Introduction to NEAR Blockchain

NEAR Blockchain (NEAR Protocol) is a Layer-1 blockchain that prioritizes scalability and user experience. Established in 2018 by Illia Polosukhin and Alexander Skidanov, NEAR aims to streamline development processes, boost performance, and attract more decentralized application (dApp) developers.

NEAR’s Technical Strengths

NEAR uses the innovative “Nightshade Sharding” technology, which splits the blockchain into multiple parallel sub-chains to dramatically increase transaction throughput and network efficiency. Its Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism balances security and energy efficiency, while the “Doomslug” protocol accelerates block production for near-instant transaction confirmation.

With a focus on user experience, NEAR supports human-readable account names and is compatible with popular programming languages such as JavaScript and Rust, reducing barriers for developers. The platform’s progressive account model, known as Account Abstraction, allows users to upgrade from simple accounts to more secure multi-signature accounts as their needs grow.

Latest Price & Market Activity

Image: https://www.gate.com/trade/NEAR_USDT

Currently, NEAR is trading at approximately $2.81, with a 24-hour trading volume exceeding $340 million and a market capitalization near $3.52 billion, ranking it among the global top 40 cryptocurrencies. In the past 24 hours, NEAR has risen about 7–8%, with a weekly increase close to 14%, signaling robust market momentum. Driven by recent institutional inflows and accelerated ecosystem development, NEAR’s popularity among investors is rising.

How to Get Started with NEAR: A Beginner’s Guide

• Create a Wallet: Choose the official NEAR wallet or a supported exchange wallet, and securely back up your recovery phrase.
• Buy NEAR: Purchase NEAR on major exchanges; common trading pairs include NEAR/USDT and NEAR/USD.
• Stake NEAR: Stake your NEAR tokens to help secure the network and earn rewards, which benefits long-term holders.
• Explore dApps: NEAR boasts a diverse ecosystem, including DeFi, NFTs, and GameFi.

Outlook & Recommendations

NEAR’s advanced sharding and user-centric design give it a strong competitive edge in the Web3 space. With more developers and a maturing ecosystem, NEAR could become a foundational layer for decentralized infrastructure. Still, the crypto market remains highly volatile—newcomers should closely monitor project updates and diversify their portfolios.