (HNS)?

Handshake (HNS) is a decentralized, permissionless naming protocol that operates as a UTXO-based Layer 1 blockchain. Its primary goal is to create an alternative to existing Certificate Authorities and the traditional root DNS naming system. Every peer in the network validates and manages the root DNS naming zone, using decentralized trust anchors to prove domain ownership. The project positions itself as an experimental peer-to-peer root naming system, secured by miners through proof-of-work consensus.

HNS is the native coin used to transfer, register, and update internet names. The community places bids for top-level domains and initiates auctions using HNS. The total supply is capped at 2,040,000,000 HNS, with a circulating supply of approximately 677.73 million. In August 2025, Handshake implemented a soft fork that massively reduced coin supply by ending airdrop claims, a move described as a bullish signal for investors and crypto miners.

Key Specifications & Tokenomics

• Name: Handshake
• Ticker / Symbol: HNS
• Blockchain Type: UTXO-based Layer 1
• Consensus: Proof-of-Work
• Smart Contracts: Not applicable at the consensus layer
• Category: DePIN, Distributed Computing, DID & Identity, Layer 1
• Launch Year: 2020
• Max Supply: 2,040,000,000 HNS
• Total Supply: 2,040,000,000 HNS
• Circulating Supply: 677,730,457 HNS
• Contract Address (ETH): 0xa771b49064da011df051052848477f18dba1d2ac
• Official Website: https://handshake.org/
• CertiK Rating: 3.6

Who created Handshake?

Handshake was co-founded by Joseph Poon, Andrew Lee, Boyma Fahnbulleh, and Christopher Jeffrey. Joseph Poon is known for co-writing the Plasma Papers with Vitalik Buterin and co-creating the Lightning Network. Andrew Lee previously founded Purse, one of the largest Bitcoin marketplaces in early 2014, after leaving Merrill Lynch. Christopher Jeffrey, also referenced as Christopher 'J.J.' Jeffrey, served as CTO of Purse. Boyma Fahnbulleh completes the founding team.

The project is backed by Draper Associates and raised $10.2 million to replace the current digital naming system, according to a Linux Journal article from August 2018. Handshake operates under a true decentralization governance model with no official singular Foundation, Committee, Corporation, or entities in permanent unitary control of the protocol.

How does Handshake work?

Handshake functions as a decentralized implementation of DNS, secured by miners. It uses a UTXO-based blockchain protocol where every peer validates and manages the root DNS naming zone. The system employs proof-of-work consensus to resist Sybil attacks, and light clients can verify name resolutions and certificates through merkelized proofs and proof-of-work.

The protocol enables cryptographic name proofs, with decentralized proof lookups typically within the MTU limit. A transparent name auction process allows economic incentives to enable decentralized agreements. Without an economic cost function, one person could register all names; the auction mechanism ensures Sybil resistance that would otherwise be centralized and corrupted. Notably, the Handshake naming protocol has no concept of namespacing or subdomains at the consensus layer. Its role is not to replace all of DNS, but to replace the root zone file and the root servers, as the entirety of DNS apart from the root zone is already decentralized.

What makes Handshake unique and valuable?

Handshake addresses a fundamental problem: names on the internet, including top-level domains, social networking handles, and usernames, ultimately rely upon centralized actors with full control over a system. These centralized entities are vulnerable to hacking, censorship, corruption, and data loss. Handshake creates a decentralized, permissionless alternative using decentralized trust anchors to prove domain ownership.

Unlike projects seeking to fully decentralize all DNS infrastructure, Handshake focuses specifically on decentralizing the root zone and top-level domains. This targeted approach acknowledges that the rest of DNS is already decentralized. The project also aims to reduce dependence on ICANN, which was launched in 1998 as a non-profit partner. By using Handshake names, participants gain assurance that economic limits exist for name usage, which can be leveraged whenever resource exhaustion is a concern. The protocol is compatible with and seamlessly integrates with the existing Domain Name System.

What is Handshake used for?

The HNS coin is the mechanism by which participants transfer, register, and update internet names. The community places bids for top-level domains and initiates auctions using HNS, with different values assigned per name. Key use cases include bidding on HNS domains and updating records associated with those domains.

Handshake also serves as a platform for Sybil resilience. By using Handshake names, one can know that some kind of economic limits exist for the use of the name, which is valuable whenever concerned about resource exhaustion or when reaching global agreement on moderation alone is too costly. The project additionally offers a claim program for FOSS developers, allowing them to claim HNS and register names. Social networking handles and domains represent another target use case, along with general internet name registration, transfer, and updates.

How Is the Handshake ecosystem developing?

The Handshake ecosystem includes domain name registration and auctions, where the community initiates auctions and places bids for top-level domains using HNS. Bob Wallet serves as a full node GUI wallet with source code available. The project maintains compatibility with DNS, seamlessly integrating with the existing Domain Name System.

Handshake can be used as an augmentation to a Web of Trust, though it is often not a global agreement of resources for individual decentralized services. Competitors referenced include ENS, Unstoppable, and Yat. The community is active across multiple platforms, including Telegram, Discord, IRC on Libera Chat, a Matrix-to-IRC bridge, and Reddit at r/handshake. The CoinMarketCap community size is approximately 36,000 members. In August 2025, the project implemented a soft fork that significantly reduced the HNS coin total supply by ending airdrop claims, a development described as providing a bullish signal for investors and crypto miners.

How to mine Handshake?

Handshake is secured by miners through a proof-of-work consensus mechanism. Mining HNS requires computational power to validate transactions and secure the network, similar to other proof-of-work cryptocurrencies. Miners are responsible for processing transactions and maintaining the integrity of the blockchain, which in turn secures the decentralized root naming zone.

The proof-of-work system also enables light clients to verify name resolutions and certificates through merkelized proofs, allowing for lightweight participation without requiring a full node. The August 2025 soft fork that ended airdrop claims and reduced coin supply was noted as a bullish signal for crypto miners. Detailed mining guides and hardware recommendations are available through community resources and mining pools. As with all proof-of-work networks, mining profitability depends on factors including hardware efficiency, electricity costs, network difficulty, and the current market price of HNS.

How to keep your Handshake Coin safe?

To securely store HNS, use Bob Wallet, the official full node GUI wallet with source code available for verification. As a full node wallet, Bob Wallet allows users to validate the blockchain independently rather than relying on third-party servers. Always download wallet software from official sources and verify the source code when possible.

For additional security, consider using hardware wallets that support HNS and maintaining secure backups of private keys and recovery phrases. Be cautious when using other software to claim HNS, as the official Handshake resources explicitly warn: "Please be careful when using other software to claim." Store recovery phrases offline in a secure location, never share private keys with anyone, and be vigilant against phishing attempts. Given the price volatility of HNS, which reached an all-time high of $0.8528 in May 2021 and an all-time low of $0.0009897 in September 2026, secure storage practices are essential for protecting your holdings.