NEAR Protocol Expands MPC Network to 17 Operators
The expansion bolsters the signing infrastructure required for the protocol's cross-chain Intents ecosystem.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Data Centers
Live Poll
Do you trust decentralized governance models to maintain reliable infrastructure for your digital services?
NEAR Protocol has expanded its Multi-Party Computation (MPC) network to 17 active mainnet operators. This infrastructure provides the foundation for Chain Signatures, which power the NEAR Intents ecosystem.
Why it matters
The expansion to 17 operators enhances the decentralization of the infrastructure necessary for cross-chain transactions. By establishing a token-holder-governed funding program, the protocol aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of this signing network.
The MPC network currently runs on 17 live mainnet operators, including astrostakers and auroraisnear. These nodes generate Chain Signatures, which allow NEAR Intents to execute transactions across different blockchains.
The players
NEAR Protocol
A sharded, proof-of-stake layer-one blockchain platform focused on usability and cross-chain functionality.
astrostakers
A validator service operating within the NEAR Protocol ecosystem.
auroraisnear
A validator node entity participating in the NEAR Protocol consensus and infrastructure operations.
The details
Multi-Party Computation (MPC) is a cryptographic method that allows multiple parties to jointly compute a function over their inputs while keeping those inputs private. In this network, the 17 operators coordinate to sign transactions without any single node possessing the full private key. This distributed signing architecture is the technical requirement for NEAR Intents, which facilitate cross-chain interoperability by enabling users to specify a desired outcome rather than managing individual bridge or cross-chain steps.
Timeline
October 16, 2026: NEAR Protocol expanded its MPC network to 17 operators.
The Tech Race
This network expansion follows the broader industry trend of building decentralized signing infrastructure to solve the fragmentation of cross-chain liquidity. It positions NEAR's MPC-based signing model as a direct competitor to existing bridge-based interoperability solutions.
Users of NEAR Intents will benefit from increased network resilience as the protocol decentralizes its signing nodes. The new funding mechanism ensures that operators are incentivized to maintain the uptime required for consistent cross-chain transaction processing.
The takeaway
The move to 17 operators increases the decentralization of the signature-generating network. Observers should track the upcoming disbursement metrics of the new token-holder-governed funding program to assess the ongoing operational stability of the signing infrastructure.
Further reading
Learn more about the infrastructure underpinning distributed systems at Data Centers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TokenPost.
Live Poll
Do you trust decentralized governance models to maintain reliable infrastructure for your digital services?
