Unpacking NEAR's $11.25M Liquidity Sweep: Is $1.35 the Next Milestone?

NEAR up 11% on 'User-Owned AI' debut, Nvidia Q4 earnings: Is $1.30 next?

NEAR Protocol [NEAR] has emerged as a frontrunner in the AI sector, experiencing an 11% surge in just 24 hours, making it one of the top trending tokens. As it retests critical price levels, the focus is on whether NEAR can reach liquidity targets between $1.30 and $1.35. The exciting developments surrounding 'User-Owned AI' and strong social media sentiment further fuel optimism.

Key Takeaways

NEAR Protocol recently surged 11%, placing it among the top trending tokens.
The price is fluctuating between $0.946 and $1.095, experiencing several rejections at these levels.
A recent liquidity sweep brought $11.25 million, moving the price to $1.26.
The unveiling of 'User-Owned AI' played a significant role in positive social sentiment.
Trading volume for Near Intents hit $442.1 million over the past week, indicating robust interest.

NEAR Price Movement and Liquidity Target at $1.30

Charts reveal that NEAR's price has been moving sideways, oscillating between $0.946 and $1.095, with each level facing rejections on multiple occasions. However, the recent overnight strength in altcoins suggests that this resistance could be challenged.

Analysis of the 4-hour chart indicates that a Break of Structure (BOS) occurred at $1.028 due to significant buying pressure just below this level. This momentum propelled the price to reach $1.26, where it picked up $11.253 million in liquidity. Following this liquidity sweep, which marked a 30% increase from the previous low of $0.963, NEAR is currently pulling back toward liquidity above its recent trading range.

As NEAR retests the breakout level, confirmation could push it toward liquidity between $1.30 and $1.35. Failing that, the price may revert to a consolidation phase.

NEAR Near Protocol
Source: NEAR/USDT on TradingView

Social sentiment analysis shows that NEAR is trending positively on social media, with sentiment readings hitting 100%. This spike in social dominance raises questions about the underlying factors.

Introduction of ‘User-Owned AI’

A primary catalyst behind the strong social media sentiment is the introduction of 'User-Owned AI' at NEARCON 2026. NEAR co-founder Illia Polosukhin highlighted the importance of this development for both safety and economic reasons.

The new feature, termed "Confidential Intents," allows users to conduct private cross-chain transactions. This upgrade safeguards users from issues like MEV bots, frontrunning, and exposure of positions, positioning NEAR as a competitive player in the agent-driven market while maintaining user privacy.

The crypto market's focus has also shifted towards AI-related tokens as Nvidia gears up for its Q4 2025 earnings announcement on February 26. Positive earnings reports from Nvidia in the past have historically led to sharp rallies in the sector. With this in mind, NEAR is poised to strengthen its role in the AI-crypto landscape.

Surging Trading Volume for Near Intents

The positive fundamentals have also translated into increased trading volume for Near Intents. Over the past week, the total trading volume reached an impressive $442.1 million. Within the last 24 hours, Token Terminal reported a peak volume of $88.628 million. Additionally, monthly trading volume has seen an 11% rise, with fees up by 10%.

Near ProtocolNEAR
Source: Token Terminal

Overall, these metrics suggest a bullish trend. However, it's worth noting that there has been a slight decrease in both monthly and daily active users by 3% and 8%, respectively, which contrasts with the current sentiment in the market.

Conclusion

As NEAR Protocol navigates these developments and price movements, its focus on AI integration and increasing liquidity positions it uniquely within the crypto ecosystem. Investors will be watching closely to see if NEAR can sustain its upward trend and hit new targets in the near future.