NEAR Price Rally: 9% Surge Recaptures Key Level, Records 160% TVL Growth In Q1

Decentralized application (dApp) platform Near Protocol exhibited notable growth in key metrics during the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, driving its native token NEAR to reclaim a crucial key level and paving the way for a potential retest of its all-time high (ATH) from January 2022. 

According to a recent report by Messari, NEAR experienced significant increases in market capitalization, revenue, active addresses, and Total Value Locked (TVL), solidifying its position among the top players in the cryptocurrency market.

NEAR Outperforms Bitcoin And Ethereum

In Q1 2024, NEAR’s circulating market cap surged to $7.2 billion, marking a 94% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) increase. The fully diluted market cap also witnessed substantial growth, reaching $8.2 billion, representing a 91% QoQ increase. These numbers propelled NEAR to secure a spot among the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. 

NEAR

Notably, NEAR outperformed Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), which recorded QoQ growth rates of 69% and 53%, respectively. Additionally, NEAR’s revenue, derived from network transaction fees, witnessed an 82% QoQ increase, reaching $1.9 million. 

NEAR continued its address growth trend in Q1 2024, with average daily active addresses reaching 1.2 million, representing a robust 42% QoQ increase. 

The network also witnessed a surge in daily new addresses, totaling 236,000 (a 37% QoQ increase), and surpassed the milestone of 100 million total accounts. 

According to Messari, contributions from established protocols like KAIKAINOW, Sweat, and Playember and the adoption of HOT Wallet, averaging over 350,000 daily active addresses in March and nearly 3 million total wallets, drove this expansion.

Stablecoin Market Cap Soars In Q1

Per the report, the protocol experienced a sustained increase in transaction activity throughout Q1 2024, with daily transactions reaching 4.3 million, representing a 78% QoQ increase and a 538% increase over the last six months. 

Similarly, NEAR’s TVL witnessed substantial growth, ending the quarter at $335 million, a 163% increase from the previous quarter and a 547% increase over the last six months. 

NEAR

Furthermore, NEAR’s decentralized exchange (DEX) volume experienced a notable surge, with an average daily volume of $8 million, representing a 95% QoQ increase. Ref Finance emerged as the leading DEX on the protocol, with $6 million daily volume, surpassing Orderly Network.

Lastly, NEAR observed a significant increase in its stablecoin market cap during Q1 2024, soaring 176% QoQ to $214 million. Notably, USDT experienced a significant surge, with its market cap increasing by 1,155% QoQ, reaching $88 million. 

Outperforming Top 20 Cryptocurrencies

Regarding price action, NEAR Protocol’s native token has exhibited strong performance, surpassing the top 20 cryptocurrencies in the market with a 9.4% uptrend in the past seven days. Meanwhile, Bitcoin has experienced a minor 1.5% price correction over the past 24 hours.

This positive trend has enabled NEAR to reclaim the significant $7.40 price level, which is important for bullish investors

Looking ahead, the $7.60 mark may present a potential resistance level for the token, serving as a crucial barrier to monitoring. It could pave the way for a retest of the $8 mark, signaling further upward momentum if successfully breached.

Conversely, the $6.80 mark has demonstrated its significance as a key support level. It was previously tested over the weekend and effectively prevented a more significant price decline. 

Despite the optimistic outlook, it is important to note that the token remains down by over 64% from its all-time high of $20.4, reached in 2022.

NEAR

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

NEAR Protocol’s Expansion: Q4 2023 Shows 1,250% Rise In Daily Active Addresses

NEAR Protocol, the Blockchain Operating System (BOS), experienced significant growth in key metrics during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023. The protocol’s native token, NEAR, recorded a remarkable 16% year-to-date growth and witnessed a surge in adoption. 

Circulating Market Cap Soars 245%

According to a Messari report, the entire crypto market cap increased in Q4 2023, largely driven by the anticipation surrounding the introduction of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

NEAR actively participated in the overall market rally and achieved additional gains due to its heightened network activity and significant announcements. As a result, NEAR’s circulating market cap for the end of 2023 reached $3.7 billion, marking a 245% increase quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and a 246% increase year-on-year (YoY). 

crypto

Furthermore, NEAR’s fully diluted market cap reached $4.3 billion. The protocol’s market cap ranking also soared, climbing 10 places to reach approximately 30th by the end of 2023.

In Q4 2023, NEAR’s revenue grew substantially, primarily generated from network transaction fees, reaching $750,000. The increase in revenue was attributed to the heightened activity generated by projects such as KAIKAINOW and NEAR Inscriptions. 

During the Inscriptions craze, revenue surged due to a transaction spike, driving up transaction fees. Notably, NEAR employs a fee-burning mechanism, where 70% of all fees are burned, while the remaining 30% is directed to the contract from which the transaction originated.

NEAR User Base Skyrockets

Another key metric demonstrating the protocol’s growth in Q4 2023 is that NEAR experienced significant growth in its user base. 

Average daily active addresses increased by 1,250% YoY, reaching 870,000 in Q4 2023. In addition, the number of daily new addresses grew by a remarkable 550% YoY to 170,000 in Q4 2023. 

NEAR

According to Messari, this expansion comes after the successful launch and adoption of projects such as KAIKAINOW and contributions from the Sweat Economy, Aurora, and Playember, which further supported this positive trend.

NEAR’s daily active addresses were notably higher than those of other leading blockchain networks. For example, Optimism averaged 72,000 daily active addresses, Arbitrum 150,000, Polygon PoS 375,000, and Aptos 60,000 in Q4 2023.

NEAR Inscriptions significantly drove network activity, reaching a yearly high of 14 million transactions in December. Despite this substantial increase, transaction fees remained stable, staying below $0.01 for the quarter. 

Top 25 Blockchain By TVL In Q4 2023

NEAR’s Total Value Locked (TVL) reached $128 million by the end of Q4 2023, marking a remarkable 147% increase from the previous quarter. Among blockchains, NEAR positioned itself at approximately 25th place regarding TVL. 

Within the NEAR Network’s TVL, NEAR contributed $59 million, accounting for nearly 46% of the total TVL on the network. The remaining TVL was distributed across various decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, including Aurora, Ref, Berry Club, and Flux.

NEAR

Additionally, NEAR announced partnerships with projects such as Chainlink and decentralized exchange (DEX) SushiSwap. 

According to Messari, the integration with Chainlink’s decentralized oracle network provided NEAR developers with access to real-world data and external Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), enhancing the functionality and usability of NEAR-based applications. 

On the other hand, the collaboration with SushiSwap allowed NEAR users to access a wide range of token swaps, liquidity pools, and yield farming opportunities, enabling developer adoption and increased usage within the ecosystem. 

Ultimately, looking ahead to 2024, Messari said the protocol’s vision is to iterate the technology roadmap, attract more developers, and attract more leading protocols. 

NEAR

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

NEAR: 3 Reasons This Crypto Is Up 80% While Others Hibernate In The Run-Up To 2024

In the prevailing bearish backdrop of the broader cryptocurrency market, NEAR Protocol (NEAR) emerges as a noteworthy exception, showcasing remarkable resilience and defying the prevailing downtrend. Its trajectory has been one of sustained upward momentum, a trend that notably took root around mid-December and has continued to gather strength.

Unlike the general market sentiment characterized by a downturn, NEAR has not only weathered the storm but has surged impressively. Over the last seven days, the cryptocurrency has experienced a significant 80% increase in value, a feat that has not gone unnoticed by market participants and enthusiasts alike.

This surge has effectively propelled NEAR to double its base value, which stood at $4.24, signaling a robust and impressive performance in contrast to the prevailing market conditions.

Here are three reasons why this token is thawing in the run-up to 2024:

NEAR: Technical Resilience

NEAR’s upward trajectory is not a mere coincidence but is supported by robust technical indicators. A decisive price breakout on December 21st shattered a crucial resistance level at $4.0, paving the way for sustained growth.

This breakout generated warmth for further price appreciation. Furthermore, an ascending trendline, currently positioned at $3.7, acts as a reliable support against potential downward movements.

The Average Directional Index (ADX) at 40% signals potential buyer exhaustion but also indicates a healthy correction for long-term bullishness, portraying an enduring technical strength that is not easily extinguished.

Community Momentum

NEAR’s success is not a solitary achievement; it is a result of a thriving community. The trading volume has surged impressively by 170% over the past week, reaching over $410 million on December 25th alone.

This surge in trading activity underscores the growing investor confidence. Open Interest (OI), representing future buying potential, has also surpassed $140 million, reflecting a shared optimism that NEAR’s flame is burning bright.

This fervent belief adds fuel to the fire, attracting a considerable number of new participants—over 48,000 in the past week—drawn to the warmth of the NEAR ecosystem.

Future Roadmap

Looking ahead, NEAR’s future appears ablaze with ambitious plans outlined in its 2024 development roadmap. These plans include high-speed transactions exceeding 100,000 per second, enhanced scalability to eliminate bottlenecks, and the introduction of innovative dApps like Nightshade 2.0, promising enhanced privacy and security.

These developments solidify NEAR’s position as a frontrunner in the crypto space, leaving competitors in the shadows and envying its progress.

NEAR’s ability to withstand the challenges of the current market makes it a beacon of hope for investors seeking both warmth and growth. As market conditions gradually improve, NEAR is poised to breach the $5 barrier, representing a potential 30% increase from its current price.

This outlook is likely to attract those yearning to escape the chill of the crypto winter, further cementing NEAR’s position as a noteworthy player in the evolving crypto landscape.

Featured image from Shutterstock

Polygon Labs And NEAR Foundation Partner For zkWasm L2 Prover Integration

Polygon Labs (MATIC) and the NEAR Foundation have recently announced their collaboration on the development of a zero-knowledge (ZK) prover for the WebAssembly (Wasm) blockchain.  

The alliance aims to “bridge the gap” between Wasm-based chains and the Ethereum ecosystem, providing customization and options for developers building with the Polygon CDK (Chain Development Kit).

NEAR Foundation Joins Polygon As Core Contributor

According to Polygon Labs’ announcement, introducing a zkWasm prover will enable developers utilizing Polygon CDK to choose from various provers when building their projects.

This can be leveraged in various scenarios, including launching or migrating an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) chain or constructing a Wasm chain for closer alignment with Ethereum and access to liquidity. 

The zkWasm prover will serve as a new runtime, generating zero-knowledge proofs that validate the correctness of native Wasm runtime execution. This advancement is expected to enhance scalability and decentralization, bringing the NEAR protocol closer to Ethereum.

As part of this partnership, the NEAR Foundation is set to become a core contributor to Polygon CDK, expanding the toolkit’s capabilities for developers.

Sandeep Nailwal, the co-founder of Polygon, expressed pride in collaborating with NEAR on this research and emphasized the value of the zkWasm prover in providing developers with increased customization options. 

To provide further context, WebAssembly is a widely used framework for running complex programs in web browsers, offering performance comparable to native computer applications. In the context of Web3, the Wasm Virtual Machine serves as a runtime for blockchains like NEAR and Polkadot, differing from the Ethereum Virtual Machine.

Scalability And Decentralization Boost?

Per the announcement, in the future, an in-development interop layer will allow chains to join a unified ecosystem of Layer 2 solutions deployed through Polygon CDK. 

This ecosystem will encompass alternative layer-1 chains, EVM layer-2 solutions, and Wasm chains, providing interoperability and defragmentation of liquidity across different chains.

Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of NEAR Protocol, expressed optimism about the collaboration, emphasizing that it will bring the benefits of zero-knowledge proofs not only to NEAR but to the entire Web3 ecosystem. Polosukhin stated:

We are very excited to work with Polygon Labs to bring all the benefits of zero-knowledge proofs not just to NEAR but all of Web3. NEAR is integrating more with Ethereum by innovating in new research frontiers, and the shared expertise of these two teams will bring a much-needed expansion of the ZK landscape and defragmentation of liquidity across chains. And by creating and using the zkWasm prover, NEAR will also improve the scalability and decentralization of the NEAR L1.

Overall, the collaboration between Polygon Labs and the NEAR Foundation holds significant implications for both protocols. Integrating the zkWasm prover will enhance the capabilities of Polygon CDK, providing developers with more options in building “custom blockchains.” 

Additionally, it will bring NEAR Protocol closer to Ethereum, expanding its interoperability and liquidity opportunities. 

Polygon

As of the latest update, MATIC, the native token of Polygon, is on the verge of reaching the $0.800 level, a milestone that has not been attained since July. The token currently trades at $0.7903, showcasing a noteworthy upward trajectory. 

This positive movement is further bolstered by an impressive 11% uptrend recorded over the past 24 hours. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

NEAR Token Lights Up: 22% Price Surge In Seven Days, Network Activity Skyrockets By 350%

NEAR Protocol, a Blockchain Operating System (BOS), demonstrated notable growth in the third quarter of 2023, defying the challenging conditions of the overall cryptocurrency market. 

According to a recent report by Messari, key metrics for NEAR Protocol surged significantly over the past month, buoyed by recent price increases across the crypto market.

Surge In Transactions Drives Revenue Growth For NEAR

Per the report, despite a moderate downturn in the crypto market, with XRP and Grayscale facing court rulings in their favor, NEAR Protocol showcased resilience. The total crypto market capitalization dipped by 5.8%, with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) experiencing declines of 7.5% and 10.0% respectively. 

Within this context, NEAR’s circulating market capitalization decreased by 14% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) to $1.08 billion, while its fully diluted market capitalization decreased by 17% QoQ to $1.12 billion. 

NEAR

Nevertheless, NEAR Protocol maintained its position as the 40th largest crypto protocol by market capitalization by the end of the quarter.

One of the highlights in Q3 ’23 for the protocol was the revenue growth, which increased by 9% QoQ from $98,000 to $108,000. The average transaction fee remained at a low $0.001 throughout the quarter.

Regarding network activity, NEAR recorded substantial growth in addresses during Q3 ’23. Active addresses increased by 350% QoQ, reaching 260,000 daily active addresses, while new addresses saw a 274% QoQ increase, totaling 51,000 daily new addresses. 

This growth was primarily fueled by the launch of KAIKAINOW, NEAR’s leading application, and supported by contributions from the Web3 health and fitness app, Sweat Economy, and Aurora, a solution that allows the execution of Ethereum contracts in a “more performant environment” in the NEAR ecosystem.

TVL Drops To $52 Million In Q3 2023

According to Messari, NEAR’s Total Value Locked (TVL) experienced a 13% QoQ decrease, amounting to $52 million by the end of the quarter. NEAR ranked approximately 35th among blockchains in terms of TVL. 

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Within the NEAR Network’s TVL, NEAR’s contribution accounted for $41 million (80%), while Aurora contributed $11 million (20%).

Regarding DEX trading volume, NEAR reported an average daily volume of $1.3 million, maintaining stability compared to the previous quarter. NEAR ranked approximately 30th among DEX trading volumes.

NEAR’s stablecoin market capitalization experienced a 27% QoQ decline, primarily driven by reductions in USDC and USDT. However, the native USDC was launched on NEAR during this period, while USN, the winding-down stablecoin from Decentral Bank, remained unchanged.

NEAR Token’s Bullish Momentum Continues

Regarding price action, as observed in the 1-day chart below, NEAR Protocol’s token, NEAR, has broken a prolonged downtrend that commenced on July 20 and concluded on August 18, leading to a phase of accumulation.

NEAR

However, on October 19, the token initiated an uptrend, resulting in significant gains of 12% over the last 30 days, 22% within the fourteen-day timeframe, and 22.3% in the past week. Presently, the token continues its rally, exhibiting a 2.6% surge in the past 24 hours, bringing the current trading price to $1.23.

When considering the year-over-year period, the token remains significantly below its high in 2022, experiencing a decline of 60% over this duration. Furthermore, for NEAR to reclaim its 2023 yearly high, which stood at $2.83 and was achieved in April, the bullish momentum must persist.

It remains to be seen whether the token can sustain its current bullish momentum and establish a new yearly high, capitalizing on the rallies witnessed by the largest cryptocurrencies in the market in the upcoming months to generate further profits.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

ATOM Maintains “Market’s Biggest Mover” Tag, Sustains 4-Month High

Cosmos’ native crypto continues its bullish run up to a 40% bullish gain while other cryptos ebb and flow; NEAR follows with a multi-week high.

The native coin of Cosmos protocol, ATOM continues to move upward, hitting new highs every day. At the time of writing, the crypto is trading at $14 after briefly hitting $16 earlier today. It had hit a 4-month high of $13.92 on Thursday amidst the broader crypto market bounce back.

That was after the Wednesday dip when ATOM price dropped to just below $12. Ever since the $6 dip in the middle of June, Cosmos token (ATOM) has been on an upward gliding triangle. Notably, ATOM has broken the Relative Strength Index (RSI) barrier and briefly hit $16.

Related Reading: TA: Bitcoin Price Trims Gains, Why $20K Is The Key To Fresh Increase

As of Thursday, crypto sites were still speculating if ATOM would hit the $15 mark as it continued to rise. Most of these sites opined that it would have to break its Relative Strength Index (RSI) barrier to achieve that. According to them, this hurdle would appear as a ceiling at 63.30. 

However, ATOM cleared the barrier early this morning, trading at $16 before dropping to its current price, $14. This bullish run makes it a 40% gain ($10) within the space of 3 months.

Other Cryptos Rally in The Wake of Sell-odd On Wednesday

Additionally, this event comes alongside the wider market rallying from the ongoing massive crypto sell-off. The increasing strength of the dollar impacted crypto values negatively, causing a considerable market sell-off. This drove the price of tokens, like Ethereum Classic and  Aave, to drop dangerously. ETC dipped by 12%, while Aave dropped by 7% on Tuesday. Another crypto Celsius fell by 11% as well.

However, by Wednesday afternoon, the affected coins were on the rise once again. In fact, Aave was trading at a higher position than before the dip. Analysts traced this recovery to a sharp drop in the US dollar Index around the same time.

ATOM’s price is currently trading above $14. | Source: ATOMUSD price chart from TradingView.com
NEAR Protocol Is Not Left Out In The Bullish Run

Another remarkable protocol amid these market movements is the NEAR network which reached a multi-week high coinciding with ATOM’s surge. Still, the NEAR token didn’t break its own hurdle remaining in the same $5 range. The token is currently trading at $4.55, according to data from Tradingview. 

Related Reading: Bitcoin Takes A Blow After It Falls Below $22,000, Any Chances For A Bull Run

Nonetheless, COSMOS’ ATOM remains the “Biggest Mover” on the market at the moment. Amidst market volatility, the token continues to make significant headway. While other cryptos struggle with volatility from the rising US dollar index, the crypto has hit a 4-month high. As a result, ATOM has earned applause from numerous crypto sites.

Featured image from Pixabay and chart from TradingView.com

NEAR Price Could Drop To $3 If This Bearish Pattern Continues

Since its launch in October 2020, the NEAR token has endured adversity. With the current market at one of its lowest point in history, NEAR could become a bit flaky.

A number of analysts forecast an entirely bearish future for the token. The coin has oscillated near the $3.75 support line and even attempted to escape the bearish market.

The coin attempted to break out of its more recent low of $4.16 with a rally to $4.51, according to data from Coingecko. This upswing is one of the most recent bullish attempts to overcome the $4.44 resistance.

NEAR Price Hounded By Massive Sell-Off

A $4.4 long-rejection candle supports the completion of the previously described bearish pattern. With continued selling, the NEAR price will fall 7% to breach the $3.75 support level.

The price of NEAR token has decreased by almost 90 percent from its recent high of $4.51 to its current price of $4.02.

Also, the coin experienced a massive liquidation between $4.18 and $4.02. This can be interpreted as Wednesday’s sudden surge in trading volume.

Even though the market has been extremely bearish recently, the coin’s future may still be favorable.

Contrarily, if the NEAR price recovers from the $3.75 level, that could indicate buyers are active at this price and the market is setting up for another attempt to break through the $4.75 resistance.

Crypto Can Still Break Impasse

In light of the fact that the coin’s value has recently increased, this interpretation may be correct.

The market’s reaction seemed counterintuitive to the developing situation. The coin is still oscillating in the $4.11 spectrum, far above the support line at $3.75.

The current sell pressure in the market may be partially counteracted by the recent surge in trading volume and subsequent price stability. Recent trader behavior suggests that NEAR’s full potential is still within reach.

Meanwhile, bearish market sentiment will give NEAR’s investors and traders another chance to try and break the impasse at some point in the future.

NEAR total market cap at $3.09 billion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com
Featured image from Telegaon, chart from TradingView.com