Hey there, meme enthusiasts and blockchain buffs! It's incredible to think that NEAR Protocol has been around for half a decade already. Launched back in 2020, this layer-1 blockchain has grown from a promising startup idea into a powerhouse that's particularly exciting for meme token creators and traders. In this piece, we'll break down some of its biggest milestones, drawing from a recent roundup by BSC News, and explore how these advancements are supercharging the meme token scene on NEAR.

From AI Roots to Blockchain Pioneer

NEAR Protocol didn't start as a blockchain project. Founded in 2017 by Illia Polosukhin—a former Google researcher who co-authored the groundbreaking "Attention Is All You Need" paper—and Alexander Skidanov, it began as NEAR AI, focusing on AI-driven code generation. But payment hassles for global contributors pushed them to pivot to blockchain in 2018. They aimed to fix common issues like scalability and user-friendliness, making it easier for developers to build and users to interact.

This foundation has been a game-changer for meme tokens. With support for languages like JavaScript and Rust, even non-experts can whip up fun, viral smart contracts for memes. Think about tokens like $NEKO, the first meme coin on NEAR established in 2021, or $NEARBIT, which positioned itself as the original meme on the protocol. These early projects thrived because NEAR made deployment straightforward and cost-effective.

Mainnet Launch and Steady Uptime

NEAR's mainnet rolled out in phases, starting with Genesis in April 2020, where tokens were created and staking began. By October 2020, it was fully live, allowing token transfers, dApps, and governance via Thresholded Proof of Stake—a consensus mechanism that's more energy-efficient than traditional Proof of Work.

Since then, NEAR has boasted 100% uptime, which is huge for meme traders who need reliable networks during hype cycles. No downtime means no missed opportunities when a meme like $TOAD from TurboToadToken goes viral. This stability has helped NEAR attract over 50 million active addresses and process millions of transactions, many driven by meme-related activity.

Sharding and Speed Upgrades: Scaling for Meme Mania

One of NEAR's standout features is sharding, a technique that splits the network into smaller "shards" to process transactions in parallel, boosting speed and capacity. It kicked off with Simple Nightshade in 2021 and evolved through phases, hitting nine shards by August 2025. This has ramped up throughput by 300 times compared to non-sharded chains, with block times as low as 600 milliseconds.

For meme tokens, this means handling massive volumes without the gas fee spikes you see on congested networks like Ethereum. Projects like HOT DAO have exploded, driving daily blockchain volume over $80 million in October 2025—surpassing even Solana and Polygon in multi-chain activity. HOT Protocol, with its $HOT token, lets users mine tokens for multi-chain gas payments, making cross-chain meme trading seamless and affordable.

Recent upgrades, like the cross-shard bandwidth scheduler in March 2025 and Optimistic Block execution in May, have cut latency by 50%. Imagine launching a meme token and seeing it trade instantly across shards— that's the kind of efficiency that's drawing degens to NEAR.

Ecosystem Expansion and Meme-Friendly Partnerships

NEAR's growth isn't just technical; it's about building a vibrant community. With over 50 startups, 2,000+ members in the NEAR Legion, and partnerships like with Polygon for zero-knowledge proofs and Eigen Labs for Ethereum integrations, the ecosystem is buzzing.

Intents-based transactions, which allow complex actions like swaps across chains in one go, have seen $2 billion in volume by October 2025, with 1.8 million swaps involving 120 assets. This is largely thanks to meme-driven projects like HOT DAO. New bridges to chains like Sui, Stellar, Aptos, Tron, and Cardano mean meme tokens can flow freely, amplifying virality.

Events like Stake Wars and the House of Stake roadmap, launched on the fifth anniversary, emphasize community governance. For meme communities, this translates to tools like veNEAR rewards and AI-driven governance, empowering holders to shape the protocol.

Looking Ahead: Meme Tokens in the Fast Lane

As NEAR eyes 1 million transactions per second, omnichain features like Omnitoken, and deeper AI integrations, the future looks bright for meme tokens. Challenges like balancing decentralization remain, but with staked tokens exceeding 600 million and 500 validator seats, the network is robust.

If you're into memes, NEAR's user-owned data and agent-friendly infrastructure could spawn the next wave of AI-powered meme games or social tokens. Tokens like $NEIRO on Hyperpie's Meme Launchpad show how NEAR is testing its limits with community-driven launches.

In summary, NEAR's five-year journey has laid a solid foundation for meme token innovation. Whether you're trading $HOT, holding $NEKO, or eyeing new launches, this protocol's focus on speed, usability, and interoperability is making it a go-to for blockchain practitioners chasing the next big meme. Stay tuned for more updates right here on Meme Insider!