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Why did the price of NEAR go up?

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) increased by 0.69% in the past 24 hours, performing better than the overall flat cryptocurrency market. Here are the key reasons:

  1. NEAR Intents Milestone: Cross-chain swap volume exceeded $10 billion, showing strong growth in user adoption.
  2. Solana Integration: The launch of the STRK token on Solana through NEAR improved cross-chain functionality.
  3. Technical Support: NEAR’s price remains above important moving averages ($1.73 for the 7-day average) with a neutral momentum indicator (RSI at 52.09).

Deep Dive

1. NEAR Intents Adoption (Positive Impact)

Overview: On January 16, NEAR Intents surpassed $10 billion in total swap volume, processing $600 million in swaps last week across 137,000 unique users (Coinspeaker). Since October 2025, swap volume has tripled, showing faster adoption of NEAR’s cross-chain technology.
What this means: This growth confirms that NEAR’s technology, which allows different blockchains to work together smoothly, is gaining traction. More swaps mean more fees for the network and increased usefulness of $NEAR, which can lead to more buying interest.

2. Solana Ecosystem Integration (Positive Impact)

Overview: On January 15, NEAR helped launch Starknet’s STRK token on Solana using its intents protocol, enabling direct token swaps without needing bridges (The Defiant). This came after some public disagreements between Solana and Starknet, turning competition into cooperation.
What this means: By connecting to Solana’s large $11 billion decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, NEAR strengthens its role as a key platform for cross-chain activity. This real-world use attracts more users and developers, which supports demand for NEAR tokens.

3. Technical Positioning (Neutral Impact)

Overview: NEAR is trading at $1.74, slightly above its 7-day moving average of $1.73 and 30-day average of $1.62. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 52.09, indicating neutral momentum. However, trading volume dropped 25.7% in 24 hours to $156 million.
What this means: Staying above key averages shows some short-term price support, but lower trading volume suggests cautious market participation. The neutral RSI means there’s potential for price gains if positive news appears, but the current low volume limits strong upward moves.

Conclusion

NEAR’s recent price gains are driven by real growth in its ecosystem, especially the NEAR Intents swap volume milestone and the strategic integration with Solana. These developments help NEAR stand out despite a mostly stagnant crypto market.
Key point to watch: Will daily swap volumes stay above $100 million to prove that adoption is genuine and not just speculative?


What could affect the price of NEAR?

NEAR’s price is caught between the positive effects of its new deflationary token model and some technical challenges.

  1. Inflation Cut (Bullish) – The yearly increase in NEAR’s supply has been cut in half to 2.5%, making the coin scarcer.
  2. NEAR Intents Growth (Mixed) – Over $7 billion in cross-chain transactions show strong use, but the price is testing a key support level at $1.70.
  3. Technical Signals (Caution) – The price is below its 200-day moving average but shows signs that investors are accumulating.

Deep Dive

1. Inflation Cut Creates Supply Pressure (Positive for Price)

In October 2025, NEAR reduced its annual inflation rate from 5% to 2.5% (NEARProtocol). This means fewer new NEAR tokens are created each year, which can reduce selling pressure by about $31 million annually, based on a $2.2 billion market cap.

This reduction supports NEAR’s value as a store of wealth, especially since all circulating NEAR tokens are currently staked, showing strong demand. However, some disagreements among network validators about governance (Yahoo Finance) could raise concerns about how decentralized the network really is.

2. NEAR Intents Cross-Chain Activity (Mixed Signals)

NEAR’s Intents platform, which allows easy token swaps across different blockchains, has processed over $7 billion in volume (AskGigabrain). It’s integrated with networks like Zcash and Solana and has partnerships with big players like Dragonfly, showing growing adoption.

This activity can increase demand for NEAR and lead to more tokens being burned (removed from circulation), which is good for price. But if the price falls below $1.70, it could trigger automatic sell-offs, since nearly half of NEAR holders are currently in profit (CoinMarketCap).

3. Technical Analysis: Signs of Accumulation Amid Challenges

NEAR’s price is about 25% below its 200-day moving average of $2.31, a key long-term trend indicator, but it’s finding support near $1.70 (RenderWithMe). The MACD indicator, which measures momentum, is turning positive, suggesting that bearish pressure is easing.

If NEAR can close above $1.78, it might trigger short sellers to cover their positions, pushing the price toward $2.02. However, Bitcoin’s dominance in the crypto market (currently 59%) limits how much money flows into altcoins like NEAR. Also, NEAR’s price movement is closely tied to Bitcoin’s, with a 30-day correlation of 0.82 this week.

Conclusion

NEAR’s move to reduce inflation and its growing cross-chain use face a critical test at the $1.70 price level. Technical signs suggest the price could spring higher, especially if volume picks up above $2.02. The upcoming NEAR Intents summit on January 22 will be important to watch. If the price falls below $1.60, it could trigger automatic selling.

The big question: Will NEAR’s cross-chain technology be strong enough to overcome Bitcoin’s pull on crypto investors?

{{technical_analysis_coin_candle_chart}}


What are people saying about NEAR?

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) traders are balancing hopes for a price breakout with concerns about resistance as the coin hovers around $1.73. Here’s the latest:

  1. If NEAR breaks above $1.73, bulls are targeting $2.10 to $2.35 📈
  2. Bears warn that without surpassing $3.35, the overall downtrend may continue 📉
  3. A proposal to cut inflation from 5% to 2.5% is sparking debates about staking rewards 💬

In-Depth Look

1. @CryptoPulse_CRU: Bullish breakout confirmed

"NEAR broke out of its downtrend channel and retested it. MACD is bullish, RSI is above 50. Targets: $2.16–$2.64"
– 2K followers · Jan 12, 2026, 2:00 PM UTC
View original post
What this means: Technical analysts see NEAR’s 17% gain over the past week as a sign of a bullish reversal. If the price stays above $1.80, buying momentum could increase.

2. @CryptoPatel: Bearish outlook until $3.35 is surpassed

"Buy between $1.28 and $0.97. The trend remains bearish until NEAR breaks above $3.35 resistance."
– 54K followers · Dec 20, 2025, 5:32 PM UTC
View original post
What this means: Long-term investors believe NEAR needs to nearly double from its current price to break the overall downtrend, which makes this a high-risk, high-reward situation.

3. @bpaynews: Inflation cut proposal divides the community

"NEAR validators are voting to reduce inflation from 5% to 2.5%. If approved (needs 66.67% support), this could lower selling pressure."
– 2K followers · Dec 30, 2025, 2:48 PM UTC
View original post
What this means: Lowering inflation could encourage holders to keep their coins longer, but it might also reduce rewards for validators who help secure the network. Currently, about 45% of NEAR is staked, which is an important number to watch.

Conclusion

Opinions on NEAR are mixed. Short-term traders are optimistic based on technical charts, but longer-term analysts remain cautious until NEAR breaks key resistance levels. The upcoming vote on inflation and the $1.70–$1.80 price range are critical. Holding above $1.80 with increased trading volume could trigger automated buying, while failing to hold might extend the coin’s yearly loss of around 66%. Keep an eye on the $1.73 resistance level and the results of the validator vote expected by late January.

{{technical_analysis_coin_candle_chart}}


What is the latest news about NEAR?

NEAR Protocol is gaining momentum through its cross-chain technology and new AI partnerships, with its Intents platform reaching $10 billion in transaction volume. Here are the latest updates:

  1. NEAR Intents Hits $10B Volume (January 16, 2026) – Cross-chain swaps increase thanks to new connections with Solana and Starknet.
  2. Cake Wallet Adds Zcash via NEAR (January 15, 2026) – Privacy-focused swaps enhance the NEAR ecosystem’s capabilities.
  3. NEAR Joins NVIDIA AI Program (January 13, 2026) – NEAR gains access to advanced AI hardware and resources through NVIDIA.

Deep Dive

1. NEAR Intents Hits $10B Volume (January 16, 2026)

Overview: NEAR Intents is a technology that makes it easier to swap cryptocurrencies across different blockchains. It recently surpassed $10 billion in total swap volume, handling 15.7 million swaps across 28 different blockchain networks. New connections with Solana and Starknet, as well as support from Cake Wallet for Zcash, helped push over $600 million in swaps just last week.
What this means: This growth shows strong demand for NEAR’s technology, which simplifies complex blockchain transactions by letting users express what they want to do (their “intent”) without worrying about the technical details. This could help NEAR become a key player in making blockchain technology more user-friendly. (Coinspeaker)

2. Cake Wallet Adds Zcash via NEAR (January 15, 2026)

Overview: Cake Wallet, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency wallet, has added support for Zcash transactions through NEAR Intents. This allows users to make private swaps across different blockchains. Since the launch, Zcash transaction volume has increased by 18%, with NEAR’s technology ensuring these swaps are secure and require minimal trust.
What this means: This is a positive development for NEAR, showing its ability to support privacy-focused applications. While privacy tools sometimes face regulatory challenges, this integration highlights NEAR’s flexibility and potential to expand beyond traditional decentralized finance (DeFi) uses. (Coinspeaker)

3. NEAR Joins NVIDIA AI Program (January 13, 2026)

Overview: NEAR has joined NVIDIA’s Inception Program, which provides startups with access to powerful GPU hardware and venture capital networks. This builds on NEAR’s previous work with NVIDIA on secure AI computing, using hardware to protect sensitive AI processes.
What this means: This partnership could help NEAR become a leader in trustworthy AI infrastructure. While it’s still early to see finished products from this collaboration, the long-term outlook is promising. (Coinspeaker)

Conclusion

NEAR Protocol is strengthening its position through cross-chain technology and AI partnerships. The key challenge ahead is expanding adoption beyond crypto experts to mainstream users and businesses. It will be interesting to see if demand for privacy-focused AI tools can grow faster than regulatory hurdles in 2026.


What is expected in the development of NEAR?

NEAR Protocol’s roadmap for 2026 centers on improving scalability, integrating AI technology, and growing its ecosystem.

  1. Validator AMA (Jan 14, 2026) – A live Q&A session with network validators to share insights on how the network operates
  2. Chain Signatures Expansion (Q1 2026) – Enhancements to allow easier use of one account across multiple blockchains
  3. Dynamic Sharding Preparation (2026) – Building the foundation for scaling the network based on demand

In-Depth Look

1. Validator AMA (Jan 14, 2026)

What’s happening: NEAR will host an “Ask Me Anything” session with Meta Pool’s group of validators. They’ll discuss how the network stays reliable and the economics behind staking (locking up tokens to support the network). This event follows the launch of House of Stake in October 2025, which made governance more decentralized (TradingView News).

Why it matters: This is generally positive. Transparency from validators can increase trust among users who stake their tokens. However, if any operational issues come up during the AMA, it might cause short-term price pressure.

2. Chain Signatures Expansion (Q1 2026)

What’s happening: Building on last year’s integration with Ledger Wallet, NEAR plans to expand its Chain Signatures feature. This allows users to control one account across more than 10 different blockchains, making it easier to use decentralized finance (DeFi) services across multiple networks (NEAR Protocol tweet).

Why it matters: This is a strong positive. It reduces the hassle for users who interact with multiple blockchains, which is important as cross-chain activity on NEAR Intents reached $6 billion in November 2025. The main risk is potential security issues with smart contracts during this expansion.

3. Dynamic Sharding Preparation (2026)

What’s happening: NEAR already launched Phase 3 of sharding (a way to split the network to handle more transactions) in 2024. Now, engineers are preparing for even larger shard sizes to support AI-driven transactions with very low delay (under 0.1 seconds) (NEAR Blog).

Why it matters: This is a promising long-term development. If successful, NEAR could become a leader in combining AI with blockchain technology. However, delays are common in sharding projects, so timelines might shift.

Conclusion

NEAR’s plans for 2026 focus on both technical improvements—like better sharding and cross-chain features—and expanding its ecosystem with AI and multi-chain tools. Maintaining its impressive 450% yearly growth in daily active users (from 2024 to 2025) while scaling will be key. It will be interesting to see how NEAR’s emphasis on a smooth, “invisible blockchain” user experience affects its adoption compared to competitors like Solana.


What updates are there in the NEAR code base?

NEAR Protocol has recently upgraded its technology to improve scalability and governance.

  1. House of Stake Launch (October 31, 2025) – Introduced a new system where decisions about protocol upgrades and funds are made through on-chain voting by validators and token holders.
  2. Shard Expansion to 9 Shards (Q3 2025) – Increased the network’s capacity to process transactions by 12.5% by adding more shards, which allows the system to handle more activity at once.
  3. Nearcore v2.8.0 Upgrade (Q3 2025) – Improved the performance of validator nodes and enhanced tools for developers, making the network more stable and easier to build on.

Deep Dive

1. House of Stake Launch (October 31, 2025)

Overview: This update shifted governance from a foundation-led model to a decentralized one. Now, validators and token holders vote on important decisions like protocol upgrades and how treasury funds are used, all recorded on the blockchain.
What this means: This change is positive for NEAR because it gives more control to the community, aligning the network’s development with the interests of its users and encouraging more participants to become validators.
(Source)

2. Shard Expansion to 9 Shards (Q3 2025)

Overview: NEAR increased the number of shards from 8 to 9. Shards are like separate lanes that process transactions in parallel, so adding more shards boosts the network’s ability to handle more transactions at the same time without sacrificing decentralization.
What this means: This upgrade is good news for NEAR because it supports more decentralized apps (dApps) and users, reduces network congestion, and improves the overall user experience, especially for apps with high demand.
(Source)

3. Nearcore v2.8.0 Upgrade (Q3 2025)

Overview: This update enhanced the performance of validator nodes by reducing delays and improved developer tools such as software development kits (SDKs) and debugging utilities. It also made the network more stable and better at working with other blockchains.
What this means: This is a positive step for NEAR because it makes it easier for developers to build and launch dApps quickly, while also increasing the network’s reliability for real-world applications.
(Source)

Conclusion

NEAR’s recent updates focus on decentralizing control, increasing scalability, and improving the developer experience—three important factors for long-term growth. These improvements could strengthen NEAR’s role in the growing multi-chain AI ecosystem.