NEAR Protocol Passes Issuance Cut, Max Annual Rate Now 1.6%

NEAR Protocol says the vote is in: its proposal to cut the network's maximum annual issuance has passed. The cap on how many new NEAR tokens can be minted each year drops by 0.9 percentage points, landing at 1.6%. The news landed via a post from @Cointelegraph on X.

The reduction won't happen all at once. NEAR says the new ceiling will be phased in over 24 months, spreading the shift across two years rather than flipping a switch. That slow-drip approach gives validators, stakers and builders time to adjust.

In plain terms, the proposal puts a tighter lid on token supply growth. New NEAR entering circulation each year gets smaller as the phased schedule plays out, easing the dilution that comes with fresh issuance.

It's a tokenomics move, not a technical overhaul — the network's rules for how many coins can be created are getting stricter by design. NEAR hasn't said more beyond confirming the pass and the two-year timeline.

What happens next is the clock: the phased cut runs over the coming 24 months, so the full effect on the network's annual supply growth builds gradually rather than overnight.