How to create NEAR Wallet

SF Games
April 18, 2024

Dive into NEAR: Creating Your Own NEAR Wallet

The NEAR Protocol is a rapidly growing blockchain platform known for its scalability and user-friendliness. To interact with this exciting network, you'll need a NEAR wallet. This digital wallet acts like a secure keycard, allowing you to store your NEAR tokens (NEAR) and access NEAR-based applications.

This blog post will guide you through the simple process of creating your very own NEAR wallet!

What is a NEAR Wallet?

A NEAR wallet holds your NEAR tokens and facilitates interactions with the NEAR ecosystem. It stores your private keys, which are critical for authorizing transactions on the blockchain. There are two main types of NEAR wallets:

  • Custodial Wallets: These wallets are hosted by third-party services and manage your private keys for you. They are convenient for beginners but offer less control over your funds.
  • Non-Custodial Wallets: These wallets give you complete control over your private keys. They are considered more secure but require more responsibility for keeping your keys safe.

Choosing Your NEAR Wallet

Here are some popular options to consider:

  • NEAR Wallet (Web Wallet): This is the official NEAR wallet, offering a user-friendly interface for creating an account and managing your NEAR tokens. It's a good custodial option for beginners. (https://wallet.near.org/)
  • My Near Wallet: Another user-friendly custodial wallet option with a focus on ease of use. (https://mynearwallet.com/)
  • Near CLI Wallet: This non-custodial option offers advanced features for experienced users who prefer more control over their private keys. (Requires some technical knowledge to set up)

Creating Your NEAR Wallet with NEAR Wallet (Web Wallet)

We'll use the NEAR Wallet (Web Wallet) for this demonstration due to its simplicity. Here's how to get started:

  1. Head to NEAR Wallet: Navigate to https://wallet.near.org/ in your web browser.

  2. Click "Create Account": Locate the prominent "Create Account" button and click on it.

  3. Choose Your Security Method: Select your preferred security method. NEAR Wallet offers account creation with an email address or a private key (for advanced users).

  4. Secure Your Account: If using email signup, follow the prompts to create a strong password and verify your email address. If using a private key, ensure you have a secure backup method for your key.

  5. Congratulations! You've successfully created your NEAR wallet.

Additional Notes:

  • It's crucial to keep your password or private key confidential. Never share it with anyone!
  • Consider writing down your recovery phrase (if using email signup) on a piece of paper and storing it in a safe place. This phrase allows you to recover your wallet if you lose access to your device.

Exploring Your NEAR Wallet

Now that you have your wallet, you can:

  • View your NEAR balance: Check how many NEAR tokens you have in your wallet.
  • Send and receive NEAR: Transfer NEAR tokens to other NEAR accounts or receive them from others.
  • Interact with NEAR dApps: Connect your wallet to NEAR-based decentralized applications (dApps) to explore the growing NEAR ecosystem.

With your NEAR wallet set up, you're ready to start participating in the exciting world of NEAR! Remember to prioritize security by keeping your password or private key safe. Happy exploring!