Why did the price of NEAR fall?
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) dropped 17.71% in the last 24 hours, falling more than the overall crypto market, which was down 10.7%. This decline comes as investors become more cautious, with Bitcoin gaining dominance and less money flowing into alternative coins (altcoins).
- Market-wide selloff – The Crypto Fear & Greed Index shows a "Fear" level at 35, and the altcoin season index dropped 43% over the week.
- Technical breakdown – NEAR’s price fell below a key support level at $2.35, with technical indicators pointing to continued downward momentum.
- Ecosystem challenges – Even though NEAR Intents handled $1.84 billion in swap volume, investor interest is shifting toward privacy-focused coins like Zcash, which surged 382% in the past month.
Deep Dive
1. Market Risk Aversion (Negative Impact)
Overview:
The total cryptocurrency market value fell 10.7% in one day, while Bitcoin’s share of the market rose to 60.08%, the highest in three months. NEAR’s 17.7% drop was steeper than Ethereum’s (down 4.7%) and Solana’s (down 3.5%), showing how altcoins are more vulnerable when markets get shaky.
What this means:
Investors are moving their money into Bitcoin because of uncertainty around U.S. Federal Reserve policies and a stronger U.S. dollar. NEAR’s turnover ratio (trading volume relative to market size) is 0.396, lower than the top 10 cryptocurrencies, meaning it has less liquidity and can experience bigger price swings when people sell quickly.
2. Technical Breakdown (Negative Impact)
Overview:
NEAR’s price fell below its 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level at $2.35 and its 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) at $2.57. The MACD indicator shows bearish momentum, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is near oversold levels at 34.96, but there are no clear signs of a price rebound yet.
What this means:
Automated trading systems likely triggered stop-loss orders below $2.40, accelerating the selloff. The next important support level is at $2.09, based on historical price action from May 2025.
What to watch:
If NEAR’s price can close above the 50% Fibonacci level at $2.54, it might signal a recovery. However, trading volume is down 72% compared to the weekly average, indicating weak buying interest right now.
3. Ecosystem Competition (Mixed Impact)
Overview:
NEAR Intents has processed $1.84 billion in cross-chain swaps over the past 30 days, showing strong usage. However, investor attention is shifting to privacy coins like Zcash, which saw a 382% monthly price increase, fueled by growing interest in privacy features (Yahoo Finance).
What this means:
NEAR’s focus on AI and blockchain interoperability doesn’t have immediate catalysts compared to Zcash’s surge driven by privacy demand. Still, projects like DapDap’s StableFlow bridge, which offers low fees (0.01%), and Bitwise’s staking exchange-traded product (ETP) provide NEAR with promising long-term opportunities, especially for institutional investors.
Conclusion
NEAR’s recent price drop reflects broader market uncertainty, technical weaknesses, and competition from other crypto projects. Despite this, the $1.8 billion-plus swap volume through NEAR Intents shows the network’s ongoing utility. Key point to watch: Can NEAR maintain support at $2.09 as Bitcoin dominance peaks? Also, keep an eye on upcoming U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) data this Friday, which could influence Federal Reserve policy and overall crypto market sentiment.
What could affect the price of NEAR?
NEAR’s price outlook depends on changes in its token supply rules, growing use across different blockchains, and overall market conditions.
- Inflation Cut Vote – Proposal to cut NEAR’s new token supply by half (positive if approved, expected by Q3 2025)
- NEAR Intents Growth – Over $1.8 billion in cross-chain transaction volume (boosts demand but faces market risks)
- Technical Setup – Indicators show mixed signals: oversold conditions but bearish trends near $2.38
Deep Dive
1. Inflation Halving Proposal (Positive Impact)
What’s happening: NEAR validators are voting on a plan to reduce the annual increase in NEAR tokens from 5% to 2.5%. This aims to lower the number of new tokens entering the market, which could reduce selling pressure from staking rewards. If two-thirds of validators agree by late Q3 2025, the supply growth would slow significantly, potentially making NEAR tokens more scarce over time.
Why it matters: Lower inflation usually attracts investors looking for assets that become rarer. However, staking rewards would drop from about 9% to around 4-4.5%, which might discourage some validators from participating. Similar changes in Ethereum’s token supply (like EIP-1559) have led to long-term price increases.
2. NEAR Intents & Cross-Chain Adoption (Mixed Impact)
What’s happening: NEAR Intents is a tool that lets users swap or pay across different blockchains. Since it launched, it has processed $1.84 billion in transactions, including $825 million in the last month alone (DapDap). Partnerships with wallets like Zcash’s Zashi and TRON have expanded its reach. StableFlow’s low-fee bridge (0.01%) helps increase stablecoin liquidity on NEAR.
Why it matters: More transactions mean more NEAR tokens are burned as fees, which can reduce supply slightly. But this growth depends on the overall health of the crypto market. Recently, the total crypto market value dropped by over 10%, which could slow down this momentum.
3. Technical & Market Pressures (Bearish Risks)
What’s happening: NEAR’s price is about 20% below its 30-day average price of $2.87, with technical indicators showing some bearish signals. However, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 34.96 suggests the token might be oversold and due for a bounce. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s dominance in the market is high (over 60%), and investor sentiment is cautious, which limits interest in altcoins like NEAR.
Why it matters: While there could be short-term price recoveries, NEAR’s performance is closely tied to broader market factors like Federal Reserve interest rate decisions (next update on October 9) and Bitcoin exchange-traded fund flows (recently saw $23.8 million outflows).
Conclusion
NEAR’s future depends on balancing its move toward lower inflation with a cautious crypto market. The inflation vote is key—if approved, it could reduce supply and boost prices, but traders are waiting to see if validators reach consensus. Keep an eye on:
- The vote results (follow updates on the NEAR governance dashboard)
- Sustained NEAR Intents transaction volume above $50 million per day after StableFlow’s launch
Will NEAR’s technology improvements be enough to overcome the current “Bitcoin season” slowdown?
What are people saying about NEAR?
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is generating buzz with a mix of hopeful price moves and strong ecosystem developments. Here’s what’s trending right now:
- Allora integration boosts AI capabilities
- Traders watching $3.50 price level for a breakout
- NEAR Intents hits $1.8 billion in transaction volume
- Grayscale adds NEAR to its AI-focused investment fund
- Proposal to cut inflation sparks debate among holders
Deep Dive
1. AI Layer Integration with Allora (Positive Outlook)
“Allora’s predictive AI now powers NEAR’s Shade Agents, potentially boosting on-chain AI applications.”
– @NiphermeDave (source)
What this means: This partnership strengthens NEAR’s AI infrastructure, making it more attractive for developers creating smart, autonomous applications on the blockchain.
2. Price Resistance at $3.50 (Positive Outlook)
“NEAR was pushed back at $3.50 but is gaining momentum for another attempt. Breaking through could lead to quick gains.”
– @cryptoking_nl (source)
What this means: If NEAR breaks above $3.50, automated trading systems might trigger more buying. However, there is strong selling pressure between $3.55 and $3.60 that could slow the rise.
3. Support Level at $2.45 (Mixed Outlook)
“Indicators suggest a possible local bottom, but confirmation is needed. Trading volume remains low.”
– @gemxbt_agent (source)
What this means: Technical signals hint at a potential price rebound, but the low trading activity means it’s too early to be certain. Investors should watch for increased buying interest.
4. NEAR Intents Adoption and Cross-Chain Growth (Positive Outlook)
Since March 2025, the cross-chain bridge StableFlow has processed $1.84 billion in transactions using NEAR Intents (Coinspeaker). The platform now supports 121 different assets across 20 blockchains, with daily active users up 47% compared to last quarter. This shows strong growth in NEAR’s ecosystem and cross-chain activity.
5. Grayscale Fund Rebalancing (Neutral Outlook)
Grayscale has increased NEAR’s share in its Decentralized AI Fund to 25.8% (Crypto.News). While this is a positive sign of institutional interest, the overall fund size is still small compared to major Bitcoin funds.
Conclusion
The general outlook for NEAR Protocol is cautiously optimistic. While the price faces resistance around $3.50, ongoing ecosystem growth—especially in AI integration and cross-chain usage—along with growing institutional support, provide positive momentum. Keep an eye on the upcoming validator vote on a proposal to reduce annual inflation from 5% to 2.5%. If approved, this could lower selling pressure and test the commitment of NEAR’s stakers.
What is the latest news about NEAR?
NEAR Protocol is gaining momentum by expanding its cross-chain capabilities and focusing on AI, but its price is facing challenges in a cautious market. Here are the latest updates:
- StableFlow Launch (October 9, 2025) – A new cross-chain stablecoin bridge enabling $1.84 billion in swaps through NEAR Intents.
- Zashi Wallet Integration (October 9, 2025) – Privacy-focused swaps helped push NEAR Intents volume to $800 million.
- Grayscale AI Fund Addition (October 3, 2025) – NEAR became the largest holding in a leading AI-focused crypto ETF.
Deep Dive
1. StableFlow Launch (October 9, 2025)
Overview:
DapDap introduced StableFlow, a bridge that allows stablecoins like USDT and USDC to move easily across nine blockchains, including Ethereum and Solana. Using NEAR’s Intents protocol, users can swap up to $1 million with very low fees (0.01%). Since launching, NEAR Intents has handled $1.84 billion in swaps, with $825 million happening in the past month alone.
What this means:
This launch strengthens NEAR’s position as a key player in connecting different blockchains, especially for large-scale, professional users. The low fees could attract more users, but success depends on adding support for more stablecoins like USDH and USD1.
(Yahoo Finance)
2. Zashi Wallet Integration (October 9, 2025)
Overview:
Zashi Wallet, known for privacy features, integrated NEAR Intents to enable private swaps and payments across blockchains (for example, converting Bitcoin to shielded Zcash). This integration helped NEAR Intents reach $800 million in monthly volume, a 25% increase from the previous month, with 120,000 active users.
What this means:
The demand for privacy is expanding NEAR’s use cases beyond simple swaps. However, the recent surge in Zcash’s price (up 382% in a month) suggests that some of NEAR’s growth here might be linked to Zcash’s hype rather than steady, organic adoption.
(Yahoo Finance)
3. Grayscale AI Fund Addition (October 3, 2025)
Overview:
Grayscale added NEAR to its Decentralized AI Fund, giving it a 25.8% share alongside other AI-focused projects like Bittensor and Render. This move follows NEAR’s recent upgrades to its Shade Agent, which supports AI-powered smart contracts.
What this means:
Being recognized by major institutional investors as a leader in AI and blockchain could bring long-term investment to NEAR. However, the token’s price dropped 17% over the week, showing that the market hasn’t yet responded strongly to this news.
(Crypto.news)
Conclusion
NEAR Protocol is solidifying its role in cross-chain technology and AI, but broader market challenges—like a cautious investor mood (Fear index at 35) and weak altcoin performance (Altcoin Season Index down 42%)—are limiting price gains. The key question is whether NEAR’s focus on privacy and AI can overcome Bitcoin’s dominant 60% market share. Keep an eye on NEAR Intents’ weekly trading volume and ETF investment flows for signs of future growth.
What is expected in the development of NEAR?
NEAR Protocol’s roadmap is centered on integrating artificial intelligence (AI), expanding connections with other blockchains, and improving decentralized governance.
- AI-Driven Governance (Q4 2025) – Introducing AI agents that can help decentralized organizations (DAOs) make decisions automatically.
- Dynamic Sharding Upgrade (2026) – Enhancing the network’s ability to handle more transactions by adjusting its structure in real-time.
- Chain Signatures Expansion (Q1 2026) – Enabling smoother and more secure interactions between different blockchains, especially for decentralized finance (DeFi).
Deep Dive
1. AI-Driven Governance (Q4 2025)
Overview: NEAR is working on AI-powered delegates through its House of Stake program. These AI agents will help DAOs automate voting and manage resources using trustworthy AI models. This builds on the recent release of the Shade Agent Sandbox, which allows developers to create AI agents that operate directly on the blockchain.
What this means: This development is promising for NEAR because AI-driven governance could attract more DAOs looking for efficient decision-making, potentially increasing the use of the NEAR network and encouraging more people to stake their tokens. However, challenges include the technical complexity of implementing AI and getting users to adopt these new tools.
2. Dynamic Sharding Upgrade (2026)
Overview: After completing Phase 3 of sharding in 2024, NEAR plans to improve its dynamic sharding system. This means the network can automatically add or remove “shards” (smaller parts of the blockchain) based on how much activity there is. Currently, NEAR processes blocks in about 600 milliseconds and finalizes transactions in 1.2 seconds, which is faster than competitors like Solana and Ethereum.
What this means: This upgrade is somewhat positive because better scalability can support more applications, especially those needing fast transaction speeds like AI agents. However, delays in coordinating network validators or thorough testing could slow down this progress.
3. Chain Signatures Expansion (Q1 2026)
Overview: NEAR is expanding its Chain Signatures technology, which allows different blockchains to interact securely without relying on bridges (which can be vulnerable). Building on partnerships with Aptos and Shelby, and recent integrations with TRON and Sui, NEAR is focusing on connecting major DeFi platforms.
What this means: This is a strong positive because it enables seamless cross-chain swaps through NEAR Intents, which reached $1.8 billion in transaction volume in October 2025. This could make NEAR a central hub for liquidity across multiple blockchains. Still, security reviews and competition from projects like Cosmos remain potential risks.
Conclusion
NEAR’s roadmap is focused on building the infrastructure needed for an AI-powered, multi-chain blockchain ecosystem. Key improvements in governance and scalability are expected to drive growth. The big question is how NEAR’s emphasis on verifiable AI will set it apart from competitors like Fetch.ai or Chainlink.
What updates are there in the NEAR code base?
NEAR Protocol's latest updates focus on making the network faster, more connected with other blockchains, and better suited for AI applications.
- Stateless Validation & Nightshade 2.0 (May 2025) – Network speed increased fourfold and costs lowered.
- Hard Fork for Validator Expansion (August 2025) – More participants can now help secure the network, improving safety.
- GitHub Activity Leadership (June–July 2025) – Over 950 code updates per month, focusing on tools that connect NEAR with other blockchains.
Deep Dive
1. Stateless Validation & Nightshade 2.0 (May 2025)
What happened: NEAR upgraded its technology to process transactions faster—up to about 10,000 per second—by improving how it splits work across the network (called sharding) and how transactions run in parallel. They also introduced stateless validation, which means validators don’t need to store the entire blockchain history.
Why it matters: This makes it easier and cheaper for people to run validators, which helps keep the network decentralized and secure. It also lowers fees for developers building apps that need to handle lots of transactions quickly. This upgrade supports NEAR’s growing AI projects by allowing faster and less expensive computing.
(Source)
2. Hard Fork for Validator Expansion (August 2025)
What happened: On August 18, 2025, NEAR performed a hard fork—a major update—that changed how validator slots are assigned. This allows more people to become validators and help secure the network.
Why it matters: More validators mean a stronger, more resilient network with less risk of central control. While the update caused a brief pause in deposits and withdrawals on exchanges, it supports NEAR’s goal of having over 500 validators by 2026.
(Source)
3. GitHub Activity Leadership (June–July 2025)
What happened: NEAR led all blockchain projects in developer activity on GitHub, with over 950 code updates each month for six months. The focus has been on improving tools that let NEAR work smoothly with other blockchains, like Chain Signatures and Rainbow Bridge upgrades.
Why it matters: High developer activity shows strong commitment to improving the platform. Recent updates have made cross-chain token swaps easier and faster, with over $570 million in volume processed in July 2025 alone.
(Source)
Conclusion
NEAR Protocol is making big strides in speed, security, and connectivity with other blockchains. These improvements position NEAR as a key platform for AI and multichain applications. The question now is whether this growing developer momentum will lead to sustained growth in the NEAR ecosystem through the end of 2025.