Illia Polosukhin’s Net Worth (2025) | Co-founder of NEAR Protocol

Key Takeaways

Illia Polosukhin has contributed to the growth of AI in areas such as machine learning and natural language processing (NLP).

His contributions have also helped NEAR Protocol secure funding of $550 million as its native token hits a market cap of $3.7B.

His net worth for 2026 is unknown; however, he actively shares his insight on decentralized privacy and the future of AI.

IArtificial intelligence (AI) is the next big technology on the lips many engineers and scientists as the this new technology has taken the world by storm looking to simplify processes including the blockchain space as Illia Polosukhin, an AI researcher and software engineer, continues to contribute to machine learning and blockchain technology, earning him praises in NEAR Protocol, a decentralised, blockchain technology designed for the usability and scalability of decentralised applications.

Who is Illia Polosukhin? Artificial Intelligence Researcher and Engineer

Illia Polosukhin’s knowledge of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science was an advantage in his journey in the computational industry, as this opened up opportunities for him to work as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) researcher and software engineer, while also contributing to the machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) industries.

He worked at Salford Systems in San Diego, where he was focused on predictive analytics, text and geo-mining, and refining tools for big data insights. He later proceeded to apply this skill in real-world applications, participating in hackathons and emerging as the top in algorithmic thinking.

Polosukhin eventually joined Google AI as an AI engineer, advancing to engineering manager, leading a team of deep learning and NLP projects. He has contributed to several projects, including TensorFlow, and co-authored discussions and articles that feature AI models and their future potential.

However, in 2017, he sought a new adventure away from Google. He then co-founded Near.ai with Alexander Skidanov, with plans focused on AI, but transitioned fully into blockchain applications and scalability, leading its team to raise over $550 million in funding.

NEAR currently focuses on AI blockchain technologies and privacy-preserving models in the blockchain space. His career is a blend of technical expertise and visionary leadership in the AI industry.

Contributions to the Blockchain Industry

Source – Illia Polosukhin X Post (Formerly Twitter)

Polosukhin remains active in the AI and privacy industry, seeking to onboard more decentralized technologies, with plans to onboard around 1 billion users based on his X profile.

He continually shares his insight regarding the future and adoption of AI on his X account, featuring in podcasts and conferences around the world. He also supports startups and AI companies to create open-source technologies.

Illia Polosukhin’s Net Worth in 2026

The net worth of Polosukhin is not publicly known, with no exact records or asset holdings indicating his net worth; however, his involvement in NEAR Protocol has raised speculation of having a net worth of around $550 million, considering the NEAR token has a market capitalization of $3.7 billion.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence has a lot to accomplish for the world as engineers are exploring its potential, including its usage with blockchain technology. Illia Polosukhin’s vision and determination in bridging the blockchain decentralization with the computational world of AI could lead to improved results for the NEAR Protocol community and the blockchain industry at large.