Key Insights:
- With 178% upside in a month, analysts see more growth ahead for the NEAR price from here.
- NEAR’s dollar-denominated open interest rose 119% while funding reached 1.6 times its two-month median.
- Bitwise’s NEAR ETF was approved for listing on NYSE Arca under ticker NRR.
Following an extended September rally, the NEAR price hovered near $4.50 on Sept. 26. CoinMarketCap data indicated the token had gained roughly 3.5% over the span of 24 hours and about 145% over 30 days, bringing its market capitalization to approximately $5.88 billion.
This upward movement coincided with expanding derivatives positioning and Bitwise’s progress on its U.S. NEAR exchange-traded fund. Shares of the Bitwise NEAR ETF received approval from NYSE Arca for listing under the ticker NRR, designed to offer direct NEAR exposure alongside staking rewards.
NEAR Price Rally Reaches About 145% in One Month
Much like the performance seen with ZCash, NEAR Protocol has posted an impressive 178% rally over the past month, climbing from lows of $1.82 to trade above $5.
Market specialists hold varied views on what lies ahead. While some maintain that the NEAR Protocol rally is only beginning, others anticipate a market correction before the next upward phase resumes.
Analyst Crypto Patel noted in a recent NEAR price prediction that the altcoin has already advanced 432% over the last seven months, observing that former resistance has successfully transitioned into support.
The analyst pointed to $8, $15, and $20 as upcoming potential targets for NEAR, though he also advised investors to weigh taking partial profits along the way to secure gains following the sharp price surge.
Conversely, crypto analyst Michael van de Poppe remarked that NEAR has exhibited robust price action after breaking past $5, but suggested exercising patience before opening new long positions.
Poppe pointed out that strong momentum and narratives can frequently precede market corrections, leading him to foresee a pullback in the NEAR price prior to the commencement of the next bull run phase.
For short-term traders, he mentioned that NEAR could present opportunities given its history of consistently testing clear support and resistance levels.
NEAR Protocol Follows ZCash Footsteps
As noted, the upward trajectory of NEAR mirrors the massive ZCash rally, marking NEAR as the privacy coin narrative’s second major participant. According to Santiment figures, ZCash holds the lead in this sector, with NEAR following closely.
Between September 13 and September 20—coinciding with the September 17 introduction of confidential perpetuals—the NEAR price climbed 81%. Across that identical timeframe, dollar-denominated open interest grew by 119%, and open interest denoted in NEAR increased by 21%.
Furthermore, the funding rate for NEAR Protocol climbed to 1.6 times its two-month median on September 20, with comparable surges occurring throughout that week.
Bitwise NEAR ETF Makes Way to NYSE Arca
Trading and listing approval has been granted to the Bitwise NEAR ETF on NYSE Arca under the NRR ticker symbol, marking the introduction of the initial NEAR ETF in the United States market.
NYSE Arca greenlit the application from Bitwise to list and trade the ETF shares, while the fund’s S-1 registration statement achieved effectiveness under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, with an anticipated launch in the near future.
This milestone arrives on the heels of Bitwise’s NEAR Staking ETP surpassing $100 million in assets under management. Introduced on Deutsche Börse Xetra in July 2025, that vehicle stakes its NEAR holdings with the goal of securing net staking returns near 5.5%.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Analyst targets and derivatives data do not guarantee future price performance.