Richard Kirkendall, CEO of Namecheap, announced on X.com on May 8 that Spaceship — a Namecheap-affiliated brand — has officially released Thunderbolt, a brand-new encrypted communication app that uses your domain name as your identifier instead of a phone number or email address.
Thunderbolt enables voice and video calls, messaging, and chat, all streamlined into one space. But instead of traditional login methods like usernames and passwords, users connect using their domain name, which must first be verified by adding unique, randomly generated TXT records to the domain’s DNS. That means:
- No passwords required
- No messages stored on any servers
- Multi-device support via QR code pairing
- End-to-end encryption and DNSSEC protection by default
The app supports a wide range of domain types — including Handshake and ENS — and is available on both iOS and Android.
Spaceship describes Thunderbolt as “a new era of communication,” where your domain becomes your digital identity, communication hub, and access key — not just a tool for hosting websites or email.
A revolution in the making?
At first glance, Thunderbolt may look like just another messaging app. But its domain-first model — logging in and communicating solely through domain verification — offers compelling advantages in privacy, security, and ownership. The promise of private, domain-controlled networks opens the door to a new form of digital independence.
Is Thunderbolt the start of a communication revolution? Will domains become the new standard in how we connect? Time will tell — but one thing’s clear: domains just got a whole lot more powerful.