Meta Pool DAO has been instrumental in decentralizing the NEAR ecosystem since its early days. Following the proposal made by HOT DAO, we are prepared to scale our commitment to the ones powering NEAR’s decentralized future: validators and delegators.
If the proposal is accepted, we — in collaboration with various ecosystem participants, will launch a new incentive program and tools built to empower validators and delegators of all sizes to unlock yield strategies, boost long-term rewards, and simplify node operations through accessible, low-cost infrastructure. This initiative is part of our long-term vision for a stronger, fairer, and more sustainable ecosystem.
A Three-Pillar Incentive Program
We are proposing a new Validator and Delegator Incentive Program featuring three complementary mechanisms, designed to support the diverse realities of the validator and delegator community from the moment reduced emissions would take effect, until the transition into a community-governed era with House of Stake (6 months).
1. Boosted APY with Lockup Mechanism
This model benefits both validators and delegators. Delegators who lock their NEAR tokens for 1 to 6 months on Meta Pool will receive a boosted APY by up to 59%. In turn, 20% of this increase is shared with the selected validator as a performance reward. This creates a powerful recruitment tool for validators to attract new delegators, grow stake, and build loyalty. We will make sure the user journeys to do this are very simple and will provide detailed guides once the vote has passed.
Eligibility: Validators must be part of the active validator set at the start of the program. If a validator becomes inactive, the stake will be reallocated. Participation will be limited based on pool capacity — early engagement is key.
2. Small Validator Bonus Mechanism
We want small validators to be able to scale their operations confidently without barriers from baseline costs. This mechanism offers a 6 month program rewarding validators with:
- Up to 100 NEAR as a base reward (based on reaching certain technical performance OKRs).
- Up to an extra 100 NEAR for validators reaching >40,000 NEAR direct stake (based on reaching certain OKRs).
- A one-time bonus of 750 NEAR for validators increasing their stake by 100,000 NEAR compared to the initial stake for three consecutive months.
Eligibility: Total stake at the start of the program must be between the minimum seat price and 150,000 NEAR; not enrolled in other Meta Pool or NEAR Foundation programs; monthly uptime above 97%. Validators have to enroll in the program prior to the program start.
3. Large Validator Discount Mechanism
High-performing validators can tap into a 600,000 NEAR opportunity pool — unlocking additional stake at a discounted rate of up to 25%.
Performance based on the below:
- New stake attracted
- Locked stake
- Uptime
- Fee retention
Eligibility: Validators must have over 150,000 NEAR in total stake. Participation is evaluated monthly, and settlements are made at the end of the program period for discounted NEAR purchases. NEAR purchased through this program will be subject to a 12-month lock-up and can be added to the validator. Purchasing validators are subject to a satisfactory KYC/KYB process..
Complementary Support: Incentives and Tools that Make a Difference
In addition to the incentive program, we’re expanding the resources available to validators:
Node Studio: Run Your Node for Just $30/month
In collaboration with Openmesh, we’ve developed Node Studio — an intuitive platform designed to help anyone run a NEAR node easily and affordably.
Learn more at: https://nodestudio.metapool.app
Also, NEAR has an extensive ecosystem - we and other participants will be in close interaction with the community and share best practices on staking, yield optimization, and how to navigate the evolving yield journeys across NEAR — from lockups to looping opportunities and beyond.
In Closing: Let’s Build the Network We Believe In
If the proposal is accepted, this marks a new chapter in validator empowerment and ecosystem resilience. This new chapter is not about exclusion — it’s about creating more entry points and empowerment paths.
Meta Pool remains committed to an open, fair, and transparent network. We invite all validators to join the conversation and share their feedback directly here below. We invite your insights to co-create the most effective and fair incentive system possible — together, we shape what’s next. Use the chance to maximize the impact of these new tools, and work together toward a future where decentralization isn’t just an aspiration, but a shared, living practice.
