The Sudden Shift at Near Foundation
In an unexpected turn of events, Marieke Flament has resigned as the CEO of the Near Foundation, the driving force behind the NEAR Protocol. This all unfolded on September 21, when the announcement shook up the crypto community. Chris Donovan, the foundation’s general counsel, will step into the role of CEO. Talk about a plot twist!
Reflections from Flament
Flament’s journey with NEAR began just two years ago — and boy, what a ride it has been! “Two years ago, I had never heard of NEAR,” Flament recalled, acknowledging the swift growth and potential of the protocol. Her tenure witnessed an unprecedented rise in daily active users, soaring from 50,000 to a whopping 3 million. And let’s not forget social media: the Twitter following skyrocketed from 200,000 to over 2 million!
Achievements and Partnerships
During Flament’s leadership, the NEAR protocols landed some serious partnerships with giants like Alibaba, Amazon, and Google. Who knew you could fit so many big names into one sentence? But that’s not all: more than 2,000 pieces of press coverage highlighted their progress during this dynamic period.
Key Partnerships Include:
- SWEAT
- Playember
- Circle
- Ledger
- KPMG
- Cosmose AI
- SailGP
- Kakao Games
These partnerships demonstrate that NEAR has been making some serious headway toward mainstream adoption, pushing boundaries in the world of Web3.
The Foundation’s Current Status
Flament also shared insights about the financial state of the Near Foundation, reporting a treasury balance of 330 million NEAR, roughly translating to about $350 million. That’s quite the cash flow!
Flament’s Leadership Strategy
Flament’s strategy revolved around fostering grassroots communities while driving mainstream adoption. She successfully blended the worlds of traditional Web2 businesses with forward-thinking Web3 innovators.
The Future of NEAR
As NEAR stands as the 40th largest cryptocurrency—boasting a market cap of around $1.04 billion—the question remains: What’s next for the protocol now that Flament is stepping down? With Chris Donovan at the helm, the community is eager to see how NEAR continues to evolve. Could this be a new beginning or just another chapter in NEAR’s exciting story?
Final Thoughts
In the ever-changing landscape of cryptocurrency, one thing is for sure — change is constant. Whether you’re a die-hard NEAR fan or a casual observer, this is a moment worth witnessing. And hey, why not collect this article as an NFT, keeping a slice of history in your digital wallet?
