What is NIP-05?
NIP-05 is the Nostr protocol standard that maps your cryptographic public key to a human-readable address — like an email address for your Nostr identity.
The Problem NIP-05 Solves
Every Nostr user has a public key that looks something like this:
That's your identity on Nostr — but it's impossible to remember, difficult to share, and easy to impersonate. NIP-05 lets you verify that key with a human-readable address:
Now anyone can look you up, verify your identity, and trust that you are who you claim to be — all backed by cryptographic proof.
How NIP-05 Works
NIP-05 uses a simple DNS-based verification. When a Nostr client sees your NIP-05 address, it makes an HTTP request to the domain to verify your public key.
You set your NIP-05 address
In your Nostr client, you set your NIP-05 identifier to something like [email protected].
The domain hosts a verification file
The domain serves a JSON file at /.well-known/nostr.json that maps usernames to public keys.
Clients verify the mapping
When someone views your profile, their client fetches the JSON file and confirms your public key matches.
The verification file looks like this:
GET https://nip-05.com/.well-known/nostr.json?name=alice
{
"names": {
"alice": "abc123...def456"
}
}That's it. No blockchain, no token — just a simple HTTP lookup that any client can perform.
Why You Need a NIP-05 Address
A verified NIP-05 address is the foundation of your Nostr identity.
Verified Identity
Prove you are who you claim to be. Clients display a verification badge next to your name.
Discoverability
People can search for you by your NIP-05 address instead of copying a long public key.
Impersonation Protection
Nobody else can claim your address on your domain, making social engineering attacks harder.
Lightning Integration
NIP-05 domains can also serve LUD-16 Lightning addresses, letting people zap you directly.
Universal Compatibility
Supported by all major Nostr clients — Damus, Primal, Amethyst, Snort, and more.
How to Get Your NIP-05 Address
Getting verified on nip-05.com takes about 30 seconds. No email, no KYC — just Lightning.
Choose your username
Pick a name like alice, bob, or satoshi. Shorter names are premium.
Enter your npub
Paste your Nostr public key in npub format. This is the key your address will point to.
Pay with Lightning
Scan the Lightning invoice — a one-time payment, no subscriptions.
You're verified
Your NIP-05 address is active immediately. Set it in your Nostr client and you're done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Claim your Nostr identity
Get a verified NIP-05 address in seconds. Pay once with Lightning, yours forever.
Get Started