NEAR Meets Wall Street: Bitwise Launches First U.S. Spot NEAR ETF

NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (CandyPulse) — NEAR Protocol has arrived on Wall Street. Asset manager Bitwise launched the Bitwise NEAR ETF, ticker NRR, on NYSE Arca on September 29, the first U.S. exchange-traded product giving investors direct, spot exposure to the NEAR token.

How the fund works

NRR holds real NEAR tokens, so its price tracks the token. The twist is staking: Bitwise plans to stake the fund's NEAR through its own in-house team, earning network rewards. Those rewards aren't paid out as cash. Instead, they add to the fund's net asset value (NAV), so shareholders benefit through a gradually larger pool of NEAR per share.

Coverage of the launch says the fund aims to capture roughly 5% in average staking rewards, though actual returns will vary.

By the numbers

Why it matters

For many investors, especially those using ordinary brokerage accounts or retirement funds, buying tokens directly isn't practical. An ETF opens the door without needing a crypto wallet.

It also shows how far the ETF market has moved. U.S. crypto ETFs began with bitcoin and ether; now single-token funds, some with built-in staking, are reaching networks like NEAR, which Bitwise is pitching as infrastructure for an AI-powered economy.

What's next

Early trading volumes and inflows will show how much appetite exists beyond the biggest coins. Investors should also weigh the 0.75% fee against the staking rewards the fund expects to earn.

This article is for information only and is not financial advice.