The 2025 World of NEAR Wallets: Simple, Secure, and Full of Choice
When NEAR launched in 2020 it had one “official” web wallet. Five years later, that single gate has become a bustling marketplace. The original wallet was shut down in December 2023, and dozens of community-built wallets rushed in to serve different tastes—mobile, web, chat-based, even hardware. For newcomers this variety can feel confusing, but it is good news: more wallets mean more innovation, better security, and true decentralization. This article walks you through why the change happened, what the most popular wallets offer, and how to pick the one that fits you best.
Meet the Leading NEAR Wallets
NEAR Wallet
Where You Use It
What Makes It Special
NEAR Intents Integration
Best For
MyNEARWallet
Web browser
Same look-and-feel as the old official wallet, Ledger support
No
General NEAR holders, stakers, and newcomers who want the “default” NEAR web wallet with Ledger safety
HERE Wallet
Android & iOS app
Mobile‑first NEAR wallet; swap, bridge (incl. Binance), stake (liquid/non‑blocking), gas‑free USDT transfers; connect Ledger/hardware; strong on-device security (PIN, biometrics) and audit history
No
Mobile users who want easy staking + transfers, low fees, and hardware connect on the go
Meteor Wallet
Web, browser extension, mobile
Zero-fee token swaps and built-in bridge, gamified quests
No
DeFi fans and NFT traders who enjoy a playful UI
NEAR Mobile
Android & iOS app
One-tap swaps of BTC, ETH, SOL to NEAR using Intents, password-less FastAuth
Yes
Newcomers who need simple cross-chain actions without jargon
HOT Wallet
Telegram mini‑app + Mobile/Web/Extension
MPC non‑custodial multi‑chain wallet (NEAR, TON, Solana, Tron, EVM + more) with optional 2FA; in‑chat swaps/bridges/staking; NEAR side supports Rhea + Intents swaps, liquid & native NEAR staking, Burrow yields; robust recovery + chain abstraction via HOT Protocol.
Yes
Telegram‑centric users & multi‑chain power users who want one tap trading, staking, and cross‑chain actions from chat.
Intear Wallet
Web (mobile coming)
Fastest wallet that has DEX Aggregator (9 providers in one swap interface), Smart Wallet (recovery via different methods, without seed phrase), Ledger support, Open Sourced
Yes
Memecoin traders, NFT collectors, people who interact with dapps daily
How Wallet Selector Ties It All Together
Opening a dApp and wondering which wallet button to press? NEAR Wallet Selector solves that. It is a pop-up every dApp can add. When you click “Connect,” a list of compatible wallets appears—just choose yours.
The result: you keep your favorite wallet and still enjoy any NEAR application.
Key Takeaways
The closure of the old NEAR wallet sparked a competitive, community-led wallet scene.
Today’s wallets cover every style: web, mobile, extension, chat, and hardware.
Wallet Selector acts as the glue, letting any wallet talk to any dApp
Your best wallet depends on where you spend your time (browser, phone, Telegram) and what features you value most (staking, swaps, multichain, security).
Diversity brings resilience: should one wallet falter, your assets remain safe and movable to another.
Reflective Questions
Which wallet features—staking rewards, cross-chain swaps, or social payments—matter most to your own goals?
How does the Wallet Selector improve user security compared to copying a private key into every dApp?
If a friend new to crypto asked for the simplest way to hold NEAR on their phone today, which wallet would you recommend and why?