Meta Pool DAO and Dappnode Launch Strategic Program to Decentralize NEAR with 25 New Hardware-Based Validators
- Juan Allan
- Dec 18, 2025
- 2 min read
The community is invited to follow the progress of these 25 new validators as they begin their journey to secure the network
Meta Pool DAO, in a decisive move to strengthen the physical decentralization of the NEAR Protocol network, is pleased to announce the official start of the Dappnode Program. This joint initiative with Dappnode, the leading platform for decentralized infrastructure, marks the onboarding of 25 new validators running on specialized hardware.
From Infrastructure to Impact
The Dappnode Program addresses a critical need in the blockchain space: reducing reliance on centralized cloud providers. By leveraging Dappnode’s "plug-and-play" infrastructure, this initiative empowers independent operators to run non-custodial nodes with high stability and security, lowering the technical barriers to entry for professional ecosystem participants.
"This program fosters a more robust and diverse validator network," stated the Meta Pool team. "By partnering with Dappnode, we ensure that these new operators have a reliable technical foundation that aligns perfectly with NEAR's principles of sovereignty and decentralization."
Incentives and Operations
Starting today, December 18, 2025, the program's operations officially commence. The 25 selected validators have received a NEAR delegation for a one-year period. Furthermore, they are now eligible for the Node Commitment Bounty (NCB), a performance-based incentive system designed to reward:
Technical Reliability: High uptime and stability.
Financial Growth: Attracting additional staking.
Ecosystem Contribution: Creating educational content, tutorials, and driving community engagement.
A Collaborative Effort
This execution is the result of close coordination where Dappnode leads technical support and hardware maintenance, while Meta Pool provides the delegation liquidity and incentive framework. Together, they are building a more resilient, distributed, and accessible infrastructure for the future of Web3.
The community is invited to follow the progress of these 25 new validators as they begin their journey to secure the network.
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