ICANN is the standards body responsible for the shape of the mainstream
   domain name system. A recent presentation depicted the Handshake
   blockchain as potentially outcompeting their infrastructure. It also
   mentioned Fingertip for resolving hosts, and Brave and Opera as
   supporting browsers. I believe the branch of ICANN involved is open to
   any who join.
   I don't recognise or have reason to trust the following media outlet;
   it's just the first news hit I got from a websearch.
   [1]https://domainnamewire.com/2022/03/17/alt-root-blockchain-domains-ic
   ann/

   There was a bit of discussion about blockchain-based domains at ICANN
   73 this month.

   The concept of an alt root is as old as ICANN, and previous iterations
   of these have failed to obtain the popularity necessary to compete with
   the “real” DNS. Is the current wave of alt-roots, such as Handshake,
   the ENS, and Unstoppable Domains, changing the narrative? Is
   it really different this time?

   ICANN and the broader Internet Governance community share a history of
   opposition to alt roots (including ICANN’s most recent blog post
   telling alt-root domain registrants [2]buyer beware). And ICANN
   has [3]delayed Uni’s TLD sales due to bundling them with alt-root
   domains.

   During ICANN 73, members of NARALO (North American Regional At-Large
   Organization) held a [4]session on NFTs, blockchain, and alt roots.
   Jeff Neuman of JJN Solutions and Tom Barrett of Encirca gave an
   overview of cryptocurrency and NFTs and then dove into blockchain
   alt-root domains. They considered if ICANN should give any thought to
   potential name collisions with alt roots for the next round of TLDs.

   The history of [5]alternative roots largely involves efforts to replace
   the DNS, while Web3 technologies can conceivably coexist alongside. But
   what happens when companies inevitably apply for .crypto in the next
   new TLD round? Unstoppable Domains already runs a .crypto and has
   been [6]trying to get some protection against new ICANN TLDs that match
   its domains.

   The unanswered question is if ICANN should care. If Unstoppable’s
   .crypto has legs by then, the name collisions could be problematic. But
   giving Unstoppable Domains any preference for this and its other
   domains would encourage companies to create alt roots today to frontrun
   the next round of new TLDs, much like applicants (unsuccessfully) tried
   to do with [7]trademark frontrunning in the last round.

   The discussion continued in the [8]public forum, with a particular
   interest in what ICANN could do about the rise of Web3: avoiding name
   collisions in the next round, encouraging possible collaboration
   between ICANN and alt roots, or at least considering why people are
   turning to alt roots to explore whether there’s something that may
   apply to ICANN or the DNS.

References

   1. https://domainnamewire.com/2022/03/17/alt-root-blockchain-domains-icann/
   2. https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/details/buyer-beware-not-all-names-are-created-equal-24-11-2021-en
   3. https://domainnamewire.com/2021/12/21/nfts-trip-up-uniregistrys-top-level-domain-auctions/
   4. https://73.schedule.icann.org/meetings/LNpr7rJ27eueDkZ4x
   5. https://icannwiki.org/Alternative_Roots
   6. https://domainnamewire.com/2021/10/07/uspto-continues-to-refuse-trademarks-for-alt-root-and-prospective-top-level-domains/
   7. https://domainnamewire.com/2010/04/12/new-top-level-domain-trademark-frontrunning-battle-heats-up/
   8. https://73.schedule.icann.org/meetings/ERWRCp2CBbZ3pJ5i3