Project Description:

 

 

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Ada Handle

 

Floor

₳ 7

Best Offer

₳ -

Volume (As of May 5th, 2025)

₳ 3.9m

TVL

₳ 52.6k

Listed

15.42%

NFTs

260.4k

Unique Wallets

43%

 

ADA Handle is a decentralized naming protocol built on Cardano that replaces complex wallet addresses with simple, easily identifiable names like $frank or $wallet123. These identifiers function like usernames, making crypto interactions more intuitive for both users and developers. By storing all data directly on-chain, ADA Handle enables a fully decentralized, censorship-resistant identity layer that can be accessed by any dApp, wallet, or protocol.

Kora Labs is the development company behind the ADA Handle protocol, responsible for building and maintaining the infrastructure, user interfaces (like handle.me), and supporting systems that make ADA Handle usable on the Cardano blockchain.

 

From Centralized Minting to Decentralized Ownership

Originally, Handle minting was managed through a centralized system, where Kora Labs executed mints via a native script. While effective in early stages, this model limited user autonomy and imposed operational bottlenecks. In line with the Handle protocol’s core belief that digital identity should be open and owned by everyone, the system is now transitioning to Decentralized Minting (DeMi).

Under this new model, users can directly interact with a smart contract to submit and mint Handles without intermediaries, removing centralized control and promoting true ownership from the moment of creation. The resolution process, the mechanism by which Handles are linked to Cardano wallet addresses remains entirely on-chain, public, and trustless. This ensures that anyone, from developers to end users, can confidently query and resolve a Handle without relying on proprietary APIs or services.

 

Kora Labs: Supporting the Protocol, Sustaining the Business

While Handle operates as an open protocol, Kora Labs is the infrastructure and business engine behind its continued development. Since inception, Kora Labs has shouldered 100% of the network and transaction fees imposed by Cardano for every Handle and SubHandle minted. 

As Handle minting becomes more decentralized and accessible, Kora Labs will no longer cover these blockchain fees. To ensure long-term sustainability, Kora will also adjust Basic Handle pricing, increasing it by 5₳, in line with its Stable Pricing algorithm that balances affordability with economic viability.

Despite this change, Kora remains committed to maintaining low-cost entry points into the Handle ecosystem. While Basic Handle prices will rise, the protocol now encourages the community to provide affordable alternatives through SubHandles. These user-owned SubHandles—like $alex.family or $biz.name will now appear in the primary search bar on handle.me, allowing buyers to discover and mint lower-cost naming options offered directly by the community.

 

 

Building a Resilient, User-Owned Identity Layer

By separating the open-source protocol (Handle) from the business infrastructure (Kora Labs), and by decentralizing key processes like minting and resolution, ADA Handle is paving the way for a more democratic and scalable identity layer on Cardano. Whether you're a developer integrating readable wallet names into your dApp, a user personalizing your digital presence, or a creator offering SubHandles to others, the protocol is designed to benefit all participants... not just the entity that built it.

 

Kora Labs, Founders

 

$goose

CEO | CoFounder

 

$conrad

COO | CoFounder

 

$papagoose

CIO | CoFounder

 

$bigirishlion

CTO | CoFounder

 

$calvin

Chairman of the Board