Professional Node Operators #2 - Participation Guidelines
The Professional Node Operators (PNO) program Cohort #2 have the goal to distribute stake to new organizations and companies interested to become part of the NEAR Protocol ecosystem as a node runner.
Program Duration: July 1, 2025 – July 1, 2026 Total Participants: 60 Validators
Rewards Structure
Rank
Approximate Reward
1st Place
$8,000
2nd Place
$4,800
3rd Place
$3,200
4th Place
$2,400
5th Place
$1,600
Note: Reward amounts are estimates and are based on a percentage of the total rewards generated through the validation activity of participating validators on the NEAR network. Payouts will be made in 50% stablecoins and 50% mpDAO tokens.
Monthly Participation Requirements
Each validator must earn a minimum of 5 points per month to remain active in the program.
Validators who do not meet the monthly minimum may be:
Removed from the program
Replaced by a participant on the waiting list
Disqualified from receiving end-of-program rewards
Each validator team is responsible for submitting a monthly activity update, including verifiable evidence (dates, links, screenshots, etc.) to designated oversight groups.
Activity List & Point Values
Below is the list of validated activities with corresponding point values and monthly caps:
Bring Delegation to Validator (1 Point per 500 NEAR)
Must be new stake: not delegated to another validator in the past 6 months.
Cannot originate from liquid staking protocols or similar mechanisms.
Validator must provide verifiable proof of the delegation source (wallet address or transaction ID).
1 point per 500 NEAR, no partial points.
Reflects the high effort and value of bringing new capital into the ecosystem.
Host Twitter Space (3 Points)
Must have 25+ live attendees (verified via screenshot or Twitter analytics).
Limited to 2 Twitter Spaces per month.
Recording must be publicly accessible.
Topics must center around NEAR, Meta Pool, Node Studio, or core NEAR ecosystem components (e.g., NEAR AI, Intents, chain abstraction).
Publish Twitter Thread (2 Points)
Minimum 3 connected, original tweets.
Content must be original and created by the validator.
Thread must receive a minimum of 150 combined views.
Maximum of 3 threads per month.
Must clearly reference NEAR, Meta Pool, Node Studio, or relevant ecosystem programs.
Publish YouTube Video (4 Points)
Minimum duration of 2 minutes.
Must be original content created by the validator.
Minimum of 50 views.
Limited to 1 video per month.
Topics may include validator node operations, NEAR protocol education, Meta Pool, or NEAR-native tools/products.
Publish LinkedIn Article (4 Points)
One original article per month discussing:
NEAR ecosystem products
Technical or strategic opinions on NEAR’s evolution
Case studies or validator-related learnings
Minimum 100 views.
Must be clearly linked to validator participation, NEAR, Meta Pool, or Node Studio programs.
Capped at 1 article per month.
Organize an Event (in person only)
30–99 Attendees: 8 Points
100+ Attendees: 20 Points
Required documentation: agenda, screenshots, attendee list or registration link.
Limited to 2 events per year, unless pre-approved.
Events must be conducted in person and focus on validator education, NEAR, Meta Pool, or ecosystem technology.
Special Ecosystem Contributions (Bonus Points)
Examples include technical integrations, dashboards, guides, or substantial media outreach.
Points (up to 10) awarded at the discretion of the organizing committee.
Contributions must be submitted and reviewed for approval.
Activity Bonus Structure
Threads with over 2,000 views: +0.5 points bonus
YouTube videos with 500+ views: +1 point bonus
Tie-Breaker Policy
In case of a tie among the top 5 ranked participants:
Priority will be given to the validator who has brought the highest amount of new stake to the NEAR network.
If still tied, the validator with the highest total number of event attendees will be prioritized.
Final resolution may be determined by the organizing committee.
Definition of New Stake:
NEAR tokens that have not been delegated to any validator in the last 6 months.
Excludes NEAR originating from liquid staking protocols or similar delegation contracts.
Must come from individual, non-contract wallets.
Program Timeline
Start Date: July 1, 2025
End Date: July 1, 2026
Progress reviews and standings updates will be issued monthly.
Rewards will be distributed after program conclusion based on cumulative point totals.
Final point totals will be calculated at the end of the program. Each team is solely responsible for maintaining accurate records of their activities, including dated evidence, links, and supporting material.
Legal & Operational Disclaimer
Meta Pool and the Node Studio organizing team assume no responsibility for the following:
Infrastructure downtime or technical issues related to validator operations.
Third-party hosting or VPS provider failures.
Delays or changes in staking delegation due to NEAR network behavior.
Ineligibility due to failure to comply with activity guidelines or maintain minimum participation.
Participants are fully responsible for:
Ensuring updates and security of their validator nodes.
Providing accurate, verifiable reports for claimed activities.
Proactively managing and documenting their contributions.
Final Notes
The organizing team reserves the right to:
Adjust activity point values and thresholds.
Review and approve additional activity types.
Request further documentation for validation purposes.
Disqualify participants found engaging in fraud or manipulation.
Suggestions for new scoring activities are welcome and may be evaluated case-by-case.
Support & Resources
For questions about qualifying activities or proof requirements, please contact the organizing team.
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