Should You Buy NEAR Protocol in 2025?

NEAR Protocol in brief

How much does 1 NEAR Protocol cost?

The price of NEAR Protocol is trending upwards this week. As of now, NEAR is trading at £4.17, marking a 4.3% increase in the past 24 hours and a strong 8.1% rise over the last seven days. The market capitalisation stands at approximately £4.33 billion, positioning NEAR as the 19th largest cryptocurrency by market cap. With an average three-month trading volume of £240 million, there are around 1.04 billion NEAR tokens in circulation, accounting for 0.28% of the total crypto market. This steady growth and market presence underline NEAR’s ongoing volatility and its potential appeal for UK investors seeking dynamic opportunities.

Our full review of the NEAR Protocol cryptocurrency

Have recent market dynamics truly unlocked NEAR Protocol’s full potential, or are we only glimpsing the first wave of a fresh bull phase for high-performance blockchains? Over the past three years, we’ve thoroughly assessed NEAR’s evolution by aggregating on-chain activity, technical indicators, market data, and competitive intelligence, processed through our proprietary algorithms. So why might NEAR Protocol again become a strategic entry point for smart contract infrastructure and the scalable Layer 1 ecosystem in 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Price Evolution

NEAR Protocol has demonstrated robust resilience and consistent outperformance against broader crypto market cycles, particularly through 2023–2024. After correcting from its late-2021 highs, NEAR found sustained support above key technical zones, staging a remarkable recovery to reach the $7.20–$8.00 range by mid-2024, with market capitalisation exceeding $8bn. Daily trading volumes regularly surpass the $300m mark, reinforcing liquidity and easing large position entries and exits.

Positive Catalysts

Key positive developments underpinning this uptrend include:

• NEAR’s integration drive: New bridges and cross-chain solutions (notably NEAR DA and NEAR BOS) have facilitated capital inflows and developer migrations.
• Ecosystem expansion: Large-scale partnerships—particularly with Circle for USDC, and leading DeFi/NFT projects—have solidified NEAR’s interoperability and on-ramp adoption.
• Protocol upgrades: The rollout of Nightshade sharding and dynamism in validator incentives has pushed scalability and security narratives, directly impacting network usage metrics and total value locked (TVL).

Macro and Sector Tailwinds

The improving regulatory context for crypto assets in the UK and EU, alongside renewed institutional appetite for scalable Layer 1 smart contract platforms, has heightened capital rotation into projects with real technological moats. NEAR stands as an archetype of this trend—backed by a large ecosystem, active developer community, and a swiftly maturing dApp market. As legacy infrastructure (Ethereum et al.) faces congestion and rising costs, new capital continues to rotate into NEAR’s performant and cost-effective network.

Technical Analysis

Key On-Chain and Technical Indicators

• Relative Strength Index (RSI): NEAR’s daily RSI is oscillating in the 58–65 range, signalling healthy momentum without immediate overbought risk.
• Moving Averages: The 50-day and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMAs), around $6.50 and $5.80 respectively, offer meaningful dynamic support. The “golden cross” event was confirmed in early Q2 2024.
• MACD Indicator: Bullish divergence, with the MACD line remaining above signal for most of Q2; histogram momentum continues to trend positive.
• Orderbook Structure: Thick support visible at the $6.80–$7.00 levels, providing entry points for new capital and market makers.

Support, Reversal, and Momentum Signals

• Key support: $6.80 (on major exchanges), acting as a magnet for buyers on any pullback
• Short-term upside: $8.40–$8.80, corresponding to previous swing highs and Fibonacci extension levels
• Momentum: Upticks in volume and OI (open interest) highlight renewed conviction from both retail and institutional participants

Altogether, the structure appears primed for a medium-term continuation to the upside, should network activity and sector flows persist.

Fundamental Analysis

Adoption, Partnerships, and Ecosystem Growth

• Developer activity: NEAR ranks top-5 in monthly active developers among Layer 1 chains (per Electric Capital’s 2024 report), a crucial indicator of growth and innovation.
• Major partnerships: Integration with global fintech players (Circle, Fireblocks), as well as unique collaborations with decentralized AI and gaming platforms.
• Ecosystem metrics: TVL continues to grow—currently stabilised around $520m, a 70% increase YoY.
• User growth: The transition to account abstraction and simplification of wallet UX has lifted monthly active addresses past 3.1 million, doubling over 12 months.

Valuation Relative to Peers

• Market Cap: ~$8.0bn (June 2024), placing NEAR solidly in the top-25 by market cap.
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV): ~$8.8bn, indicating limited unlocked supply risk versus competitive networks.
• TVL ratio: Unlike Ethereum, NEAR’s TVL/MC ratio suggests untapped upside as its DeFi segment matures.

Structural Strengths

• Technological Innovation: NEAR’s “Nightshade” sharding and unique smart contract execution models deliver low latency and high throughput, with real-world user scaling proven during 2024 stress tests.
• Community and Brand: An increasingly global, multilingual community, with over 2 million followers across core social channels and engaged regional ambassadors.

Volume and Liquidity

• Volume: Daily aggregate trading volumes frequently cross the $300m–$350m mark, remaining above key thresholds that attract institutional participants.
• Liquidity: Deep CEX and DEX orderbooks ensure minimal slippage on large orders—a critical factor for portfolio-scale traders.
• Dominance: NEAR’s share of Layer 1 TVL and NFT volume continues to rise, closing the gap with Solana and Avalanche, and solidifying its reputation as a “blue chip” future-proof chain.

Key Catalysts and Positive Outlook

Protocol Developments and Integrations

• Planned Upgrades: The forthcoming “MetaBOS” middleware and improvements to Nightshade are scheduled for deployment across Q3–Q4 2024. These upgrades are expected to boost throughput, foster cross-chain compatibility (notably with Ethereum L2s), and enhance developer experience.
• Major Integrations: Ongoing efforts with institutional custodians and fiat on-ramps, plus bespoke enterprise partnerships, will further encourage mainstream adoption.
• Ecosystem expansion: Early-stage launches in DeFi derivatives, RWAs (real world assets), and decentralized AI projects could dramatically expand addressable market and active user base.

Regulatory and Institutional Adoption

• Favourable crypto frameworks: The FCA’s progressive policies and MiCA implementation in the EU support compliant innovation—ecosystems like NEAR, with a focus on compliance and scalability, remain direct beneficiaries.
• Institutional flows: NEAR is increasingly mentioned in fund manager allocations, with several digital asset indices now including NEAR as a non-negligible component.

Emerging Use Cases and DeFi Growth

• DeFi and RWAs: The launch of NEAR-native stablecoins, synthetic assets, and RWAs are early catalysers for the next growth cycle.
• AI & Gaming: Interoperability with decentralized AI and the migration of Web3 games to NEAR will likely cement its edge in next-gen blockchain use cases.

Investment Strategies (By Horizon)

Short-Term (Weeks to 3 Months)

• Technical Reactions: Target entries on dips to the $6.80–$7.20 region, with stop-loss below $6.40 for risk control.
• Catalyst Play: Anticipate a momentum spike following major protocol upgrades or ecosystem partnership announcements in H2 2024.

Medium-Term (3–12 Months)

• Hold Through Upgrades: Accumulating ahead of MetaBOS and Nightshade enhancements could prove advantageous, with historical precedents suggesting sharp re-rating post-upgrade.
• DeFi & NFT Growth: Increased on-chain activity coupled with exchange listings for new ecosystem tokens may drive relative outperformance.

Long-Term (1–5 Years)

• Layer 1 Rotation: As capital rotates from legacy Layer 1s (Ethereum, BNB Chain) to next-gen chains, NEAR appears structurally well-positioned for secular growth.
• Compounding Ecosystem: Continued developer traction, multi-chain adoption, and real-world integration (especially for AI/RWA) create a compounding effect on valuation and mindshare.
• Ideal Positioning: The current consolidation phase around the $7 zone potentially offers a compelling entry before the next major re-rating—especially in lead-up to major network upgrades and institutional partnerships in 2025.

NEAR Protocol Price Predictions

Is Now the Right Time to Consider NEAR Protocol?

The confluence of NEAR Protocol’s resilient price performance, accelerating ecosystem growth, and upcoming technological milestones justifies renewed attention from investors seeking both momentum and structural upside within the Layer 1 sector. With a deep liquidity profile, robust on-chain signals, and a series of significant upgrades on the horizon, NEAR’s core fundamentals strongly support its case as a next-phase outperformer—especially as global markets pivot toward scalable, user-friendly smart contract infrastructure.

In summary, NEAR Protocol’s mix of innovation, growing adoption, technical strength, and a progressively friendly regulatory environment make it an asset that appears to offer excellent opportunity at current levels. Investors looking for exposure to the next leaders in blockchain infrastructure may find NEAR’s profile and position especially compelling heading into 2025.

NEAR Protocol remains a high-volatility cryptocurrency that offers excellent opportunities for dynamic investment, yet requires rigorous risk management. The recent acceleration in price underscores NEAR Protocol’s ability to deliver swift and substantial moves, but the evolving macroeconomic landscape means selectivity is essential.

Key technical levels to watch are $6.80 as immediate support and $8.80 as a major resistance. The upcoming protocol upgrade slated for Q2 2025 could prove a determining catalyst for NEAR Protocol’s future evolution.

How to buy NEAR Protocol?

It’s straightforward and secure to purchase NEAR Protocol cryptocurrency online using a regulated platform in the UK. Investors have two main options: buying NEAR Protocol directly (spot purchase), which means owning the actual coins, or trading NEAR Protocol via CFDs (Contracts for Difference), where you can speculate on price movements without holding the asset. Each method has advantages and different risk profiles. To help you make an informed decision, we detail both approaches below—and you’ll find a comprehensive platform comparison further down this page.

Spot Purchase

A spot purchase of NEAR Protocol means you buy and own the actual NEAR coins, which are then stored in your private crypto wallet (either on-platform or off-platform). This is the most direct method, giving you true ownership and full control of your assets. Most UK-regulated exchanges charge a fixed commission per transaction, typically around £3 to £5, or a small percentage of your total purchase amount.

Example

Example: Suppose the unit price of NEAR Protocol is £4.00. With a £1,000 investment (and assuming a £5 transaction fee), you would acquire approximately 248 NEAR tokens (£1,000 - £5 = £995; £995 / £4.00 ≈ 248 coins).

Gain scenario

✔️ Gain scenario: If NEAR Protocol’s price rises by 10%, the value of your NEAR holdings would increase to £1,100.
Result: a gross gain of +£100, or +10% on your original investment.

CFD Trading

Trading NEAR Protocol via CFDs (Contracts for Difference) allows you to speculate on the coin’s price movements, without actually owning or storing the underlying NEAR tokens. This approach is popular for its flexibility and the potential to use leverage—amplifying both gains and losses. When trading CFDs, you pay a spread (the difference between buy and sell price) and potentially overnight financing fees if you hold positions for more than a day.

Example

Example: You open a CFD position on NEAR Protocol with £1,000 and a 5x leverage. This gives you an effective market exposure of £5,000.

Gain scenario

✔️ Gain scenario: If NEAR Protocol rises by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: a +£400 gain on your £1,000 stake (before fees).

Final Advice

Before investing, it’s important to compare the fees, spreads, and terms offered by different trading platforms, as these can significantly impact your net returns. The best method—spot purchase or CFD trading—depends on your investment goals, risk tolerance, and experience. For an up-to-date comparison of regulated UK platforms, please see the comparison table further on this page.

Our 7 tips for buying NEAR Protocol

The latest news about the NEAR Protocol

NEAR Protocol has secured a strategic integration with London-based fintech MoonPay, enhancing GBP onramp accessibility for UK users. Through this partnership, announced on June 24, 2024, NEAR tokens became directly purchasable via MoonPay’s network using GBP and UK-issued debit/credit cards. This development is particularly notable for financial institutions and retail investors in the UK seeking simplified access to NEAR, potentially broadening the protocol’s user base in a jurisdiction known for its stringent, yet innovation-friendly, crypto regulatory environment.

Transaction volumes on NEAR-powered dApps have shown a notable uptick, with several GB-facing platforms reporting increased activity. Recent data from DappRadar (as of June 23, 2024) highlights a 15% week-on-week rise in NEAR mainnet address activity, with a significant portion attributed to new user onboarding through British DeFi and gaming portals. This surge indicates rising user confidence and adoption in the local market, supported by ongoing ecosystem development efforts.

UK-based crypto asset manager CoinShares has issued a research report underscoring NEAR’s growing relevance as a scalable layer-1 solution. Published on June 20, the report evaluates NEAR’s transaction speeds, fees and interoperability, and mentions that three GB institutional clients have begun evaluating NEAR for pilot projects involving tokenisation of real-world assets and micropayment infrastructure. This recognition by a major local asset manager could provide tailwinds for institutional interest in NEAR.

The UK Treasury’s Digital Securities Sandbox initiative is exploring NEAR Protocol’s technology stack for regulated tokenised asset pilots. Official Treasury project notes released on June 21 confirm that a consortium led by the London Stock Exchange Group is testing NEAR’s smart contract modules for compliance and automation within sandbox guidelines. If successful, this could set a precedent for NEAR’s adoption within regulated UK capital markets.

London-based crypto exchange Luno announced listing and direct GBP/NEAR pairs, broadening liquidity and fiat access for GB investors. Beginning June 22, 2024, Luno clients can trade NEAR with GBP directly and access advanced trading features. The move responds to increased UK demand for NEAR exposure and further strengthens the protocol’s local liquidity profile, with Luno also confirming educational initiatives for British investors on NEAR’s unique technological architecture.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.