NEAR is the blockchain that Sweat Wallet operates on. Every transaction in the blockchain requires a fee and, in this case, the fees required to transact on NEAR in Sweat Wallet require a Gas Fee paid in the native coin of the blockchain; in this case, $NEAR.
How does NEAR connect to my Sweat Wallet?
When a user creates a Sweat Wallet, they automatically get a NEAR address created which can send, receive and store NEAR or any other NEP-141 token (a custom asset created on NEAR). The Sweat Foundation funds the NEAR accounts for users to ensure that there are enough funds to cover gas fees for every time that an onchain action is performed, requiring gas.
Do I need a NEAR Wallet to use Sweat Wallet?
No. You don’t need a NEAR Wallet to use Sweat Wallet.
How to login to my NEAR Wallet?
All users who create a Sweat Wallet have private-public keypair created with an associated address on NEAR. Users receive their private key in the form of a 12 word mnemonic passphrase. This passphrase can be used to instantiate a user’s account on any NEAR compatible wallet and all balances will be displayed and accessible.
Do I need to top up my NEAR Wallet to use Sweat Wallet? How do I top it up?
You don’t need to top up your NEAR Wallet to cover gas fees in Sweat Wallet. If, for some reason, you want more NEAR, follow the instructions here to top up.
Why do I need to have NEAR to cover transactions and not $SWEAT?
NEAR has only recently (2023) released a tool called a “relayer” which allows users to cover gas fees in $SWEAT as an alternative to NEAR token. The Sweat Wallet team is in the process of implementing this tool and it’s due for release in the first half of 2024.