NEAR Protocol (NEAR) has experienced a significant 11% price surge in 24 hours, propelled by the launch of its AI-powered super app, Near.com, and the unveiling of a new 'User-Owned AI' framework. The altcoin entered the top 10 trending tokens as traders anticipated these major AI-centric updates.
The price action saw NEAR break out of a sideways consolidation range between $0.946 and $1.095. A Break of Structure (BOS) occurred at $1.028, leading to a rally that peaked at $1.26. This move executed a liquidity sweep worth $11.253 million, representing a 30% increase from the recent low of $0.963. Analysts now eye the $1.30 to $1.35 zone as the next potential target, contingent on a successful retest of the breakout level above $1.095.
The catalyst for the surge is twofold. First, the February 2026 launch of Near.com, an all-in-one crypto super app designed to bridge traditional finance and blockchain. It features seamless cross-chain swaps across over 35 blockchains, an AI-powered wallet for personalized services, and a 'Confidential Mode' that uses trusted execution environments (TEEs) for private transactions. The app aims to simplify crypto adoption, targeting a key barrier for new users.
Second, at NEARCON 2026, co-founder Illia Polosukhin unveiled 'User-Owned AI' for the ecosystem. This new layer, called "Confidential Intents," enables private cross-chain transactions and protects users from MEV bots, frontrunning, and position exposure. This expansion into an agent-driven market emphasizes user safety and economic control.
Market sentiment reacted strongly, with social sentiment metrics hitting 100% positive. Fundamentals also improved, with Near Intents seeing a weekly trading volume of $442.1 million and a 24-hour peak of $88.628 million. Monthly volume and fees increased by 11% and 10%, respectively. However, metrics showed a slight contraction, with monthly and daily active users decreasing by 3% and 8%.
The broader context includes anticipation for Nvidia's Q4 2025 earnings report, historically a catalyst for rallies in the AI-crypto sector. NEAR, with its focus on scalability via its Nightshade sharding technology and a Total Value Locked (TVL) exceeding $350 million, is positioning itself as a leader in the convergence of AI and blockchain.
