Key Highlights: NEAR at the Forefront of AI and Chain Abstraction

NEAR’s presence at Token2049 started strong, with chain abstraction and user-owned AI solutions taking center stage. At the booth, alongside partners SWEAT, Proximity Labs, and Aurora, the team engaged attendees in discussions on how NEAR is driving the convergence of AI and Web3. The booth became a hub for exploring how NEAR’s ecosystem is leading the integration of AI models into decentralized, user-owned applications, providing practical use cases and real-time insights.

One of the major highlights of the week was the Scaling AI Summit, where NEAR co-founder Alex Skidanov delivered a keynote focused on the building blocks of user-owned AI. He outlined how NEAR’s infrastructure empowers users to own, control, and benefit from AI models within decentralized systems. Alex emphasized how chain abstraction plays a crucial role in this vision by facilitating cross-chain AI model execution, highlighting leading projects like Hyperbolic, Masa, and Bitte as examples of how decentralized AI is already thriving within the NEAR ecosystem.

A key element of Alex’s presentation was a video demo that showcased the practical applications of user-owned AI. The demo provided an immersive look at how NEAR’s infrastructure is enabling scalable and interoperable decentralized AI solutions, offering attendees a tangible understanding of how these technologies are already transforming Web3.

NEAR’s Packed Agenda: Showcasing the Ecosystem

The NEAR AI Tech Showcase provided a deeper dive into NEAR’s AI ecosystem, featuring live product demos from pioneering teams such as Hyperbolic, Masa, Nillion, and Bitte. These teams are working at the intersection of User-Owned AI and Web3, demonstrating how NEAR’s infrastructure is powering real-world decentralized AI applications.

Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from NEAR’s engineers during the showcase, who offered a comprehensive overview of the NEAR AI tech stack. Their presentations covered the tools and techniques enabling the efficient training and deployment of AI models on-chain, showing how NEAR is transforming the landscape of decentralized AI by making these processes scalable and accessible.

Chain Abstraction: The Backbone of NEAR’s Edge

At Token2049 Singapore, NEAR put a spotlight on chain abstraction, a core innovation that simplifies blockchain interactions. By decoupling blockchain layers, NEAR’s chain abstraction enables seamless integration of AI models across diverse blockchain architectures. This allows for cross-chain AI computations, making it easier for developers to build scalable, interoperable applications that leverage both AI and blockchain technologies.

The Chain Abstraction X DeFi Brunch further highlighted how NEAR simplifies DeFi interactions, demonstrating how users can manage multiple assets from different chains within a single wallet. Through interactive discussions, attendees saw firsthand how NEAR’s chain abstraction is revolutionizing decentralized finance (DeFi) and setting the stage for a new generation of Web3 applications.

Community and Networking at SkyPool Lounge

From September 17-19, NEAR hosted a three-day SkyPool Lounge & Party, bringing together the NEAR community and ecosystem partners for deep technical discussions, live coding sessions, and interactive demos. The SkyPool Lounge was more than a networking event—it was a space for developers, partners, and enthusiasts to collaborate, explore new ideas, and dive deep into the future of decentralized technology.

Thought Leadership on Display

NEAR’s speaking engagements throughout Token2049 highlighted its strong commitment to advancing decentralized AI. In addition to his keynote at the Scaling AI Summit, Alex Skidanov explained why user-owned AI matters. He demonstrated how AI agents can leverage decentralized data—such as social, coding, and DeFi datasets—to create user-centric applications, contrasting this with corporate-owned AI, which prioritizes profits.

Alex concluded with a live AI developer demo, where he used natural language commands to build an application in under three minutes, drawing from Learn Near contract data. This showcased the ease and power of user-owned AI, putting control in the hands of users instead of corporations.

In addition to the above, Alex Skidanov participated in the main conference panel titled “Decentralized AI: The Power of Permissionless Intelligence,” where he explored how blockchain is democratizing AI development. The conversation highlighted NEAR’s vision of empowering users and developers through open, permissionless systems, emphasizing the critical role of decentralization in the future of AI. Alex also delivered a solo presentation titled “Building Web3 Apps of the Future with User-Owned AI,” diving deeper into the technical aspects of integrating AI with decentralized systems and showcasing how NEAR’s infrastructure is paving the way for a new generation of intelligent, user-centric applications.

Looking Ahead: NEAR’s Role in Shaping Web3 and AI

As Token2049 concluded, NEAR’s contributions left a lasting impact. NEAR is not just participating in the Web3 and AI conversation—it is actively leading and shaping the future of decentralized systems. With groundbreaking innovations in chain abstraction, a thriving ecosystem of projects, and a vision for user-owned AI, NEAR is setting new standards for interoperability, scalability, and user empowerment.

Stay tuned to NEAR’s channels for further updates, demos, and ongoing deep dives into the technologies that will define the future of Web3 and AI. The future is unfolding now, and NEAR is at the forefront of its creation.

The post NEAR Lights Up Singapore: Leading the Charge in AI & Web3 at Token2049 appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

It’s fundamental to NEAR’s vision that users, apps, and liquidity shouldn’t be siloed within one chain or another. Chain abstraction means not only lowering the bar to users and developers by creating a seamless experience, but leveraging the power of multiple interoperable blockchains.
 

Built on NEAR, Allstake is bringing this vision to restaking.

Restaking in a Nutshell

Restaking, in essence, is a new primitive in crypto-economic security. As first introduced by EigenLayer on Ethereum, this protocol allows users to restake their staked ETH or liquid staking tokens (LST) to bootstrap new Proof-of-Stake networks and services within the Ethereum ecosystem in return for additional staking yield/rewards. Restaking unlocks a new era of permissionless innovation and free-market governance by reducing the complexity associated with developers bootstrapping these networks from scratch.

Allstake is the first meshed restaking protocol that brings restaking to all chains. By decoupling consensus and execution, Allstake enables trustless scaling, offering enhanced scalability, security, and decentralization. 

Omnichain Meshed Restaking

Allstake builds a “verifiable cloud” for the broader crypto landscape, enabling users to natively restake a wide range of assets (LSTs, LRTs, LP tokens, stablecoins, etc.) on multiple chains, including NEAR, Solana, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ton, and more. Allstake comprises a modular toolkit that includes a programmable multi-asset economic module, a restaking hub for managing restaking logics, a Chain Signature module for synchronizing states and slashing on other chains, and light clients for trustless verification.

The core infrastructure, Allstake Hub, is built on NEAR Protocol; it manages all the Actively Validated Services (AVS) and operators, and tracks all deposit, delegation, and withdrawal states of restakers. Chain Signature’s cross-chain interoperability capabilities allow Allstake to securely and reliably monitor the users’ stake, delegation, and other messages across different chains, even including non-smart contract chains like Bitcoin and XRP. This integration enables Allstake to streamline operations such as issuing rewards and slashing on other chains, optimizing both the user experience and costs. 

Allstake empowers multichain applications by providing security from the application layer to even the physical level. AVS derive security from each chain they operate on, creating a decentralized ecosystem where users from all chains can contribute to AVS security. By attracting validators from multiple chains, Allstake increases decentralization and real-world censorship resistance. This validator diversification further improves the security guarantee of AVS.

Use Cases

Let’s take a look at a few use cases for Allstake’s meshed restaking.

Cross-Chain Bridge Secured by Each Chain It Connects

Allstake enhances the security model of cross-chain bridges by providing robust and diversified security. This is especially beneficial for native asset cross-chain bridges, which require multi-asset liquidity. Allstake’s meshed restaking can meet both the liquidity and security requirements of these bridges.

Omnichain Exchange

Off-chain order books that receive deposits from multiple chains can decentralize their infrastructure by using Allstake to channel security from the chains they serve. Allstake’s cross-chain interoperability and Chain Signature solutions will significantly enhance the security, performance, and user experience of Omnichain exchanges.

VM-Agnostic Shared Sequencer

Sequencing and block building is a major subject across the crypto space. Shared sequencers that serve different chains and environments can get unparalleled security from Allstake.

Decentralized Intent Solver Network

Allstake enables restaked intent solvers that can transform how people interact with blockchains. Allstake’s Chain Signature solution, combined with a decentralized intent solver network, will create a highly secure and user-friendly chain abstraction infrastructure. This solution drives mass adoption for web3, making it easy and safe for anyone to interact with decentralized apps.

Allstake Is Live!

Allstake’s Phase 0 is live on mainnet, launching with top staking protocols on NEAR, LiNEAR Protocol ($LiNEAR) and MetaPool ($stNEAR), as well as top staking protocols on Solana. The smart contracts have been fully audited, guaranteeing a secure environment for users to operate. In addition to the ~9% staking yield already earned through NEAR’s PoS staking, users can now earn Allstake Points, creating a unique dual reward opportunity. Users can also join Allstake’s community campaign to earn additional points (GEMs) to further boost the rewards.

Allstake will soon add the support of other chains, including Ethereum, Bitcoin, Ton, and more, as well as other types of assets such as the governance tokens of Dapp protocols and L2s including Aurora. This opens up new opportunities for users to access and diversify their restaking portfolio, providing them with higher yields and greater flexibility. 

Restake now!

–

Legal and Financial Disclaimer (Restaking)

This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, investment or tax advice. The author is not a lawyer, financial advisor, broker or tax professional.

Restaking and delegating crypto assets involves significant risks, including potential loss of principal. Crypto prices are highly volatile and may be affected by many factors. Past staking rewards are not indicative of future results. Always do your own research and never stake more than you can afford to lose.

The author does not endorse or recommend any specific blockchains, validators, services or strategies mentioned. The author makes no warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided and is not liable for any financial losses or damages resulting from your restaking.

By reading this post and participating in restaking, you agree that you are doing so at your own risk and will not hold the author responsible for any losses incurred.

The post Allstake – Restaking on All Chains with Chain Signatures appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

But First, the Tea:

Heard whispers of a Chain Abstraction Tea Party hosted by the elusive Black Dragon? It’s not just rumors. Mingle with the brightest minds in the NEARverse at our booth (number 314, remember it!).

To celebrate the psychedelic “Alice in Wonderland” theme of ETHDenver, we’ve conjured up a magical animation that serves as your gateway to Chain Abstraction. Scan the code, embrace the future, and claim your own NFT powered by ShardDog.

Dive down rabbit holes of chain abstraction, data that never forgets, and transactions faster than a Denver blizzard. The Black Dragon’s got your back, guiding you through the mind-bending potential of Web3.

Follow the trail and join us for an exclusive event (space is limited, RSVP ASAP) where the real secrets of Web3’s future get spilled. 

Ditch the FOMO, See What’s NEAR:

From on-chain rewards, airdrops, and more, powered by NEAR Ecosystem projects to hackathon bounties. The NEAR team is ready to onboard you and answer your burning questions.

Hacking not your jam? Don’t worry, there’s more!

Mark your calendars for February 26th, because the Decentralized AGI Summit is where AI and Web3 collide, igniting thought-provoking discussions on decentralized systems. This isn’t just another tech event; it’s an interactive experience where you’ll witness the explosive synergy between these two cutting-edge fields. Be part of building the future!

Then on February 28th, we’re bringing you hot fire —get it? because we’re dragons, hah— by partnering with Agoric and Frontier Research for Chain Abstraction Day, an exclusive apply-to-attend event featuring the most hardcore builders and researchers in the space. Prepare to witness the future of interoperability, where users hop seamlessly between chains without a second thought (or a gas fee headache). 

Space is limited, and only the most curious minds need apply. So if you’re a developer dreaming of cross-chain dApps, a creator with an NFT vision spanning universes, or an entrepreneur ready to conquer the multiverse, submit your request to attend ASAP. Don’t miss your chance to rub shoulders with the brightest minds in the biz and unlock the true power of blockchain, unchained.

For a comprehensive overview of NEAR’s presence at ETHDenver, including speaker sessions and networking opportunities, visit our dedicated NEAR at ETHDenver landing page.

See you on the other side, chain abstractooors!

The post NEAR at ETHDenver: Get Chain-Abstracted with the Black Dragon appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

TLDR: 2023 saw major experience improvements via meta transactions and zero-balance accounts, as well as node performance improvements and optimizations. Preparations are underway for a major upgrade to stateless validation, completing Phase 2 of the sharding roadmap in early 2024.

What we accomplished in 2023

There were a total of six protocol upgrades in 2023 which introduced a number of new protocol features. Meta transactions were added as a protocol feature at the beginning of the year to support gasless transactions, which means that users can transact on NEAR and start using apps without necessarily needing to pay transaction fees in NEAR. We also added zero-balance accounts, an important feature that enables users to create an account without holding NEAR to pay for storage. This makes it easy to onboard new users to applications. These two features form a solid foundation for a seamless onboarding experience for end users — a top goal for NEAR overall.

In addition to easy user onboarding, we have also been working hard to optimize the performance of NEAR. Flat storage, which was released in Q2 this year, optimized state reads and improved the stability and performance of the network overall. Another feature that optimizes NEAR nodes is cold storage, which allows for a split between hot and cold storage for a node. This means an archival node does not need to store most of the historical data on SSD and therefore can save a lot on cost. We also optimized the network communication between validator nodes by introducing the tier1 network, which reduces the latency of network messages between two validator nodes. Furthermore, we improved state sync and reduced the time it took a node to synchronize the latest state. We have also worked on improving the stability and maintainability of contract runtime with initiatives like finite wasm and limited replayability.

There are a few major initiatives that we started this year and expect to finish next year, such as stateless validation, congestion control, and transaction priority. We will dive deeper into those in the section below.

Plans for 2024

There are a few major projects that we want to deliver in 2024 to improve the usability, scalability, and decentralization of NEAR Protocol:

• Stateless validation. Stateless validation is a major initiative that we have been working on for a few months. It adjusts the original Nightshade sharding design to avoid implementing fraud proofs while improving the performance of each shard significantly by putting state in memory. The stateless validation work is expected to be delivered in Q2 2024, which would also mark the completion of the original goal we set for Phase 2 of sharding. We expect the launch of stateless validation to also dramatically increase the throughput of each shard and prepare NEAR for the continued growth of usage.
• Congestion control and transaction priority. While NEAR’s sharding design is horizontally scalable, it is important to provide a good user experience when there is short-term congestion on the network. This includes localizing congestion so that gas price increase does not affect the entire network and allowing users to prioritize their transactions during congestion if they are willing to pay more in transaction fees.
• Support for account aggregation. Account aggregation allows a user to control accounts on different chains with one NEAR account, an important pillar of the chain abstraction vision for NEAR. It requires chain signatures, which does MPC to sign payload. This requires a new runtime API to facilitate the asynchronous nature of chain signatures.
• zkWASM. We have been working on zkWASM with the Polygon team for a few months and the work will continue in 2024. The goal is to build a prover for WebAssembly smart contracts. This could be used as a part of the initiative to prove the state transition of NEAR in a ZK proof. Moreover, zkWASM also provides wasm as an alternative execution environment to EVM for L2s.
• Data availability improvements. We launched NEAR DA in early November 2023 and there are a few things that we plan to work on to further improve the efficiency of NEAR DA. Those improvements include introducing KZG commitment to avoid having data availability fraud proofs, as well as real-time bridging to allow verification of data availability on Ethereum.
• Ethereum wallet support. Supporting wallets like MetaMask natively on NEAR allows us to attract more users to NEAR and also be more Ethereum aligned. This requires changes to the protocol to support Ethereum addresses natively and support processing of RLP serialized Ethereum transactions.
• Research into the future of sharding. There are two major directions of exploration: synchronous sharding and ZK-centric sharding. Synchronous sharding enables synchronous execution of smart contracts and addresses the developer experience pain point of having to deal with asynchronous execution. ZK-centric sharding leverages zero-knowledge proofs to validate state transition of different shards and improves the scalability and decentralization of the protocol. In addition, we will also research the next and final phase of sharding: dynamically adjusting the number of shards based on usage.
  

The roadmap can be seen below for those interested in more timeline specifics. It is split into two parts: Experience and Core. The Experience section encompasses user and/or developer experience and the protocol features needed to enable those experiences. As an example, synchronous execution addresses the pain point that developers feel when they implement cross-contract calls.

The Core section, on the other hand, covers major efforts to improve the scalability and decentralization of the protocol. This includes stateless validation, zkWASM, improvements to data availability, and so on.

As always, the protocol team is proud to have made several important improvements to the core protocol with zero disruption for users and developers. We look forward to making some major advancements in 2024 to help the entire NEAR ecosystem deliver its vision of mainstream adoption of an Open Web, where all internet users can control their own data, assets, and power of governance. 

We will share more details on Phase 2 advancements and timelines soon. If you’d like to learn more, join the NEAR Protocol X Spaces on Tuesday, January 16 at 5pm UTC to hear from Director of Protocol Bowen Wang and NEAR Foundation CEO Illia Polosukhin on upcoming protocol developments.

The post NEAR Q4 Protocol Roadmap Update appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

ICYMI, it’s time to dive into all the key speeches, events, and announcements that unfolded in the City of Lights over this past weekend.

Interactive Polygon zkEVM app dashboard launches on the BOS

In the most significant partnership announcement of ETHCC, an interactive Polygon zkEVM app dashboard has launched on the Blockchain Operating System (BOS). This integration will not only increase accessibility and discoverability for zkEVM developers and users on the open web but also vastly improve user experience. 

The collaboration is set to accelerate the creation of dApps that will onboard billions of users into the open web. The new Polygon zkEVM dashboard now combines the benefits of zero-knowledge technology with the power of the BOS to unlock even more seamless onboarding to the open web. 

The dashboard brings a new suite of zero knowledge development capabilities to zkEVM developers and lets them build apps that can reach more users from day one. It’s a groundbreaking partnership that brings together the NEAR and Polygon ecosystems, two of the most innovative names in Ethereum and blockchain scalability.

NEAR makes waves with sustainability commitment

NEAR Foundation made a significant stride in its commitment to Web3 sustainability. As part of its ongoing efforts, NEAR signed up to the Ethereum Climate Platform, demonstrating its resolve towards minimizing the environmental impact of Web3 development. This move aligns with NEAR’s ethos and commitment to sustainable and scalable blockchain solutions.

Marieke storms the BOS-tille at “Funding the Commons”

Adding to the list of notable NEAR occurrences during ETHCC, NEAR Foundation CEO, Marieke Flament, was a keynote speaker at the “Funding the Commons” event held at Sorbonne Université on July 15. Marike’s message was one of bringing more ethics and equity to the entire blockchain and Web3 ecosystem.

In her speech, titled “The Open Web is NEAR: How the BOS, NDC, and DAOs are creating a Decentralized Web,” Marieke explored how NEAR Foundation serves the ecosystem by building public goods like the BOS, DevHub, NDC, DAOs, and more. 

“Funding the Commons” is an event designed to complement the Ethereum Community Conference, promoting connection amongst participants, and fostering new collaborations and projects. The event organizers also planned a dinner on July 15 at Le Procope Paris, where Marieke was among the most notable invited guests.

Unpacking Insights: notable talks and events at ETH CC

Near @ ETHCC wasn’t just a gathering of blockchain enthusiasts, but a hotbed of innovative discussions. Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR, and Nadir Dabit’s conversation around decentralized social networks piqued particular interest. They hinted at a shift in how we’ll connect and share information in the future and the potential role of decentralized social on the BOS.

Matt Stephenson, head of crypto economics at crypto investment firm, Pantera Capital, took the audience on a thrilling Day Two journey through the intricacies of behavioral game theory. He showcased how game theory could be leveraged in this space, offering a unique lens to examine, understand, and potentially predict blockchain trends.

Near @ ETHCC didn’t skimp on forward-looking conversations either. A panel featuring Max Mersch of Fabric Ventures, Maggie Love from SheFi, and Bilal El Alamy of PyratzLabs posed a pertinent question: “What’s the Next Big Use Case Being Built in the Bear Market?” Each speaker provided valuable insight about both challenges and opportunities posed by bear markets.

Ecosystem Updates

Despite the focus on the Near @ ETHCC side event itself, the NEAR ecosystem saw significant developments and milestones during the past few days.

• The NEAR Digital Collective’s I-AM-HUMAN movement has crossed 2,000 members in the NEAR ecosystem. The initiative allows users to vote, elect candidates for office, and shape the future of NEAR. You can sign up here.
• MintbaseSearch has gone live on NEAR mainnet along with its own ChatGPT plugin. Mintbase now enables users to ask anything about NFTs on the NEAR Protocol. More details here.
• Opolis has raised $6.6M in a bridge fundraising round with support from NEAR Foundation, Polygon Ventures, and Draper Capital. Read more details about the full announcement here.
• Black Snow: Battle For Earth, launched its demo version, offering an exciting free-to-play-and-earn experience that aims to enhance the NEAR ecosystem by boosting user count and transactions. Check out the demo here

C’est la vie in Paris as ETHCC 2023 wraps up. As we reflect on these dynamic days, it’s clear that the future of NEAR and the BOS is exciting and full of potential. From environmental commitments to bold collaborations and fascinating talks, NEAR’s Parisian journey was full of engagement, enlightenment, and enthusiasm for everyone involved.

The post NEAR at ETHCC Highlights: Sustainability and the BOS Take Center Stage in Paris appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

It’s all about bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds, as TheFunPass™ creates a seamless and immersive experience for users while driving value for businesses. 

TheFunPass™ presents a brand-new model of interaction that empowers users, business operators, and The Littles holders alike. The Littles’ TheFunPass™ rewards app will debut at the Richmond Night Market, rethinking the entire carnival experience by connecting people through interactive missions, rewards, and personalized engagement. 

Now every carnival-goer can win prizes, food, and once-in-a-lifetime trips — even if their skeeball doesn’t land in the bullseye — breathing new life into the classic carnival games.

TheFunPass™ is the best way to win at carnival games

Wil Lee and Cass Chan created the Web3 children’s media company, the littles, in 2021 offering a creative blend of animation, gaming, and real-world activations. The Littles is even joining up with TIME Studios to produce a children’s animation series. TheFunPass™, their latest endeavor, showcases their commitment to pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment. Meanwhile, Lee is also the CEO and creator of Wun2Free Entertainment, a Company that has been producing events for over 10 years and hires over one hundred people each season, with TheFunPass™ as their latest endeavor. 

TheFunPass™ is a rewards application that utilizes Web3 technology to enhance the way people emotionally engage with events. The application will debut at the Richmond Night Market in British Columbia, the largest night market in North America. TheFunPass™ engages user participation through missions, allowing them to earn digital and physical rewards unlocking exclusive benefits, digital collectibles, and unforgettable experiences. 

TheFunPass™ not only engages event attendees but also presents a game-changing opportunity for businesses and operators. The app will also enable event operators and businesses to create customized missions and campaigns driving attendee participation and extending engagement before, during, and after the event. It’s a win-win scenario, where attendees enjoy immersive experiences and rewards, while businesses drive revenue growth and forge stronger connections with their audience.

TheFunPass™ is a new and innovative way to experience the Richmond Night Market, which boasts over 500 food stalls, 100 retail shops, and an average attendance of over 1 million visitors per season. TheFunPass™ can reach tens of thousands of carnival-goers and engage them in unprecedented ways. The partnership between The Littles and NEAR will change the way people emotionally engage with events.

The Littles and TheFunPass™ are a NEAR perfect match

TheFunPass™, powered by NEAR, revolutionizes the traditional carnival experience, offering dynamic gameplay with location-based missions and rewarding social engagements. The app’s integration of digital and physical missions enables users to accrue reward points beyond the physical space confines, effectively turning the standard carnival participation model on its head thanks to the development support of LaunchBadge, a leading software development team trusted by the littles and NEAR. 

“800 users for a soft launch has reaffirmed our decision to support The Fun Pass and the team’s vision to reimagine how we experience the night market with blockchain technology,” said Dillon Freeman, Blockchain Success Manager on NEAR Foundation’s BD team. “The team has been executing at a high level and we’re excited to see what they deliver in the coming months.”

Beyond the in-person carnival fun, TheFunPass™ also facilitates year-round engagement with unique missions and reward opportunities, making the carnival-style fun available wherever and whenever. This innovative blend of phygital experiences is a game changer, enabling events to expand their reach and engage audiences more effectively.

The mechanics of TheFunPass™ are simple: Play Games, Collect STARs, Win Rewards! Attendees participate in carnival games, scan QR codes or tap to gather STARs on TheFunPass™, and subsequently exchange these STARs for various rewards, regardless of their game outcomes. The participation model offers a tangible sense of achievement, transforming the carnival experience.

TheFunPass™ ensures an exciting and ongoing engagement with its mission-based gameplay and reward system. After the carnival, users can continue to engage in digital missions, games, and rewards, offering an immersive experience that extends beyond its physical boundaries.

Debuting at Richmond Night Market, the partnership between The Littles and NEAR, with the development expertise from Launchbadge, showcases a unique use case of Web3 technology. By using TheFunPass™, every visitor stands a chance to win prizes, while also partaking in a unique Web3 event experience, thereby redefining event participation.

Empowering all stakeholders in the events industry 

TheFunPass™ empowers The Littles holders by integrating them into its growth through a unique referral program, reflecting the app’s commitment to decentralization and community empowerment. This groundbreaking approach enables Littles holders to earn commissions by referring businesses and operators to the app’s expanding network.

Beyond rewarding users, TheFunPass™ is an invaluable tool for businesses and operators. It enhances customer engagement, fosters loyalty, and promotes revenue growth. Additionally, the app provides businesses with valuable consumer behavior insights, enabling them to customize their offerings and establish meaningful connections with their audience.

The Littles are poised to lead the web3 industry into the future with the launch of TheFunPass™, powered by NEAR. By introducing gamification and immersive experiences to events, concerts, and festivals worldwide, TheFunPass™ aims to revolutionize the event experience, heralding a new frontier of interaction for fans.

TheFunPass™ presents a unique convergence of loyalty rewards, immersive experiences, and Web3 technology. As we step into the future of truly phygital experiences, every event-goer can look forward to a redefined, gamified, and winning event experience like never before.

The post TheFunPass™ Debuts at North America’s Largest Night Market with The Littles and NEAR appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

With FastAuth, BOS users get a better than Web2-style onboarding experience, allowing them to easily create an account for any app on the BOS without a new password or the need to buy any crypto. And perhaps most powerfully for developers, FastAuth is both the easiest and fastest way to get people to try their new components and apps, yet another reason why developers will want to build on the BOS. This helps dramatically lower the threshold for adoption and opens the door to bringing billions of Web2 users into the Web3 space.

To get up to speed on FastAuth, here is a FastAuth primer with some product demo videos. 

Easy onboarding and email recovery with FastAuth

FastAuth gives users the power to quickly and easily create a single account that can be used for any website or app that integrates with the Blockchain Operating System (BOS). This feature makes FastAuth an ideal tool for developers building components on NEAR. 

With a Web2-style onboarding experience that puts the user experience front and center, users can create a free account using biometrics, phone prompts, and an email address. This means that users can quickly interact with an app but also easily re-authenticate to the app using the same or different devices. 

Since most users are accustomed to centralized authentication methods like “Sign in with Google”, Web3 account management using seed phrases and wallets have, until now, created a significant barrier to entry for many people. By combining FastAuth with decentralized email recovery, users no longer need to remember seed phrases or install third party wallet applications. Users can recover their accounts through a “Single Sign-on” (SSO) process with the email they used at registration. 

Account recovery is also decentralized and does not give custodial access to full access keys to any single custodian. It is accomplished through a process called “multi-party computation”. This finally paves a way for mass adoption with an easy, secure, and decentralized account recovery system.

With FastAuth, one of the most challenging parts in onboarding users to Web3 no longer exists. Now, users can set up a BOS account quicker than creating a Gmail, Facebook, Tiktok, or Instagram account. And developers can deliver their Web3 components, apps, and experiences more seamlessly than ever. 

No third-party applications required

FastAuth also removes the need to download any third-party applications. Everything just works seamlessly right from the browser on your desktop or mobile device.

By creating an easy, user-centric experience, FastAuth makes the open web accessible to everyone right from the get-go and opens the door to mainstream adoption. Anyone developing components on the BOS can leverage this user-friendly experience to quickly and intuitively get their apps in front of users. 

Create an account without crypto

BOS FastAuth has another great trick up its sleeve. Until now, getting started in  Web3 and interacting with apps meant acquiring crypto first. 

With FastAuth, new users can get started right away without having to buy or be gifted crypto. This is a game changer for developers, enterprises, and end-users alike. Through FastAuth’s use of NEAR’s Meta Transactions and Zero Balance Accounts, users can register an account free of charge. Developers can also use this to their advantage as Meta Transactions paired with relayers, which allow them to sponsor initial interactions for new users without needing to purchase $NEAR. 

This streamlined onboarding experience allows developers to significantly increase conversion rates for people trying their components and apps for the first time. FastAuth also expands an app and website’s audience by making it more accessible to mainstream users. 

FastAuth creates an easy way for enterprises to integrate Web3 and crypto technology into their business. With just a few lines of code, they can onboard existing users into powerful new community and commerce experiences that are accessible, highly secure , and decentralized. 

End users can also get started using Web3 apps and experiences in an easy, accessible way. Setting up a secure  fully user-owned  account now only takes seconds. 

What’s next for FastAuth 

While FastAuth is already enabling fast and simple onboarding of mainstream users as well as streamlining component-building for developers on the BOS, a number of other features and upgrades are already in the works: 

• The ability to extend relayers and FastAuth to additional gateways beyond near.org
• Further MPC decentralization
• Multi-chain compatibility 
• Two-factor authentication

Stay tuned to near.org for new FastAuth features and upgrades, as they are rolled out. 

The post Get to Know the BOS: FastAuth for Easy, Web2 Style Onboarding and Account Recovery appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

At this time, NEAR Foundation is actively working towards a more decentralized model of capital allocation that will initially involve the DeveloperDAO, MarketingDAO, CreativesDAO, with an additional DAO that will begin formation in Q1 of 2023. This will impact the ecosystem in the following ways:

1. Effective immediately, NEAR Foundation will cease allocating capital directly from our inbound start-up grants program, with the exception of our current events grants, which will be handed over to the MarketingDAO when they are set up to manage them.  Request events funding by following the steps outlined here.
2. In January and February, we will be working directly with community members to outline a clear application process for funding via the DAOs. Processing time is expected to take 6-8 weeks. If you are interested in helping us form the new DAO with a focus on start-up projects, please submit your interest using this contact form.
3. Any  projects that have already received a portion of their funding and are working towards their agreed milestones will continue to be supported through the remaining milestones.
4. Any application that is not already in the approval stage will not receive funding. However, we will do our best to redirect you to appropriate, alternative funding sources.

NEAR Foundation’s goal is to empower the ecosystem to make decisions that support  the strategic approach that will drive NEAR  to the next phase of its roadmap, with a look ahead at new areas of product and development, as outlined in the NEAR Strategic Update and Outlook for 2023. We will continue to be as transparent as possible about the new funding strategy as it rolls out. The Foundation will communicate as often, and as frequently, as possible. We encourage the community to continue providing meaningful feedback so we can iterate more quickly as we unite to build the NEAR Ecosystem together.

The post Refining NEAR Foundation’s Grant Approach appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

The Foundation has had the pleasure of seeing the community being a key contributor in providing ecosystem support and building dapps. The community does this in a number of ways, including running and sponsoring events, educating developers and entrepreneurs on the benefits of NEAR, bringing projects with active user bases from other chains, and so on.

NEAR Foundation wants to build on the community’s successes through a new incentive structure that aligns with the Grants Program (more information can be found at the Grants Program Handbook here bit.ly/Grants-Program-Handbook). 

1. The payout for each project referred will be awarded a total of 10% of the project awarded grant amount. This amount is awarded in nUSDC (wrapped USDC on NEAR) and is calculated at the end of each quarter.
2. The first half of the 5% will be awarded at the point of the contract signed.
3. The second half of the 5% will be awarded once all project milestones are completed. 

Refer-and-Earn: Q3 Qualified Projects

The NEAR ecosystem receives a number of your recommendations and referrals. A total of 12 quality projects emerged from Refer-and-Earn, each aligning with NEAR Foundation’s Grants program objectives. 

In no particular order, here are the Q3 2022 qualified projects: 

• Scene 
• Azadi Record
• Vital Carbon 
• Metavision Games 
• Murder Mystery Collective 
• MetaLordz 
• Klabrate and ClimaFi
• Meteor wallet 
• Mintmade 
• NEARKai
• EVIE Marketplace 
• Autify 

The Grants team has reached out to all Refer-and-Earn referrers. Thanks to your help and support, the Grants team is able to support innovative projects like those listed above. 

The post Refer-and-Earn Guidelines Update: Q3 2022 appeared first on NEAR Protocol.

Grupo Nutresa customers will in turn gain more autonomy and control of their rewards. Customers will also get additional security and the reassurance that points will not be stolen or denied, and can be transferred more efficiently. Leveraging NEAR’s technology will also increase usability and accessibility of the rewards system as a whole, saving customers from having to create multiple accounts or different logins for multiple platforms — they just need their easy to use NEAR wallet.

“We are excited to partner with one of the biggest multinationals in Latin America and help it to lead the way through its first Web3 loyalty programme,” says NEAR Foundation CEO Marieke Flament. “Leveraging NEAR’s first-rate technology, the partnership will redefine what is possible when combining retail with the latest blockchain innovation, not just in Latin America but throughout the rest of the world.” 

Usability is key to loyalty

Rewarding customers for their support has always been a priority for the world’s top brands. Such programs not only engage customers and deliver incentives for them to return but also act as analytical tools, giving businesses insights into customers’ behaviour and preferences. 

With 87% of shoppers reporting they want brands to have loyalty programs and over 70% of consumers more likely to recommend a brand with a robust loyalty program, Web3 and digital wallets are pushing forward-thinking brands to explore new opportunities on platforms that are easy to use. 

As one of the biggest multinationals in Colombia, Grupo Nutresa manages several loyalty programs for its customers, collaborators, and providers. Those loyalty programs are now coming together into a single easy-to-use platform underpinned by blockchain technology, through support from Spanish technology company Peersyst Technology.

Onboarding the masses into NEAR and Web3

Grupo Nutresa sees NEAR as the ideal partner for these types of loyalty programs. NEAR Foundation sees the Grupo Nutresa partnership as a great opportunity to onboard the masses into the NEAR and Web3 ecosystems.  

“Our purpose is to make people feel recognized and valued by brands. Above all, what interests us most is that this is an opportunity to help build their dreams, through a service that provides them with significant redemption options and value,” says  Fabián Andrés Restrepo, Digital Transformation Leader at Grupo Nutresa. “This invitation is also addressed to companies that want to help make people’s dreams come true and reward their loyal customers, by becoming an ally of Grupo Nutresa and its portfolio of businesses. We see in NEAR an important ally for developing and implementing Grupo Nutresa’s loyalty strategy.” 

NEAR’s sustainability credentials also align with Grupo Nutresa’s own business strategy and deep commitment to create value for society as a whole. According to the 2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, Grupo Nutresa has been voted as the most sustainable food company in the world for two consecutive years, thanks to its effective implementation of social, environmental, and economic practices. 

The post NEAR and Grupo Nutresa Partner for Customer Experience Innovations in Web3 appeared first on NEAR Protocol.