Why Staking NEAR Right Now Could Be the Smartest Passive Income Move You’ve Never Considered 

Let’s be honest - most people avoid crypto for good reasons. Scams, pump-and-dump coins, and endless stories of people losing everything make it feel like the whole space is nothing more than a ponzi scheme. And in some corners, that’s true.

But that’s only part of the story. Behind the noise and the bad actors, there are real engineers and builders working to create a better internet. That new internet is called Web3 where people, not corporations, own the data and the networks. And for regular people who don’t want to gamble, there’s a simple, safe way to actually benefit from this new world - by staking NEAR.

Staking isn’t about trading, speculation, or chasing hype. It’s about putting your money to work in a way that’s steady, transparent, and rewarding—more like a high-interest savings account than a casino bet.

What is Staking (in Plain English)?

Think of staking like putting your money in a bank account that pays you interest. Instead of a bank, you’re helping run the NEAR network (no technical expertise required), which powers apps and services around the world. Your contribution helps keep the system secure and efficient, and in return, you earn rewards.

The difference? Instead of earning fractions of a percent in interest like most bank accounts today, staking NEAR earns you real returns in the range of 8–10% annually (sometimes more depending on network conditions).

And importantly, NEAR has had zero downtime since it launched in 2020 proving its resilience, reliability, and commitment to stability.

The Power of Compounding

Here’s where it gets even better: rewards don’t just arrive once a year or once a month. On NEAR, they’re distributed every epoch (~ every 7.5 hours). That means you’re getting rewarded multiple times a day, and if you leave your rewards staked, they begin generating rewards almost immediately.

That’s called compounding, and it makes your money work harder, faster.

• Stake 1,000 NEAR today at $2.80 each → $2,800 initial value
• At 9% rewards, you earn ~90 NEAR per year
• After 3 years of compounding, you’ll have ~1,295 NEAR tokens
• If NEAR stays flat at $2.80, that’s $3,626 total value
• If NEAR doubles to $5.60, that becomes $7,252
• If NEAR returns to $10, that becomes $12,950

That’s over 4.5× growth on your original $2,800 just by staking and holding.

The Upside of NEAR’s Price

Compounding is only half the story. The other factor is the price of NEAR itself.

Right now, NEAR is trading around $2.80 per token - still relatively undervalued compared to other major crypto networks. What makes this especially important is that NEAR has already proven it can go much higher: in 2021, NEAR traded at over $20 per token. That means today’s price is nearly a 90% discount from its all-time high.

Here’s why that matters for you:

• Stake 1,000 NEAR at $2.80 → $2,800 initial value
• Earn ~9% rewards = 90 NEAR per year
• After 3 years compounding = ~1,295 NEAR
• If NEAR stays at $2.80 → $3,626
• If NEAR doubles to $5.60 → $7,252
• If NEAR returns to $10 → $12,950
• If NEAR revisits its old high near $20 → over $25,000

Every epoch you delay staking is an epoch you’re missing rewards, and every dollar you wait to invest at today’s prices could cost you many multiples if NEAR climbs back toward its past highs.

Everyone has a story of “missing Bitcoin” or “wishing they bought Ethereum earlier.” NEAR at $2.80 is that same kind of opportunity: a proven network, already battle-tested with zero downtime since launch in 2020, but still priced like it’s early days.

By staking now, you benefit twice: guaranteed steady rewards in tokens and the potential for explosive upside as adoption grows. Waiting on the sidelines risks losing both.

Staking as Retirement Income

For retirees, staking NEAR can act like a self-made pension providing steady token rewards that you can cash out as monthly income.

Why It Matters for Retirees

• At today’s price, a $100K stake generates about $750/month (far better than bank interest).
• If NEAR doubles, that same stake pays $1,500/month.
• If NEAR returns to $10, the monthly payout jumps to $2,679/month.

And remember—those rewards don’t just show up monthly; they’re flowing to your wallet every epoch (~7.5 hours), giving you the option to let them build or cash them out whenever you like.

What About Risk?

It’s natural to wonder: what’s the catch?

The good news is that staking NEAR is not like handing your money to a stranger. You never lose ownership of your NEAR. Your tokens stay in your wallet, delegated to a validator, not transferred away.

• Withdraw anytime: You can unstake whenever you want. There’s only a short waiting period (~40 hours) before your tokens are liquid again.
• No hidden penalties: Unlike some investments, there’s no exit fee for unstaking.
• Main risk is price: If NEAR’s price falls, the dollar value of your rewards falls too. But your token count always increases.
• Validator reliability matters: That’s why choosing a secure, reliable validator (like Vital Point's) ensures you don’t miss out on rewards.
• Network proven reliable: NEAR has run continuously with zero downtime since 2020 - a level of stability even some of the biggest tech companies can’t match.

NEAR has had an eventful price history:

• Launched near $0.50 in 2020.
• Climbed to an all-time high of ~$20 in early 2022.
• Dropped through the 2022–2023 bear market to lows near $1.20.
• Recently stabilized around $2.80 in 2025, nearly 90% below its ATH.

With steady network growth, zero downtime since launch, and new momentum from privacy-focused AI initiatives, NEAR may be at a turning point, positioning early stakers to benefit from both steady rewards and potential price recovery.

Staking is one of the safest ways to benefit from crypto because your money never leaves your control.

Accessible to Everyone

You don’t need to be a programmer, investor, or “crypto bro” to stake NEAR. All it takes is: 

1. Setting up a NEAR wallet (a free app or browser extension).
2. Buying some NEAR through an exchange.
3. Delegating your tokens to a validator (just a couple of clicks).

That’s it. No complex trading platforms, no charts, no jargon. Rewards arrive automatically every epoch, and you can literally watch your balance grow.

Yes, you’ll learn a couple of new concepts along the way, like how wallets work and why your private key is important, but these are simple, everyday skills that anyone can master. Think of it like learning online banking the first time - strange at first, but second nature once you try it.

Why Supporting NEAR Matters

Beyond personal gains, staking NEAR helps build something bigger. The NEAR ecosystem isn’t just about finance. NEAR is the backbone for privacy-focused AI and a more open internet.

• Privacy-First AI: NEAR is working to ensure the next generation of artificial intelligence protects data, rather than exploiting it. Supporting NEAR means supporting AI systems that respect privacy and user control.
• Climate-Friendly: NEAR is a carbon-neutral blockchain, designed to minimize environmental impact.
• Access and Inclusion: By lowering costs and simplifying tools, NEAR is opening Web3 to people who might otherwise be excluded.
• Community Over Corporations: Unlike Big Tech, NEAR is community-governed and staking is your way of voting with your money for a fairer digital future.
• Proven Resilience: NEAR has operated nonstop since 2020 with zero downtime, making it one of the most reliable blockchain networks in existence. I know I keep harping on that, but it's important considering other "top" chains have had downtime.

So when you stake, you’re not just earning - you’re helping build the foundations of a better, safer, more human-centered internet.

Why Stake With Vital Point?

When you stake NEAR, you choose who to delegate your tokens to - called a “validator.” Validators keep the network secure and process transactions. Here’s why staking with Vital Point makes sense:

• Reliable Rewards: We run a secure, always-on validator, so your rewards keep flowing.
• Community-Focused: A portion of validator earnings goes back into building tools, projects, and education that strengthen the NEAR ecosystem.
• Effortless Setup: No technical skills needed. Just choose vitalpoint.pool.near in your NEAR wallet, click stake, and you’re done.
• Help is a click away: Should you need it, we're here to help.

Why Now is the Time...

Staking NEAR isn’t about chasing hype - it's about locking in steady returns that beat the bank by a mile, while giving yourself exposure to potential price growth. The sooner you start, the more compounding works in your favor.

Every epoch you wait is one you’re missing. Every dollar you leave idle today is a dollar that could have doubled, tripled, or more if NEAR climbs back toward its proven highs.

If you’re looking for a smarter way to save, a way to turn savings into monthly income in retirement, and a chance to support a better digital future, staking NEAR now with Vital Point is one of the best opportunities available today.

Want to see how easy it is to stake NEAR with Vital Point - watch this quick video which shows how to create an account and stake using Intear Wallet.  

Note: you will need to have NEAR to stake.  Recommend using Coinsquare or Coinbase to buy NEAR and then send it to the NEAR wallet you create. If you already have other crypto you can swap for NEAR from pretty much any other chain using NEAR Intents.  If you import an existing wallet into Intear, you can swap directly in the wallet.