Following our recently announced partnership with NEAR Protocol, we’re excited to introduce *NEAR Name Tokens; a multichain, cross-platform digital identity for Web3 and beyond.
As part of our mission to bridge the gap between traditional Internet infrastructure and Web3, we are developing futureproof, interoperable digital identities, starting with Name Tokens. These innovative tokens built for the NEAR ecosystem, will act as your digital identity within the world of Web3, where you can use them in a variety of different ways.
Complimenting The NEAR Ecosystem With *NEAR Name Tokens
*NEAR Name Tokens are unique Web3 identifiers that are set to offer users a range of Web3-specific features, while acting as early expressions of interest to the eventual real NEAR domains. What sets *NEAR Name Tokens apart from our other, similar products, is that NEAR already offers a deeply integrated identity solution with named NEAR accounts.
These NEAR accounts, however, are limited to use across the NEAR ecosystem. This is where *NEAR Name Tokens come in. These name tokens will offer users a comprehensive digital identity solution across the wider Web3 ecosystem, offering users a solution that offers wider integration while keeping NEAR front and center.
Users will be able to use these name tokens in a variety of ways including:
- Using them as a simplified wallet address across hundreds of different blockchain networks;
- Using them as an infrastructure identifier across hundreds of different blockchain networks;
- Using them as a cross-platform username across various different decentralized platforms including DeFi, GameFi, SocialFi, SportFi and other related applications;
- Using them to serve Verifiable Credentials (VCs) to platforms and services that you interact with;
- Gaining access to unique benefits and rewards programs that will offer users a wide variety of different incentives and rewards for participating in the D3 ecosystem;
- Using them as expressions of interest for the eventual .NEAR equivalent domain on the Internet.
Why We’re Using *NEAR Instead of .NEAR
Our use of *NEAR instead of .NEAR for NEAR Names is multifaceted. As mentioned above, NEAR accounts already use a .NEAR extension which may lead to confusion for users. However, more importantly, the use of *NEAR for Web3-specific digital identity products is to remain clear and compliant.
For years, several naming systems across Web3 have thrown around the ‘domain’ terminology quite liberally without offering any of the actual utility offered by real domains. Real domains are fully integrated with the domain name system (DNS), allowing users to access websites and email infrastructure with ease. Billions of internet-capable devices such as computers, tablets, mobile phones, Internet of Things (IOT) devices and more support the DNS and real domains without the need for specialized software or plugins.
As part of our journey to bring interoperable digital identities to Web3, we are partnering with leading Web3 ecosystems to apply for and obtain their Top-Level Domains (TLDs) during the upcoming application period. In the meantime, we’re working closely with each one of our partners to develop dedicated D3 Name Tokens, which offer a host of Web3-oriented digital identity features.
Our Name Tokens feature a star or asterisk (*) between the name and extension, such as ‘you*near’ instead of a period (.). This is because our Name Tokens are unique Web3 identifiers and not real domains, which use the period. We want to avoid any confusion between real domains and Web3 names, unlike nearly every other project out there focused on Web3 identity.
Exclusive Early Access Period To *NEAR Name Tokens For NEAR Account Holders
As part of our initial launch phase, existing NEAR account holders will receive exclusive early access to their equivalent *NEAR Name Tokens. For instance, if you already have the ‘name.near’ NEAR account registered prior to launch, you will receive exclusive access to register ‘name*near’ for a period of 90 days before names are released for public availability.
Similarly, should a NEAR account be available for any new *NEAR Name Token registrations, we will claim it on behalf of users to ensure a uniform experience across the NEAR ecosystem. Users can sign up for early access and we will notify you prior to the official launch of *NEAR Name Tokens.