Why did the price of NEAR go up?

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) increased by 3.95% in the last 24 hours, outperforming the overall crypto market, which rose 1.84%. The main reasons behind this growth are:

1. Partnership with Cardano – Improving cross-chain compatibility.
2. Growth in NEAR Intents usage – Swap transactions jumped 27.6% to $21.8 million.
3. Technical strength – Price remains above important moving averages.

Deep Dive

1. Cardano Partnership & Cross-Chain Compatibility (Positive Outlook)

What happened: On October 1, NEAR announced a partnership with Cardano that introduced “intents.” This is a new way to make transactions that allows users to swap cryptocurrencies across different blockchains (for example, exchanging ADA for BTC) without needing complex bridge systems. This helps reduce security risks and makes the process simpler.

Why it matters:

• It makes NEAR more attractive to developers and users who want easy access to multiple blockchains.
• Cardano’s large community (3.9 million wallets) could bring more users to NEAR’s platform.
• Similar partnerships in the past, like Polygon’s zkEVM launch, led to significant price increases (Polygon’s token MATIC rose 18%).

What to watch: Keep an eye on how many people start using NEAR Intents with Cardano, expected to fully launch by mid-October.

2. NEAR Intents Usage Growth (Positive Outlook)

What happened: On September 30, NEAR Intents handled $21.8 million in swap transactions, a 27.6% increase from the previous week. The number of active wallets grew 22% to 2,589. NEAR now supports over 100 different assets across 20 blockchains.

Why it matters:

• More transactions mean more fees collected by the network, which can improve the value of NEAR tokens.
• The recent launch of Shade Agents, AI-powered tools that automate cross-chain trading, appeals to algorithmic traders.
• For comparison, Solana’s DeFi trading volume increased by 40% before its price rally in 2024, suggesting NEAR might follow a similar path.

Key point: If daily swap volume stays above $20 million, it could indicate growing interest from larger, institutional investors.

3. Technical Analysis (Mixed Signals)

Current status: NEAR’s price is holding above its 30-day simple moving average ($2.77) and 200-day exponential moving average ($2.96). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 56.55, showing moderate buying momentum without being overbought.

What this means:

• Staying above $2.90 (a key Fibonacci retracement level) could lead to a price target of $3.11.
• However, the MACD indicator is still negative, suggesting some selling pressure remains.
• On-chain data shows retail investors bought $3.3 million worth of NEAR during recent price dips, according to AMBCrypto.

Watch for: A price close above $3.00, which is a psychological resistance level, to confirm a stronger upward trend.

Conclusion

NEAR’s recent price increase reflects solid growth in its ecosystem, driven by the Cardano partnership and rising use of NEAR Intents, along with steady technical support. Despite ongoing uncertainty in the broader market due to the U.S. government shutdown, NEAR’s focus on AI-powered cross-chain solutions positions it as a leader in the space.

What to monitor: Whether NEAR Intents can maintain daily swap volumes above $20 million after the Cardano integration, and if shifts in Bitcoin’s market dominance will boost altcoin rallies.

What could affect the price of NEAR?

NEAR’s price outlook depends on changes in its token supply, adoption of AI technology, and regulatory developments.

1. Inflation Halving Vote – A proposal to cut NEAR’s token supply growth by 50% in Q3 2025 could reduce the number of new tokens entering the market.
2. Agent Economy Growth – NEAR Intents has facilitated over $570 million in token swaps, driven by AI-powered demand.
3. Macro Risks – U.S. government shutdowns may delay approval of crypto ETFs, putting pressure on alternative cryptocurrencies like NEAR.

Deep Dive

1. Inflation Reduction Proposal (Positive Outlook)

Overview:
There is an active governance proposal to reduce NEAR’s annual inflation rate from 5% to 2.5%, expected to take effect by late Q3 2025 if approved by network validators. This change would cut the number of new NEAR tokens created each year by about 62.5 million, potentially easing selling pressure from staking rewards. To balance this, Meta Pool is offering incentives to encourage users to lock their tokens longer, aiming to maintain attractive yields around 4-4.5% annually.

What this means:
Reducing token supply while demand grows—especially from AI and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications—could create upward price pressure. Similar supply constraints in other networks, like Ethereum’s EIP-1559 upgrade, have historically led to price increases. However, the proposal requires approval from at least two-thirds of validators, which is a significant hurdle.

2. AI & Cross-Chain Adoption (Mixed Impact)

Overview:
NEAR Intents has processed over $570 million in swaps involving more than 100 different tokens as of July 2025. Integrations with other blockchains like Cardano and Sui are expanding NEAR’s interoperability. AI-powered Shade Agents, which autonomously execute transactions, are gaining popularity. However, the number of daily active wallets has recently dropped by about 21% (NEARWEEK).

What this means:
NEAR’s growing role in AI-driven blockchain activity could make it a key player in the future of Web3 infrastructure. Still, competition from other platforms (such as Ethereum’s ERC-8004 standard for AI agents) and reliance on hype around “token seasons” introduce risks.

3. Regulatory & Macro Pressures (Negative Risk)

Overview:
The recent U.S. government shutdown has delayed crypto-related legislation, including decisions on spot Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) ETFs. NEAR’s price dropped 8% on September 26, reflecting broader weakness in altcoins while Bitcoin maintained dominance at 58%.

What this means:
Ongoing regulatory uncertainty may limit institutional investment in NEAR, despite its listing on Bitwise ETP and support from BitGo stablecoins. If NEAR’s price falls below $2.65 (its September low), it could trigger forced selling or liquidations.

Conclusion

NEAR’s upcoming inflation vote and expanding AI integrations present strong potential for price gains. However, challenges like regulatory delays and the need for validator consensus create risks. Investors should watch for the results of the Q3 protocol upgrade and trends in NEAR Intents’ transaction volumes. The key question remains: will reduced token supply outpace regulatory hurdles?

What are people saying about NEAR?

The NEAR Protocol community is balancing cautious trading with positive momentum in its ecosystem. Here’s what’s happening:

1. Key price level – Traders are watching $3.40 as a crucial point for a potential breakout.
2. AI partnership – Allora’s AI tools are boosting NEAR’s technology reputation.
3. User growth vs. price – Despite 46 million users, the price struggles to rise above $2.80 resistance.

In-Depth Look

1. @cryptoking_nl: NEAR Tests $3.50 Resistance – Positive Signal

"NEAR was pushed back at $3.50 but is preparing to try again. Breaking through could lead to a quick price increase."
– @cryptoking_nl (23.1K followers · 189K impressions · 2025-09-24 18:44 UTC)
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What this means: Traders who are optimistic see $3.50 as a key level to confirm a pattern that could push the price toward $5. If NEAR fails here, it might stay below $3 for a while longer.

2. @NiphermeDave: Allora AI Integration – Mixed Impact

"Allora’s AI now supports NEAR’s ecosystem, improving the Shade Agent infrastructure."
– @NiphermeDave (8.4K followers · 112K impressions · 2025-09-16 14:32 UTC)
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What this means: The AI partnership is good news for NEAR’s technology story, but it hasn’t yet led to higher prices. This shows some traders are unsure about its immediate benefits.

3. @NEARProtocol: Strong Ecosystem Growth, Price Stuck – Neutral

"NEAR processed over $570 million in transaction volume, but the price remains below $3 despite 46 million users in Q2."
– @NEARProtocol (1.2M followers · 2.8M impressions · 2025-07-30 19:54 UTC)
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What this means: Even though NEAR is the second largest Layer 1 blockchain by user count, the price isn’t reflecting this growth. Traders are waiting for stronger signs, like steady increases in total value locked (TVL).

Conclusion

The outlook for NEAR is mixed. While technical indicators and ecosystem growth are positive, the price remains stuck below important levels. Traders are debating if the large user base and AI partnerships (like Allora and Shade Agents) justify buying now at around $2.93, or if the price needs to break above $3.40 first. Keep an eye on the upcoming vote to reduce annual inflation from 5% to 2.5%—if approved, this could reduce supply and support price gains by late Q3.

What is the latest news about NEAR?

NEAR Protocol is navigating both growth and market ups and downs. Here are the key updates:

1. Cardano Partnership Launches (October 1, 2025) – New cross-chain swaps using "intents" improve how different blockchains work together.
2. U.S. Government Shutdown Affects Altcoins (October 1, 2025) – NEAR’s price dips as traders move away from risk amid delayed crypto regulations.
3. Zcash Integration Boosts Privacy Features (September 29, 2025) – NEAR now supports private cross-chain payments through Intents.

In-Depth Look

1. Cardano Partnership Launches (October 1, 2025)

What happened:
NEAR and Cardano teamed up to offer cross-chain swaps using a system called "intents." This lets users trade Cardano’s ADA token across more than 20 blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, without relying on bridges (which are often used to connect blockchains but can introduce security risks).

Why it matters:
This is good news for NEAR because it makes trading between blockchains easier and safer. It could attract more developers and users who want smooth decentralized finance (DeFi) experiences. By avoiding bridges, NEAR supports its goal of simplifying blockchain connections. (U.Today)

2. U.S. Government Shutdown Affects Altcoins (October 1, 2025)

What happened:
NEAR’s price fell 8% during the day after the U.S. government shutdown paused operations of key regulators like the SEC and CFTC. This delay slowed down new crypto rules and approvals for crypto ETFs. As a result, many traders moved their money into safer assets like Bitcoin (around $116,000) and Ethereum (around $4,300).

Why it matters:
This creates short-term uncertainty and could slow down big investors from entering the market. Still, NEAR’s weekly gain of 11% shows it’s holding up better than some competitors like AVAX and UNI. (Binance News)

3. Zcash Integration Boosts Privacy Features (September 29, 2025)

What happened:
NEAR introduced Zashi CrossPay on its Intents platform, allowing private transactions for any asset supported by NEAR. This led to a 23% price jump for Zcash (ZEC). NEAR’s new privacy tools are gaining attention, especially compared to Monero, which has faced some security challenges.

Why it matters:
This is a positive long-term development because privacy features fit well with NEAR’s vision of combining AI and blockchain technology. However, privacy-focused coins often face regulatory challenges, which is something to watch. (CoinJournal)

Conclusion

NEAR is making strides with cross-chain technology and privacy features, even as broader market conditions cause price swings. While short-term movements depend on how the U.S. resolves its fiscal issues, NEAR’s growing developer activity (over 1.2 million swaps via Intents) points to lasting value. Could privacy-focused AI agents be the next big driver for NEAR’s growth?

What is expected in the development of NEAR?

NEAR Protocol is making significant progress with these key updates:

1. Shade Agent Expansion (Q4 2025) – Growing its AI-powered agent system to automate tasks across different blockchains.
2. Chain Abstraction Upgrades (2026) – Improving how users interact with multiple blockchains through one NEAR account.
3. Dynamic Sharding Phase 4 (2026) – Enhancing network scalability by smartly managing data processing units called shards.

Deep Dive

1. Shade Agent Expansion (Q4 2025)

Overview: NEAR is developing its Shade Agent platform, which uses AI to help smart contracts perform actions automatically across various blockchains. Recently, it partnered with Allora Network (Allora) to add predictive capabilities, focusing on decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital collectibles (NFTs).

What this means: This is a positive sign for NEAR because AI-driven automation can attract developers creating innovative decentralized apps (dApps), potentially increasing the network’s usefulness. However, NEAR faces competition from other AI-focused blockchain projects like Fetch.ai, which could affect how widely these features are adopted.

2. Chain Abstraction Upgrades (2026)

Overview: NEAR’s Chain Signatures feature lets users manage assets and interact with multiple blockchains using a single NEAR account. Upcoming upgrades, supported by a partnership with Everclear (Everclear), aim to make cross-chain transactions smoother, especially for moving liquidity between platforms.

What this means: This development is somewhat positive, as better interoperability can strengthen NEAR’s role in the growing multichain ecosystem. However, its success depends on whether major DeFi platforms adopt these improvements, which is still uncertain.

3. Dynamic Sharding Phase 4 (2026)

Overview: Following the launch of dynamic sharding in 2024, Phase 4 will focus on adjusting shard allocation in real-time based on network demand. This aims to keep transaction times very fast (under a second) while scaling to over 1,000 shards, allowing the network to handle much more activity.

What this means: This is a strong long-term positive, positioning NEAR as a high-capacity blockchain suitable for large-scale applications. Short-term risks include the chance that validators (network participants who confirm transactions) could become too centralized during testing, which might affect security.

Conclusion

NEAR’s roadmap highlights three main areas: integrating AI, improving cross-chain interactions, and boosting scalability. These are crucial for establishing NEAR as a leading platform for decentralized automation. With Shade Agents and Chain Signatures gaining momentum, the question remains whether NEAR can maintain its impressive 39% price growth over the past 90 days amid ongoing market fluctuations.

What updates are there in the NEAR code base?

NEAR Protocol’s software updates focus on integrating AI, improving scalability, and enhancing cross-chain capabilities.

1. Allora AI Integration (September 16, 2025) – Added a predictive intelligence layer for AI agents.
2. Hard Fork Preparation (August 18, 2025) – Major protocol upgrade requiring action from node operators.
3. Shade Agent Sandbox (July 30, 2025) – New tools for deploying verifiable AI agents on NEAR.
4. GitHub Activity (June 22, 2025) – Over 950 code updates in 6 months focused on scalability and cross-chain features.

Deep Dive

1. Allora AI Integration (September 16, 2025)

Overview: NEAR integrated the Allora Network’s AI layer to boost the capabilities of AI agents on its platform. This allows developers to build smart contracts that can make AI-driven decisions, improving automation in areas like decentralized finance (DeFi) and cross-chain operations.

Why it matters: This upgrade strengthens NEAR’s position as a leading blockchain for AI-powered applications, attracting developers interested in building next-generation decentralized AI solutions. (Source)

2. Hard Fork Preparation (August 18, 2025)

Overview: Major cryptocurrency exchanges such as Upbit and Tokocrypto temporarily paused NEAR deposits and withdrawals to prepare for a significant protocol upgrade. While details are limited, hard forks usually bring important performance improvements or security fixes and require validators to update their software.

Why it matters: In the short term, this causes some service interruptions, but it’s positive for NEAR’s long-term health if the upgrade enhances network speed or security. Node operators must update their systems to avoid downtime. (Source)

3. Shade Agent Sandbox (July 30, 2025)

Overview: NEAR launched a sandbox environment that lets developers create and test AI agents using NEAR’s technology. These agents can operate transparently on the blockchain and interact with multiple blockchains, benefiting from NEAR’s fast transaction finality of 1.2 seconds.

Why it matters: This makes it easier for developers to build AI-powered decentralized apps (dApps), which could speed up adoption in industries like DeFi and gaming. (Source)

4. GitHub Activity (June 22, 2025)

Overview: NEAR led all blockchains with over 950 code commits in six months, focusing on improvements like Nightshade sharding (which helps scale the network) and tools for cross-chain compatibility. Updates also included stateless validation, reducing hardware needs, and Ethereum wallet support for easier user access.

Why it matters: High developer activity signals a healthy and growing ecosystem, ready to support more complex and high-volume applications. (Source)

Conclusion

NEAR Protocol is clearly moving toward a future centered on AI integration, better scalability, and seamless cross-chain interaction. With upgrades like the Allora AI layer and Shade Agent Sandbox, NEAR is positioning itself as a key platform for decentralized AI development. It will be interesting to see how these improvements influence developer interest and adoption in the last quarter of 2025.