NEAR Protocol's 2026 Roadmap: Redefining Layer 1 Value Capture Through AI-Intents and Scalable Infrastructure

In the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape, NEAR Protocol has positioned itself as a formidable contender by redefining how Layer 1 networks capture value. As of 2026, the protocol's roadmap is centered on three pillars: AI-Intents convergence, scalable infrastructure, and user-owned AI systems. These innovations are not just incremental improvements-they represent a fundamental shift in how blockchain networks monetize activity, empower users, and integrate with artificial intelligence.

The Scalable Foundation: Sharding and TPS Breakthroughs

NEAR's technical advancements in 2025 laid the groundwork for its 2026 ambitions. By scaling its mainnet infrastructure from six to nine shards and achieving 1 million transactions per second (TPS) in public tests, NEAR has demonstrated a sharded architecture capable of dynamic resharding without disrupting application performance according to technical benchmarks. This horizontal scalability is critical for supporting AI-native applications and intent-based transactions, which require high throughput and low latency.

The protocol's dynamic sharding model allows it to adapt to demand in real time, ensuring that AI agents and users can execute complex workflows without bottlenecks. For context, Ethereum's current TPS hovers around 15-45, while Solana's peak TPS is approximately 50,000. NEAR's 1 million TPS benchmark positions it as one of the most scalable Layer 1s, a prerequisite for handling the computational demands of AI-driven ecosystems.

AI-Intents: A New Paradigm for On-Chain Transactions

At the heart of NEAR's 2026 roadmap is the AI-Intents framework, which reimagines how users and AI agents interact with blockchain networks. The "Express, Solve, and Settle" model enables users to define a desired outcome (e.g., swapping tokens across chains), while decentralized solvers optimize execution paths. NEAR's verifier contract then finalizes the transaction using Chain Signatures, eliminating the need for bridges or multiple wallet connections.

This framework is particularly compelling for AI agents, which can autonomously express and execute intents on behalf of users. For example, an AI agent could monitor market conditions, identify arbitrage opportunities, and execute cross-chain trades in seconds-all while maintaining cryptographic privacy through NEAR's hardware-backed encryption tools according to technical documentation. By mid-2026, NEAR Intents is projected to achieve $10 billion in weekly trading volume, a tenfold increase from 2025 levels, driven by its integration into platforms like THORSwap, Infinex, and KyberSwap.

User-Owned AI: Privacy, Ownership, and Value Capture

NEAR's vision of a user-owned AI economy is a direct response to growing concerns about data privacy and monopolistic AI models. Through tools like the NEAR AI Cloud and Private Chat, users retain ownership of their data and interactions, with AI agents operating under cryptographically protected environments. This aligns with the protocol's broader goal of enabling AI agents to own assets, make decisions, and transact freely across chains.

The economic implications are significant. NEAR's value capture model includes intent-routing fees, infrastructure services, and model execution costs, all of which are projected to grow as AI-native activity scales. By 2026, the protocol is expected to serve 100 million users through applications like Brave Nightly and Phala Network, further solidifying its position as a foundational layer for decentralized AI.

Governance and the Future of Decentralized Decision-Making

NEAR's governance model, the House of Stake, is also evolving to incorporate intelligent digital agents that represent user intent. These agents blend community governance with context-aware decision-making, ensuring that the protocol remains adaptable to AI-driven use cases. This hybrid approach not only enhances governance efficiency but also aligns incentives between users, developers, and AI systems.

Investment Implications

For investors, NEAR's 2026 roadmap presents a unique opportunity to capitalize on the convergence of blockchain and AI. The protocol's scalable infrastructure, combined with its AI-Intents framework and user-owned AI tools, creates a flywheel effect: higher transaction volumes drive more value capture, which funds further innovation. With projected weekly trading volumes of $10 billion and a growing user base, NEAR is well-positioned to become a dominant Layer 1 for AI-native applications.

However, risks remain. The success of AI-Intents depends on widespread adoption by developers and users, while competition from other Layer 1s and AI-specific blockchains could challenge NEAR's market share. That said, its technical execution-particularly in scalability and privacy-provides a strong moat.

Conclusion

NEAR Protocol's 2026 roadmap is not just about building a faster blockchain-it's about redefining how value is captured in an AI-driven world. By integrating AI-Intents into its Layer 1 infrastructure, NEAR is creating a decentralized ecosystem where users own their data, AI agents execute complex workflows, and the network itself benefits from a growing share of AI-native activity. For investors seeking exposure to the next phase of blockchain innovation, NEAR's combination of scalability, privacy, and AI-first design makes it a compelling case study in reimagining value capture for the digital age.