NEAR Protocol trades at $1.02 today, down 2.87% in the last 24 hours with a high of $1.06 and low of $1.01. Yet, amid this dip, liquid staking on NEAR delivers 10-12% APY while keeping your tokens fully liquid. In 2026, top NEAR LST pools like MetaPool stNEAR and others promise yield optimization without lockups, stacking rewards across DeFi on NEAR and Aurora.
Why NEAR Liquid Staking Dominates in 2026
NEAR’s chain abstraction and fast finality make it a yield stacker’s dream. Regular staking hits 10% APY but ties up funds for epochs. Enter liquid staking NEAR APY: deposit NEAR, get LSTs like stNEAR or aNEAR, earn rewards, and deploy in lending, DEXs, or restaking. Meta Pool’s TVL surged 38.2% QoQ to $97.8 million, LiNEAR at $74 million up 18.3%. But for best NEAR staking pools 2026, focus on our top 5: MetaPool stNEAR Pool, Everstake NEAR LST Pool, Splash NEAR LST Pool, Ankr aNEAR Pool, and InfStones iNEAR Pool. These offer full liquidity, validator diversity, and DeFi composability.
Risks? Smart contract audits and slashing protection matter. All five prioritize decentralization, with APYs holding steady above 10% per network activity. Momentum builds as NEAR ecosystem TVL climbs, projecting 20-30% growth by year-end.
Breaking Down the Top NEAR LST Pools
Ranked by TVL, projected NEAR liquid staking APY, and liquidity depth, here’s the elite lineup for high-yield plays.
- MetaPool stNEAR Pool: King of NEAR LSTs at $97.8M TVL. Stake NEAR for stNEAR, accruing 10-12% rewards. Seamless Aurora integrations boost composability – trade, lend, farm without unstaking.
- Everstake NEAR LST Pool: Proven validator with staking calculator showing precise yields. Non-custodial LSTs deliver ~10% APY, ideal for passive earners eyeing NEAR yield optimization.
- Splash NEAR LST Pool: Rising star in Splashing NEAR LST, emphasizes splash-proof liquidity. Competitive APYs and deep pools minimize slippage for big moves.
Ankr aNEAR Pool shines with cross-chain liquidity, bridging NEAR to multichain DeFi. InfStones iNEAR Pool rounds out the top 5, leveraging institutional-grade validators for rock-solid uptime. Dive deeper: projected APYs could hit 12-15% with network upgrades.
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) Price Prediction 2027-2032
Forecasts incorporating liquid staking growth (MetaPool, LiNEAR), 10-12% APY yields, DeFi adoption, market cycles, and ecosystem developments from 2026 baseline of $1.02
| Year | Minimum Price | Average Price | Maximum Price | Avg YoY % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | $1.00 | $1.80 | $3.00 | +77% |
| 2028 | $1.50 | $2.80 | $5.00 | +56% |
| 2029 | $2.00 | $4.00 | $7.00 | +43% |
| 2030 | $2.80 | $5.50 | $9.50 | +38% |
| 2031 | $3.50 | $7.20 | $12.00 | +31% |
| 2032 | $4.50 | $9.50 | $15.00 | +32% |
Price Prediction Summary
NEAR Protocol is forecasted to see robust growth driven by high-yield liquid staking (10-12% APY from top pools like MetaPool and LiNEAR), increasing TVL, and NEAR’s scalable L1 advantages. Average prices projected to climb from $1.80 in 2027 to $9.50 by 2032 (+831% from $1.02), with min/max reflecting bearish consolidation and bullish adoption scenarios amid market cycles.
Key Factors Affecting NEAR Protocol Price
- Liquid staking TVL expansion (MetaPool $97.8M+, LiNEAR $74M+ in 2025, continued QoQ growth)
- Competitive 10-12% APY attracting stakers and boosting demand
- DeFi integrations on NEAR/Aurora enhancing utility of stNEAR/LiNEAR tokens
- Crypto market bull cycles post-2026 with altcoin rallies
- Regulatory clarity and institutional adoption
- NEAR tech upgrades for scalability vs. L1 competition
- Risks: market volatility, validator centralization, competition from Solana/Ethereum LSTs
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency price predictions are speculative and based on current market analysis.
Actual prices may vary significantly due to market volatility, regulatory changes, and other factors.
Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
MetaPool stNEAR: The TVL Leader’s Edge
MetaPool stNEAR Pool isn’t just biggest – it’s battle-tested. Q3 2025 data shows 38.2% QoQ TVL growth to $97.8 million. Users stake NEAR, receive stNEAR mirroring underlying rewards at 10-12% APY. Key edge: broad DeFi adoption on NEAR and Aurora. Lend stNEAR on Ref Finance, farm on Burrow – stack yields to 20% and total APY. Security? Multi-validator delegation slashes risks. At NEAR’s $1.02 price, parking here captures upside as adoption accelerates.
Everstake NEAR LST Pool flips the script on passive income. With a battle-hardened validator network, it dishes out precise yield calculators projecting 10.8% APY at NEAR’s $1.02 price. Non-custodial design means you control keys, while LSTs flow into DeFi without friction. Everstake’s edge? Uptime north of 99.9%, slashing risks to near-zero. Stack with Aurora lending for compounded returns hitting 15% in bull runs.
Everstake NEAR LST: Validator Reliability Meets Yield Precision
Splash NEAR LST Pool crashes the party with splash-proof liquidity – deep order books ensure minimal slippage even on $10K and deposits. Targeting 11.2% APY, it prioritizes rapid minting/redemptions under 1 epoch. DeFi integrations? Locked in with Ref Finance swaps and Burrow borrows. At current network dynamics, Splash suits aggressive yield stackers chasing NEAR yield optimization amid 2026 upgrades.
Splash NEAR LST: Liquidity Without the Drag
Ankr aNEAR Pool extends NEAR’s reach cross-chain. Bridge aNEAR to Ethereum or Solana DeFi for multichain yield at 10.5% base APY. TVL trails MetaPool but grows 25% QoQ, fueled by institutional inflows. Security audits from top firms and diversified validators make it a low-volatility pick. Trade aNEAR on Aurora DEXs while earning – pure composability.
InfStones iNEAR Pool caps the top 5 with institutional muscle: 11.0% projected APY, enterprise-grade infra, and 99.99% uptime. iNEAR tokens shine in lending protocols, unlocking extra 3-5% via farms. Perfect for whales prioritizing stability over flash yields.
Top 5 NEAR LST Pools Comparison (2026 Projections)
| Pool Name | TVL (est. 2026) | Projected APY | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetaPool stNEAR Pool | $120M | 11.5% | Aurora DeFi |
| Everstake NEAR LST Pool | $85M | 10.8% | Calculator |
| Splash NEAR LST Pool | $70M | 11.2% | Deep liquidity |
| Ankr aNEAR Pool | $65M | 10.5% | Cross-chain |
| InfStones iNEAR Pool | $60M | 11.0% | Institutional |
Stacking Yields: Real-World Tactics
Pick your pool, then layer: lend stNEAR on Burrow (add 5%), swap on Ref (0.3% fees recycled), restake LSTs for bonuses. At $1.02, a $10K stake in MetaPool nets ~$1,150 yearly base, ballooning to $2,500 and stacked. Watch network activity – APYs flex 10-12%, but top pools smooth variance via smart delegation. Risks like oracle fails? Mitigated by audits and insurance funds across all five.
NEAR’s chain abstraction supercharges this: seamless Aurora bridges mean LSTs work everywhere. Projections show ecosystem TVL doubling to $500M and by Q4 2026, lifting all boats. My swing-trade take: enter on dips below $1.00, exit partials at $1.50 targets while LSTs compound.
Diversify across 2-3 pools for balanced exposure. Momentum is opportunity – with NEAR at $1.02 and LSTs liquid, 2026 setups scream alpha. Stake smart, stack yields, secure the bag. For deeper tactics on liquid staking without lockups, check our yield maximization guide.
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