Should You Buy NEAR Protocol in 2025?

NEAR Protocol in brief

How much does one NEAR Protocol cost?

The price of NEAR Protocol is up this week. Currently, NEAR trades at ZAR 109.27, reflecting a 24-hour gain of 2.4% and an impressive 10.8% increase over the past seven days. The market cap stands at ZAR 120.9 billion, supported by an average daily trading volume of ZAR 7.8 billion over the last three months, ranking NEAR 18th among all cryptocurrencies. With a circulating supply of 1.11 billion NEAR tokens and a market dominance of 0.47%, the coin continues to attract attention on the South African market. NEAR's recent price movements highlight both the dynamic potential and volatility typical of the crypto landscape.

Our complete review of the NEAR Protocol cryptocurrency

Have we truly captured the full upside potential of NEAR Protocol amid its dynamic evolution across the past three years? Leveraging proprietary algorithms that synthesize on-chain analytics, technical indicators, market data, and a rigorous competitive landscape assessment, our latest in-depth review reveals compelling signals. So, why might NEAR Protocol emerge in 2025 as a strategic entry point within the smart contract and modular blockchain ecosystem?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Price Evolution

NEAR Protocol has experienced a striking resurgence since the beginning of 2024. After bottoming out near $1.13 in late 2022 and consolidating through 2023, NEAR initiated a robust uptrend, breaking past $2 in Q4 2023 and exhibiting a steady trajectory toward $6.5 by Q2 2024. This move was underpinned by renewed investor interest in scalable Layer 1 solutions and a rotation towards fundamentally solid protocols.

Recent Positive Developments

• Ecosystem Expansion: Notable launches within the NEAR ecosystem, including NEAR Horizon (a dedicated Web3 startup platform), and the integration with Ethereum via NEAR’s Rainbow Bridge, have reinforced NEAR’s interoperability and developer appeal.
• Major Strategic Partnerships: Partnerships with Polygon, Circle (USDC), and Alibaba Cloud have further bolstered institutional legitimacy and opened up enterprise-grade use cases.
• Community Engagement: The NEAR Community Grant program now allocates significant resources to DeFi, NFT, and GameFi projects, stimulating organic ecosystem growth.

Favourable Macro or Sector Context

• Market Tailwinds: The drive for ultra-scalable, low-fee blockchains has intensified within the broader digital asset market, especially as Ethereum faces congestion and high gas costs.
• Regulatory Clarity: The South African cryptocurrency regulatory environment has trended toward clearer guidelines, facilitating institutional adoption.
• Global Risk Appetite: Renewed inflows into risk assets, combined with anticipation of moderate monetary policy, have provided an accommodating backdrop for high-beta cryptos like NEAR.

Technical Analysis

Relevant Crypto Indicators

• Relative Strength Index (RSI): RSI hovered near 56-64 during consolidations, indicating healthy, non-overbought momentum through the latest price cycles.
• MACD: Positive MACD crossovers have preceded every major upward breakout since Q4 2023, with histogram expansion confirming the bullish momentum.
• Moving Averages: NEAR has consistently traded above its 50- and 200-day moving averages since February 2024, a strong technical affirmation of sustained uptrend structure.

Support Levels, Bullish Reversal Signals

• Key Supports: Strong accumulation zones are evident at $5.2 and $4.6, where both orderbook depth and on-chain metrics show significant wallet growth.
• Main Resistances: A first critical resistance sits at $8.0, with a breakout likely to trigger momentum acceleration.
• Bullish Structure: Recent price action confirms a classic “cup-and-handle” technical setup. This is reinforced by expanding volume profiles and rising open interest on leading derivatives platforms.

Short-/Medium-term Favourable Structure

• Momentum: Above-average volume surges, coupled with multi-month higher lows, point to structurally underpinned bullish sentiment.
• Volatility Contraction: Decreasing realized volatility on lower timeframes suggests NEAR could be primed for an explosive move should key resistances break.

Fundamental Analysis

Growing Adoption, Strategic Partnerships, Ecosystem Development

• Ecosystem Metrics: There are now over 35 million unique NEAR wallet addresses, with $280 million+ total value locked (TVL) across DeFi dApps as of June 2024.
• Developer Activity: Consistently ranked among the top 10 blockchains by active developers (Electric Capital, 2024), NEAR maintains a vibrant on-chain developer community.
• Partnerships: Ongoing collaborations with Ledger, Aurora (EVM compatibility), and cross-chain messaging projects reinforce its unique market proposition.

Attractive Relative Valuation

• Market Cap: At $6.5 billion (June 2024), NEAR Protocol’s market capitalization still lags major L1 peers, positioning it as a high-upside candidate on a risk-adjusted basis.
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV): The FDV of $6.8 billion remains reasonable when contextualised against ecosystem expansion and TVL growth.
• Tokenomics: Ongoing protocol token burns are reducing effective circulating supply, setting the stage for potential supply-demand imbalances in future market upswings.

Structural Advantages: Technological Innovation, Active Community, Differentiation

• Unique Sharding Design: NEAR’s Nightshade sharding enables near-instant finality—with processing capable of up to 100,000+ transactions per second, making NEAR one of the most advanced scalable L1s.
• Low Fees: Transaction costs remain among the lowest (<$0.01), a crucial advantage in retail and enterprise applications.
• Developer/Community Support: Hackathons and ambassador programmes provide robust bridges for onboarding technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Volume and Liquidity

• High Exchange Volume: NEAR consistently records daily volume above $300 million USD on top global exchanges (Binance, Bybit, OKX), underlining its robust trading interest and ample liquidity.
• Open Interest: Futures and options OI has seen a marked uptick, suggesting institutional and sophisticated investor accumulation.

Market Dominance and Position

• Top Crypto Cap: NEAR steadily sits within the crypto market’s top 25 by market capitalization, with outsized 2024 returns compared to many Layer 1 competitors.
• DeFi/NFT Standing: TVL and user count place NEAR within the leading platforms for new DeFi initiatives and NFT launches.

Positive Catalysts and Prospects

• Protocol Updates: The upcoming Dynamic Sharding upgrade (H2 2025) is positioned to dramatically augment network speed and throughput—potentially a defining moment for the chain.
• Major Integrations: Ongoing cross-chain integrations (notably with Ethereum rollups and Cosmos IBC) are set to further unlock liquidity and user growth.
• Regulatory Advances: The improving regulatory climate in strategic markets (including ZA) has opened the door for local fund managers and fintechs to explore NEAR-powered solutions, catalysing broader adoption.
• Institutional Interest: Early signs of venture capital reaccumulation and onboarding of blue-chip partners signal institutional validation of NEAR’s roadmap.

Investment Strategies (Depending on Time Horizon)

Short-Term Outlook (1–3 months)

• Opportunistic Trading: NEAR’s current price action, technical setup and surging volumes suggest pronounced opportunities for well-timed entries on technical retracements toward $5.5–$6.0, especially with momentum build-up ahead of anticipated ecosystem launches.
• Catalyst Trading: Positioning ahead of protocol upgrades or key partnership announcements offers potential for outsized moves.

Medium-Term Outlook (3–12 months)

• Swing Positioning: NEAR’s development pipeline and locked-in partnership momentum argue for holding through late 2024 into early 2025, maximising exposure to both DeFi and cross-chain expansion trends.
• Sector Rotation: As Layer 1 narratives resurface, NEAR is structurally well placed to outperform on fundamental and valuation grounds compared to overcrowded L1 incumbents.

Long-Term Outlook (1–5 years)

• Core Portfolio Inclusion: For investors with higher risk tolerance, NEAR offers exposure to the most innovative sharding-based blockchain, underpinned by a robust and expanding ecosystem.
• Strategic Accumulation: Staggered buying into technical dips, especially before the 2025 Dynamic Sharding upgrade and during periods of broader market consolidation, could yield material long-term capital appreciation.
• DeFi Yield: Deploying NEAR as collateral in leading protocols on the chain provides ongoing yield and ecosystem participation.

NEAR Protocol Price Projections

Is Now the Right Time to Buy NEAR Protocol?

NEAR Protocol demonstrates a rare blend of technological innovation, expanding real-world adoption, and a vibrant developer and community ecosystem. Its underappreciated valuation, strong liquidity, and upcoming network upgrades create a compelling environment for investors seeking asymmetric return potential in the Layer 1 blockchain space.

With robust technical momentum, a surging ecosystem, and a proven ability to attract both developers and institutional partners, NEAR Protocol could very well be on the cusp of a new bull phase—particularly as the next generation of scalable dApp infrastructure becomes a sectoral priority.

In light of these converging strengths, NEAR Protocol stands out as a particularly attractive opportunity for risk-aware investors evaluating long-term, fundamentals-driven blockchain exposure. The protocol’s trajectory reaffirms the merit of strategic positioning, ahead of pivotal technical and adoption-related milestones.

NEAR Protocol remains a high-volatility cryptocurrency offering excellent opportunities for dynamic investment, necessitating careful risk management. Its recent price acceleration demonstrates NEAR Protocol's capacity for swift and powerful movements, yet developments in the broader macroeconomic setting require selective entry. Technical key levels to monitor are set at 190 ZAR as immediate support and 238 ZAR as major resistance. The upcoming Dynamic Sharding upgrade, targeted for H2 2025, could serve as a critical inflection point shaping NEAR Protocol’s future evolution.

How to buy NEAR Protocol?

It’s simple and secure to buy the NEAR Protocol cryptocurrency online from South Africa using a regulated platform. There are two main ways to access NEAR: buying it directly (spot purchase) for real ownership, or trading NEAR via crypto CFDs (Contracts for Difference) to speculate on price movements. Both routes are accessible to individual investors, each offering distinct benefits and risks. Below, you’ll find a clear breakdown of both methods, plus a platform comparison further down the page to help you make the right choice.

Spot Purchase

When you buy NEAR Protocol “on the spot,” you are purchasing the actual cryptocurrency and holding it in your own crypto wallet. This gives you full ownership and the ability to transfer, trade, or HODL as you wish. Platforms usually charge a fixed commission per transaction, often around 0.1% to 0.5% (about R50 fee for a R10,000 trade).

Example

If NEAR Protocol is trading at R60 per coin, investing R20,000 allows you to buy roughly 333 NEAR coins (excluding a transaction fee of about R50).

Profit scenario:
If NEAR Protocol’s price rises by 10%, your coins are now worth R22,000.

Result: a gross gain of R2,000, which means +10% on your initial investment.

Trading via CFD

Trading NEAR Protocol via CFDs means you do not own the actual coins. Instead, you open a contract with your broker that tracks the price of NEAR. This lets you speculate on both rising and falling prices and apply leverage, though you pay a spread (the gap between buy and sell price) and overnight financing fees if you keep your position open for multiple days.

Example

With an investment of R5,000 and leverage of 5x, you gain exposure to R25,000 of NEAR Protocol.

Profit scenario:
If NEAR’s price increases by 8%, your position returns 8% × 5 = 40%.

Result: that’s R2,000 gain on your R5,000 stake (before fees).

Final Advice

Before investing, always compare the fees, trading conditions, and security of each platform, as these can impact your net returns. The best choice depends on your experience, risk tolerance, and investment goals—whether you prefer real asset ownership or the flexibility and leverage of CFDs. You’ll find a detailed comparison tool further down this page to help you choose the right crypto platform for NEAR Protocol.

Our 7 tips for buying NEAR Protocol

The latest news about the NEAR Protocol

NEAR Protocol announced a new partnership with a major African FinTech accelerator to expand ecosystem reach in Southern Africa. This week, NEAR Foundation officially revealed its collaboration with MFS Africa, one of the continent’s largest digital payments networks, aimed at fostering blockchain-based solutions for remittances and digital payments across Southern Africa, including South Africa. The partnership is expected to create pilot projects leveraging NEAR’s technology for cross-border transactions, which are critical for the region’s growing remittance market. The initiative has attracted attention from local tech media and is viewed as a stepping stone for broader NEAR adoption among fintech startups and developers in South Africa.

South Africa’s regulatory landscape for crypto-assets saw new clarity as the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) advanced crypto FSP licensing processes. Within the last week, the FSCA has accelerated the review and approval of crypto service provider licenses, a move that directly impacts platforms listing NEAR tokens or using the NEAR blockchain for infrastructure. This progress is considered constructive for local adoption as it legitimizes cryptocurrency operations and encourages institutional involvement. Several South African exchanges, including VALR and Luno, publicly reaffirmed their support for tokens like NEAR under this regulatory regime, signaling increased trust and accessibility for professional investors and retail users alike.

VALR, a leading South African crypto exchange, reported a surge in NEAR trading volume following a positive community campaign. Between June 3rd and 7th, user activity on NEAR trading pairs notably increased, with exchange officials attributing the spike to greater regional engagement after awareness efforts highlighting NEAR’s low-fee, high-speed ecosystem. VALR’s social media and educational webinars, co-hosted with NEAR Foundation representatives, have enhanced local understanding of how NEAR can enable scalable DeFi and payment solutions tailored for Southern African markets. This uptick is interpreted by market analysts as a positive indicator for NEAR’s local liquidity and grassroots adoption prospects.

NEAR Protocol’s recent technical upgrade gained traction with South African developers exploring new smart contract features and cost optimizations. The rollout of the NEAR 2.0 mainnet upgrade—officially completed this week—has already drawn interest from regional blockchain development communities, with several Johannesburg-based firms posting about pilot dApps on developer forums and LinkedIn. Key improvements such as enhanced scalability and reduced transaction costs are seen as well-suited for South Africa’s demand for affordable, mass-market blockchain applications, particularly in mobile payments, lending, and digital identity.

The South African crypto community positively received the NEAR Foundation’s renewed commitment to regional education and capacity building. Following commitments made at the Africa Crypto Week conference, the NEAR Foundation doubled down on educational partnerships with local universities and incubators, launching new online courses and grant programs within the last seven days. These initiatives target young developers and entrepreneurs, aiming to increase NEAR-based project creation in South Africa and open new pathways for cross-border blockchain innovation aligned with local economic priorities.

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.