As October enters its final stretch, three assets have separated from the broader market: NEAR Protocol, Cardano, and Zcash. While many digital assets struggled to hold gains during recent swings, these tokens attracted attention through distinct catalysts including institutional demand, improving network activity, whale accumulation, and a major protocol upgrade.
NEAR Protocol has been one of the strongest performers among large-cap cryptocurrencies. The token gained nearly 8% in a single day and more than 11% over the week, with year-to-date gains surpassing 245%. Price has advanced sharply since September, climbing from below $2 to above $5. A key driver is the launch of the first U.S. spot NEAR ETF, which creates direct buying pressure because ETF creations require purchasing NEAR. Growth around NEAR Intents and rising interest in AI-related blockchain projects have further strengthened market confidence.
Cardano has delivered one of the strongest recoveries among major cryptocurrencies this week. After reaching a multi-month high near $0.28, ADA faced heavy selling and briefly fell to $0.23 before buyers returned. Notably, daily active addresses increased while ADA declined, creating a divergence that often signals improving demand. Large holders also added to positions. Sentiment was supported by Cardano's RealFi initiative, a Mastercard partnership, and a proposal aimed at reducing network fees.
Zcash is attracting attention ahead of its NU7 upgrade, scheduled for activation on 20 October. The upgrade introduces faster shielded transactions, infrastructure improvements for future development, and a sustainability feature designed to support long-term network security. In addition, the Winklevoss twins highlighted Zcash's privacy features at TOKEN2049, increasing visibility for privacy-focused assets amid mixed market conditions. Gemini's original tweet underscored the growing institutional conversation around privacy assets.
