NEAR Protocol Offers $800M in Grants in Bid for DeFi Mindshare

NEAR Protocol Offers 0M in Grants in Bid for DeFi Mindshare
While Fantom, Harmony, Avalanche and Celo have all launched nine-figure ecosystem development funds, NEAR may be setting a new high water mark with the launch of a mammoth $800 million grants fund.Announced Monday, the high-speed and self-styled “climate neutral” chain has established the fund with major tranches earmarked for specific purposes, including:$250 million in ecosystem grants that will be distributed over four yearsA regional fund of $100 million$100 million specifically for startupsAdditionally, decentralized finance (DeFi) is a major focus of the program, with a devoted $350 million fund from Proximity Labs. A newly-formed “DeFi DAO” will govern how those funds…