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Use the current official NEAR wallet hub, choose a wallet provider, and create a self-custody account with either a seed phrase or a Ledger hardware wallet. For a significant balance, a hardware wallet is the strongest documented option because the private keys remain on the device and transactions require physical confirmation. Whichever method you choose, your recovery phrase must stay offline, in the exact order shown, and completely private.
The old NEAR browser wallet is no longer the current creation route. The hub now directs users to several wallets, so the provider’s current onboarding screens and funding requirements—not an old tutorial—determine the exact steps you will see.
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What the official NEAR wallet page is today
wallet.near.org now describes itself as a gateway to the broader NEAR wallet ecosystem rather than a single browser-wallet product. The page lists NEAR Mobile, Meteor Wallet, HOT Wallet, Intear Wallet, Nightly Wallet, Sweat Wallet, and an EVM-wallet access route. That is six named wallet providers plus an EVM route; the list is a directory, not a promise that every option has identical features, recovery methods, or regional availability.
NEAR’s 2023 transition notice said the legacy browser-wallet functionality was scheduled to sunset after January 1, 2024. Instructions that tell you to open the former web wallet and create an account there are historical. They can still be useful for understanding older accounts, but they should not be treated as the current account-creation interface.
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- Protect your digital assets with the industry's best security: keep your private keys offline in your private signer, battle-tested by the Donjon's white hat hackers, CC EAL 6+ certified Secure Element, constantly updated Ledger OS.
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- Choose the colors that match your style: express your personality and your crypto management mood, color code your signers, one for each use (trading, staking, HOLDing...).
Wallet software changes frequently. Before creating an account, open the hub yourself, confirm the address and secure connection, and read the selected provider’s own recovery and funding instructions. Avoid links sent through unsolicited messages or search advertisements that imitate a wallet page.
Choose the recovery model before you create the account
A NEAR wallet is a way to control account keys, not a bank account that can reset your access after identity checks. The recovery method you select determines how you regain control if an app, phone, or computer is lost.
| Recovery method | What controls the keys | What you must protect | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seed phrase | A 12-word passphrase generated during wallet setup | Every word, its spelling, and its exact order | Users who can maintain a careful offline backup and want convenient mobile or browser access |
| Ledger hardware wallet | Keys generated and retained inside the hardware device | The device PIN, the device’s recovery phrase, and the physical device | Users holding meaningful balances who want transaction signing isolated from a general-purpose computer |
A password or PIN is not a recovery phrase. A wallet password normally protects local access to an app, while a hardware-wallet PIN unlocks the device. The recovery phrase is the backup that can recreate control elsewhere. Anyone who obtains that phrase can generally restore the wallet; losing it can make recovery impossible when no other valid signer remains.
Do not choose a provider solely because it advertises rewards, low fees, or a familiar interface. Those details change and do not establish how your keys are protected. Compare the custody model, recovery method, supported devices, NEAR capabilities, transaction-review safeguards, published code or audit information, and migration options.
Step-by-step: create a new NEAR wallet
1. Start at the current wallet hub
- Type https://wallet.near.org/ into your browser or use a bookmark you created yourself.
- Review the wallet routes shown on the page. Open the provider’s official onboarding page from that directory rather than following a direct-message link.
- Check that the provider supports the device you intend to use and that its current recovery method meets your backup plan.
The hub’s list can change. A wallet that appears today may add, remove, or rename features later, so record the provider and version of its onboarding flow when you set up the account.
2. Select “Create wallet” or the provider’s equivalent
Start a new-wallet flow, not an import or restore flow. Read each warning before continuing. If the provider offers both a standard account and a hardware-wallet connection, decide now whether keys should be generated in the software wallet or on the Ledger device.
3. Select your self-custody recovery method
In the documented NEAR/MyNearWallet-style flow, the choices are a 12-word seed passphrase or a Ledger hardware wallet. Current providers may label these options differently or offer additional methods such as a passkey or multi-party setup. If you cannot clearly identify who controls the recovery material, pause and read the provider’s documentation before depositing funds.
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- Display the phrase only in a private place where no camera, screen-sharing session, or other person can see it.
- Write all 12 words by hand in the exact displayed order. Check spelling and distinguish similar-looking words.
- Complete the wallet’s verification challenge, which normally asks you to select or enter words from the phrase. This confirms that your written copy matches the generated phrase.
- Store the physical record offline before using the wallet for funds. Do not photograph it or create a digital copy.
Never paste a recovery phrase into a website, support chat, email, cloud note, password manager, screenshot, form, diagnostic tool, or “verification” page. Genuine support does not need the phrase. A site that asks for it to unlock an account is attempting to obtain control of the wallet.
5. Initialize a Ledger when you choose hardware security
- Unbox the device and initialize it on the device itself. Do not accept a recovery phrase supplied on a card, in an email, or on a computer screen.
- Choose and record the device PIN according to the device’s instructions. Keep the PIN separate from the recovery backup.
- Write down the recovery phrase generated by the Ledger, in order, and complete the device’s on-device verification.
- Install the required NEAR software or app through the current Ledger setup process and connect the device to the selected NEAR wallet.
- When an address or transaction appears, compare the details on the Ledger’s own screen and confirm physically. Treat the computer display as untrusted.
The Ledger approach keeps private keys on the device and signs transactions offline. NEAR’s official onboarding guidance in 2021 specifically recommended Ledger Nano S or X devices because the private keys never leave the Ledger. A current product search may show the phrase “Ledger Nano S Plus hardware wallet”; verify the model’s current listing, firmware requirements, and availability in your region before buying. A hardware wallet reduces exposure from a compromised computer, but it cannot make a leaked phrase, a malicious address, or a careless approval safe.
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- All your digital assets in one place. You can manage thousands of crypto including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Tether and more.
- Connectivity: USB-C cable connection only. No Bluetooth.Compatible with the Ledger Wallet crypto app, both desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux) and mobile (Android only). Not compatible with iOS.
- Protect your digital assets with the industry's best security: keep your private keys offline in your private signer, battle-tested by the Donjon's white hat hackers, CC EAL 6+ certified Secure Element, constantly updated Ledger OS.
- Effortlessly build your crypto portfolio via the all in one Ledger Wallet app: buy, sell, send, receive, swap, stake and more across popular blockchains. 15,000+ coins & tokens in a single dashboard. Keep a close eye on the market. Compare service providers. Track performance. Get timely alerts. Build your portfolio with confidence.
- Choose the colors that match your style: express your personality and your crypto management mood, color code your signers, one for each use (trading, staking, HOLDing...).
6. Record the account name and receiving address
After setup, note the exact NEAR account name and receiving address shown by the wallet. Do not rely on a shortened label in a contact list. Before funding, compare the address character by character or use the wallet’s built-in copy-and-display workflow, then verify it again on a Ledger screen when hardware signing is involved.
7. Fund only after checking current requirements
Older NEAR onboarding documentation described a minimum funding requirement for activating an account. Current wallet providers can use different account-creation and funding rules, so do not assume that an old amount still applies. Read the selected provider’s current instructions and check whether the account is already created, whether a small initial deposit is required, and which network the transfer must use.
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Send a small test amount first when practical. Confirm that it arrives in the intended account before transferring a larger balance. A blockchain transfer generally cannot be reversed by wallet support after it has been sent to the wrong account.
How to store a NEAR recovery phrase safely
Keep it offline and exact
The phrase is the controlling secret for a seed-based wallet. Store it on a physical medium, preserve the exact order, and protect it from unauthorized access, fire, water, and loss. A handwritten copy can work for a modest setup if it is kept in a genuinely secure location; a metal seed-phrase backup plate offers greater resistance to fire, water, and corrosion. The material matters less than whether the backup remains private and readable.
Do not create convenient digital copies
- No screenshots or phone photographs.
- No cloud drives, email drafts, messaging apps, or notes synchronized across devices.
- No password-manager entry, even if the vault is encrypted.
- No printer queue, shared office scanner, clipboard utility, or remote-support session.
- No form that claims to validate, recover, sync, or migrate the wallet.
Malware, account takeover, automatic photo backup, and an accidental share can expose a digital copy long after you believe it was deleted. Offline storage removes those particular transmission paths.
Decide whether you need a second physical copy
A second copy can protect against fire, flood, or loss at one location, but it also creates another opportunity for theft or discovery. Make copies only when each location has independent access controls and environmental protection. Do not store both copies together, and do not label the container in a way that advertises that it contains a wallet phrase.
Separate the phrase from everyday access credentials
Use a unique wallet password where the provider supports one, and keep a hardware-wallet PIN private. These controls protect local access; they do not replace the recovery phrase. Conversely, knowing the app password does not let you restore a wallet on a new device if the phrase is missing.
Plan for a trusted recovery scenario
Consider how a trusted person would locate the physical backup if you became unavailable, without giving that person routine access to the phrase. A written estate instruction can identify the storage location and the general recovery procedure while keeping the words themselves sealed. Do not put the phrase in an ordinary will, shared cloud folder, or document that circulates among advisers.
Why a Ledger is useful for larger balances
A Ledger hardware wallet generates and stores private keys in the device and signs transactions without exporting those keys to the connected computer. The transaction details still need to be reviewed: check the destination, amount, and network on the device display before confirming. This physical confirmation is the main security advantage over approving everything in a browser tab.
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The recovery phrase remains essential. If the Ledger is lost or damaged, a replacement device can be restored with the phrase, subject to the wallet’s current compatibility. If someone else obtains the phrase, the device’s PIN no longer protects the assets from that person. Conversely, a lost Ledger without the phrase can leave you unable to recover the account.
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Buy hardware only through a trustworthy channel, inspect packaging and setup instructions, and initialize it yourself. Never use a device that arrives with a prewritten phrase or asks you to type a phrase into a computer to “activate” it. Keep firmware and the NEAR app current through the device maker’s official process, but verify every address and approval on the hardware screen.
Seed phrase versus Ledger: practical trade-offs
| Consideration | Seed-based software wallet | Ledger hardware wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Daily convenience | Fast access on a supported phone or browser | Requires the physical device and confirmation steps |
| Key exposure | The phrase can restore the wallet on another device; the app environment is the main attack surface | Private keys remain on the device; the phrase is still the ultimate backup |
| Backup responsibility | Protect the written 12-word phrase | Protect the device, PIN, and device-generated recovery phrase |
| Transaction review | Review details in the app or browser | Review and approve details on the hardware screen |
| Failure mode | Lost or exposed phrase determines recovery or compromise | Lost device is recoverable with the phrase; exposed phrase still compromises the wallet |
For a small experimental balance, a seed-based wallet may be simpler. For meaningful holdings, separating key storage from an everyday computer is usually the more conservative choice. In either case, disciplined phrase handling matters more than the brand or appearance of the wallet.
How to compare the wallet routes listed by NEAR
The official hub gives you a starting point, not a universal ranking. Use the following questions for each provider before you commit funds.
| Comparison axis | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Custody model | Do you control the keys, or does a company control an account on your behalf? What happens if the provider is unavailable? |
| Recovery method | Is recovery based on a seed phrase, Ledger, passkey, multi-party computation, or another mechanism? Can you export or migrate? |
| Device support | Is the wallet a mobile app, browser extension, desktop program, or a combination? Which operating-system versions are supported? |
| NEAR functions | Can it send and receive NEAR, stake, display NFTs, and connect to the decentralized applications you actually intend to use? |
| Phishing and transaction review | Does it show the full destination and request a deliberate confirmation? Can a hardware screen be used for signing? |
| Code and audit information | Is the project’s source code available, and are audits or security disclosures clearly documented? Treat an audit as evidence about a scope and date, not a guarantee. |
| Migration and export | Can you move to another wallet without surrendering the phrase or private keys to support staff? |
| Funding rules | Does the provider require an initial deposit or have account-creation limits that differ from older NEAR instructions? |
Record the answers before depositing. If a provider cannot explain its recovery model in plain language, select a route whose controls you understand. Never let a promotional reward substitute for knowing how to recover the account.
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- Open the wallet from your own bookmark or the official hub.
- Copy the recipient address using the wallet’s normal function, then compare it with the intended destination. Clipboard-changing malware can replace a copied address.
- Check the network and asset type. Do not send a token through an incompatible network because the address format looks familiar.
- Enter a small test amount and verify receipt in the destination wallet or an appropriate public explorer.
- For Ledger transactions, compare the destination and amount on the hardware display, not only in the computer window.
- After the test succeeds, send the remaining amount in a separate transaction if the value justifies the additional check.
Keep a private record of which account name belongs to which wallet and device. Do not publish screenshots that reveal addresses together with your security setup, balances, or recovery clues.
Legacy email and SMS recovery: what older users should do
NEAR’s 2022 security update said new accounts could no longer use email or SMS recovery. Those methods were less suitable for self-custody because control depended on an external messaging or email account. If you created an older account with email or SMS recovery, do not assume the old recovery message will still work.
Use the current wallet’s migration tools and the official security notice to rotate the account to a passphrase or Ledger. First establish and test the new security method, then disable email/SMS recovery as directed by the wallet. Do not delete the old access path until you have verified that the new method can sign in or authorize a transaction, and do not send the old or new phrase to support while asking for help.
If the old account is already inaccessible, gather only non-secret information such as the account name and transaction history for support. A legitimate support agent should not request your recovery phrase or private keys.
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- All your digital assets in one place. You can manage thousands of crypto including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Tether and more.
- Defend your identity against hackers: secure your online accounts with passwordless, hardware backed, 2FA logins for all your favorite apps and websites.
- Protect your digital assets with the industry's best security: keep your private keys offline in your private signer, battle-tested by the Donjon's white hat hackers, CC EAL 6+ certified Secure Element, constantly updated Ledger OS.
- Effortlessly build your crypto portfolio via the all in one Ledger Wallet app: buy, sell, send, receive, swap, stake and more across popular blockchains. 15,000+ coins & tokens in a single dashboard. Keep a close eye on the market. Compare service providers. Track performance. Get timely alerts. Build your portfolio with confidence.
- Choose the colors that match your style: express your personality and your crypto management mood, color code your signers, one for each use (trading, staking, HOLDing...).
Troubleshooting and recovery scenarios
The page still tells me to use the old browser wallet
Stop and return to the current hub. The former browser-wallet creation flow was scheduled to sunset after January 1, 2024. Choose one of the routes currently listed instead of entering a phrase into an archived or copied page.
The wallet rejects my phrase during verification
Do not guess, reorder words, or generate a second phrase and assume it is the same wallet. Re-read the handwritten copy against the on-screen words, including spelling and order, in a private environment. If the phrase was ever photographed, typed into a website, or shown to another person, treat it as exposed and create a new wallet, then transfer assets only after confirming the new backup.
I forgot the app password but still have the phrase
Use the provider’s official restore or import flow on a clean device, verify that the restored account name and address match, and set a new local password. Never enter the phrase into a support form or an unrelated “recovery” website.
My Ledger is lost or damaged
Obtain a replacement device through a trustworthy channel and restore it using the recovery phrase on the device itself. If you suspect that anyone saw the phrase, do not restore and continue using the old account as if nothing happened; create a fresh wallet with a new phrase and move funds to it after checking every destination.
The Ledger is connected, but the wallet cannot see it
Confirm that the device is initialized, unlocked, and running the required NEAR software. Reconnect it directly, update components only through the official device workflow, and avoid installing browser extensions suggested by unsolicited support messages. If the device screen and computer disagree about an address or amount, cancel the transaction.
I lost the recovery phrase and no device is signed in
There is generally no central reset for a self-custody wallet. If no active device, alternate signer, or valid backup remains, control may be unrecoverable. Support cannot recreate a phrase that was never retained by the provider. This is why the physical backup must be made and checked during setup, before funds are deposited.
I may have exposed the phrase
Assume the wallet is compromised. From a trusted device, create a completely new wallet with a new phrase or initialize a new Ledger, verify the backup, and transfer assets to the new account. Do not wait for a suspicious transaction if you can move the funds safely; anyone with the phrase can act without your approval. Afterward, remove digital copies, change local passwords, and review which applications and devices had access to the old wallet.
Security checklist before you deposit NEAR
- You opened the current wallet hub yourself and selected a provider from its listed routes.
- You understand whether the wallet is self-custody and how its recovery method works.
- Your 12-word phrase, or Ledger-generated phrase, is written in exact order and verified.
- No digital copy exists and no person or website has seen the phrase.
- The physical backup is protected from unauthorized access, fire, water, and loss.
- You know the difference between the phrase, an app password, and a hardware PIN.
- You have recorded the exact account name and verified the receiving address.
- You checked the provider’s current funding and activation rules instead of relying on an old minimum.
- You can verify transaction details on a Ledger screen when using hardware signing.
- You have a plan to rotate to a new wallet if the phrase is exposed.
Following these checks gives you a current creation path without relying on the retired browser wallet and keeps the recovery secret under your control.
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