How to Stake NEAR

1. What you need

• Token: NEAR (the native token of NEAR Protocol).
• Wallet: MyNearWallet or Meteor Wallet. Both support a Ledger hardware wallet for extra security.
• Minimum stake: None. There is no minimum to delegate — you only need a little NEAR to cover the network fee.
• Commission: Spectrum's NEAR validator currently charges 7% on rewards. Always confirm the live rate in your wallet before delegating.

Delegation means assigning your stake to a validator pool that stakes on your behalf. Your tokens remain yours throughout.

2. Stake NEAR step by step

1. Set up a wallet. Create or import your account in MyNearWallet or Meteor. Save your recovery phrase offline.
2. Fund it with NEAR. Withdraw NEAR from an exchange to your wallet address, or buy in-wallet.
3. Open staking. Go to the Staking section of your wallet and choose Stake / Select validator.
4. Find Spectrum. Search for and select our validator pool spectrum.poolv1.near. Double-check the pool ID matches exactly.
5. Enter an amount and confirm. Type how much NEAR to stake and approve. Your stake is delegated to Spectrum and begins earning from the next epoch.

You can also start from the Stake NEAR button on our homepage.

3. Rewards

NEAR distributes rewards every epoch — a unit of time of about 12 hours. Spectrum's pool automatically restakes rewards for you, so they compound and there is nothing to claim. Your staked balance simply grows. Rewards typically begin after the first full epoch (around 12 hours). Your exact rate depends on total network staking; see the live estimated APY on the NEAR card on our homepage.

4. Unstaking NEAR

In your wallet's staking screen choose Unstake. NEAR then enters an unbonding period of about 4 epochs — roughly 52 to 65 hours (a little over two days). During this time the tokens earn no rewards and cannot be moved. Once the period ends, use Withdraw to return the NEAR to your available balance. There is no penalty for unstaking.

5. Risks

• Non-custodial by design. Spectrum never holds your NEAR or your keys. Protect your wallet recovery phrase and never share it.
• No slashing today. Slashing is the confiscation of stake for validator misbehavior. NEAR Protocol does not currently implement slashing, so your delegated principal cannot be taken.
• Validator downtime. If a validator is offline too long it is removed from the active set and stops earning rewards for up to about 36 hours, slightly reducing your yield — your principal is unaffected. Spectrum runs 24/7 monitoring to avoid this.