NEAR Protocol Taxes in the US 2026 – Staking & Reporting Guide
NEAR Protocol offers fast, cheap transactions and generous staking rewards. Here is how the IRS treats NEAR tokens, staking income, and DeFi activity.
NEAR Capital Gains
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- Short-term: 10–37% (under 1 year)
- Long-term: 0–20% (over 1 year)
NEAR Staking Rewards
NEAR uses delegated proof-of-stake. Delegating NEAR to a validator earns staking rewards, distributed approximately every 12 hours (each epoch). These rewards are taxed as ordinary income when received, at fair market value in USD.
With frequent epoch rewards, NEAR stakers may have 700+ income events per year. Crypto tax software with NEAR blockchain support is essential.
Aurora: NEAR's EVM Layer
Aurora is an EVM-compatible layer on NEAR, allowing Ethereum DeFi to run on NEAR infrastructure. Trading on Aurora DEXes or using Aurora DeFi protocols is taxable the same as any other DeFi activity. Aurora uses ETH as gas (bridged ETH), so bridging and gas payment events need tracking.
Ref Finance and NEAR DeFi
Ref Finance is NEAR's main DEX. Swapping tokens, providing liquidity, and earning LP rewards all create taxable events:
- Token swaps = taxable disposal of swapped token
- LP deposits = possible taxable disposal
- LP rewards = ordinary income when received
Tracking NEAR Transactions
Use NEAR Explorer (nearblocks.io) to export your wallet history. Import into crypto tax software that supports NEAR Protocol's blockchain format.
Related Resources
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Start for free →Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. For individual tax advice, consult a licensed tax professional.