According to CoinMeta, NEAR has announced the launch of a staked payment model where users can lock in NEAR tokens and earn monthly computing credits without having to use traditional cloud billing or credit cards. The system provides access to 43 managed AI models, including those of OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. After users lock in NEAR tokens, they receive corresponding computing credits based on the size of their stake, which makes this model more attractive than simple payment integrations. NEAR is trying to directly link the practicality of the tokens with their usage in AI.