The world of crypto investing continues to evolve with increased institutional adoption and structured financial products that bridge traditional markets with digital assets. In a significant development, Bitwise has launched the Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP (Ticker: NEAR; ISIN DE000A4A5GV2) on Deutsche Börse Xetra, expanding its suite of regulated, index-based staking solutions in Europe. This new product offers investors streamlined, liquid, and secure exposure to NEAR Protocol, a high-performance layer-1 blockchain increasingly recognized as the Blockchain for AI.
A Strategic Expansion in Crypto Investment Products
The Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP marks the fourth addition to Bitwise’s European Total Return product suite, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to delivering accessible, transparent, and regulated crypto investment vehicles. Designed for both retail and institutional investors, this ETP enables exposure not only to NEAR’s price performance but also to compounded staking rewards—estimated at 5.5% net of fees—without the technical complexities of self-custody or direct staking.
By listing on Xetra, Europe’s most liquid exchange for ETFs and ETPs, Bitwise ensures daily liquidity and seamless integration into traditional brokerage accounts. Unlike direct staking, which often involves lock-up periods and manual validator delegation, the ETP structure eliminates these barriers while maintaining full regulatory compliance under German law.
👉 Discover how index-based staking can enhance your digital asset returns
Why NEAR Protocol Stands Out
NEAR Protocol is a layer-1 blockchain engineered for scalability, energy efficiency, and real-world usability—making it a foundational platform for next-generation applications, especially in the AI space. Launched in 2020, NEAR leverages sharding technology to process thousands of transactions per second with minimal fees, solving long-standing blockchain bottlenecks.
What truly differentiates NEAR is its focus on user experience:
- Human-readable account names (like email addresses) replace complex wallet addresses.
- Chain abstraction allows users to interact seamlessly across multiple blockchains without managing multiple wallets or bridged tokens.
- Cross-chain interoperability simplifies asset and data transfers, enhancing accessibility for mainstream users.
With over 45 million monthly active users and 8 million daily transactions, NEAR ranked as the second most-used blockchain platform in Q2 2025—just behind Solana. Its rapid growth is fueled by developer-friendly infrastructure and growing adoption in AI-native applications, digital identity, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
“NEAR was built to power a new kind of internet—one where AI serves people, not platforms.”
— Illia Polosukhin, Co-Founder, NEAR Foundation
How Staking Works in the Bitwise NEAR ETP
Staking allows token holders to earn passive income by participating in network validation. In the case of NEAR, stakers help secure the blockchain and are rewarded with additional tokens—similar to earning dividends.
The Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP simplifies this process:
- The underlying NEAR tokens are securely held in cold storage by a regulated institutional custodian.
- Staking rewards are accumulated daily, increasing the cryptocurrency entitlement per ETP unit over time.
- Investors benefit from continuous compounding effects without active management.
This structure offers several advantages over direct staking:
- No lock-up periods
- No need for wallet setup or validator selection
- Full liquidity through exchange trading
- Professional-grade custody and security
The ETP tracks the CF NEAR Staked Return Index, a transparent benchmark that reflects both price performance and net staking returns after fees. This allows investors to accurately assess performance against market standards.
Key Product Features at a Glance
- Product Name: Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP
- Ticker Symbol: NEAR
- ISIN / WKN: DE000A4A5GV2 / A4A5GV
- Benchmark Index: CF NEAR Staked Return Index
- Expected Net Staking Yield: 5.5% per annum (net of all fees)
- Total Expense Ratio (TER): 0.85% p.a.
Note: The net staking return is annualized and non-compounded. Actual yields may vary based on network conditions and staking participation rates.
The daily accumulation mechanism means that each ETP unit gradually represents more underlying NEAR tokens over time—enhancing long-term performance potential without requiring additional investment.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Q: How does the Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP generate returns?
A: Returns come from two sources: (1) price appreciation of the NEAR token and (2) daily staking rewards accumulated within the ETP. These rewards increase the amount of NEAR backing each ETP unit over time.
Q: Is there a lock-up period for investing in this ETP?
A: No. Unlike direct staking, which may require token locking, this ETP trades on Xetra with full daily liquidity. Investors can buy or sell shares anytime during market hours.
Q: How are the underlying NEAR tokens secured?
A: All tokens are held in cold storage by a regulated institutional custodian, ensuring high-level security and compliance with European financial regulations.
Q: What fees are involved?
A: The Total Expense Ratio (TER) is 0.85% per year, which includes management and operational costs. The quoted 5.5% staking return is net of all fees.
Q: Can retail investors access this product easily?
A: Yes. The ETP is available through most major European online brokers, making it accessible to DIY investors without requiring specialized crypto knowledge.
Q: How does chain abstraction benefit NEAR users?
A: Chain abstraction allows users to interact across multiple blockchains using a single NEAR account—eliminating the need for multiple wallets, seed phrases, or wrapped assets. This simplifies cross-chain activity significantly.
A Vision for AI-Powered Decentralization
NEAR Protocol isn’t just another blockchain—it's designed as the infrastructure backbone for an AI-driven internet. Its architecture supports user-owned AI agents, where artificial intelligence operates transparently and in the best interest of individuals rather than centralized platforms.
With features like:
- User-Owned AI: Ensures AI agents act on behalf of users, not corporations.
- Intents-Based Transactions: Users define goals (e.g., “swap ETH to USDC”), and the system finds optimal paths across chains.
- Sharded Scalability: Delivers high throughput and low latency essential for real-time AI applications.
NEAR is positioning itself as the go-to platform for developers building intelligent, decentralized applications at internet scale.
👉 Explore how AI and blockchain convergence is reshaping digital finance
Bitwise: A Leader in Regulated Crypto Investing
Since 2017, Bitwise has been at the forefront of crypto asset management, offering index-based and active strategies across ETPs, private funds, and institutional solutions. In Europe, the firm—formerly known as ETC Group—has pioneered several firsts:
- Europe’s most traded Bitcoin ETP
- The first diversified Crypto Basket ETP tracking an MSCI digital assets index
All Bitwise European ETPs are issued under a BaFin-approved prospectus, fully backed by physical assets stored in cold storage, and redeemable under specific conditions. This robust structure enhances transparency and investor protection in a volatile asset class.
👉 Learn how professional-grade crypto exposure can fit into modern portfolios
Final Thoughts
The launch of the Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP represents a pivotal moment in the maturation of crypto investing. It combines cutting-edge blockchain innovation with traditional financial rigor—offering regulated access to one of the most promising ecosystems at the intersection of blockchain, AI, and decentralization.
For investors seeking diversified exposure to digital assets with passive income potential, this product delivers a compelling solution: simplicity, security, liquidity, and performance—all within a compliant framework.
As adoption accelerates and institutional demand grows, products like the Bitwise NEAR Staking ETP will play a crucial role in bringing crypto into the mainstream financial landscape.
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