# NEAR

NEAR is a blockchain that offers powerful smart contracts for minting NFTs, and an easy to use interface with human readable names (yourname.near)

The NEAR blockchain uses a security technology called Proof of Stake, which is very energy efficient and therefore more ecological. You may have heard that Bitcoin wastes a lot of electricity. This is because it uses an older blockchain security technology called Proof of Work. The Ethereum blockchain also uses Proof of Work but is in the process of transitioning to Proof of Stake. The Tezos blockchain already uses Proof of Stake.
