Is it a good time to buy NEAR Protocol?

Is it a good time to invest in the NEAR Protocol? Given the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, what factors should I consider when making this decision? Are there any recent developments or announcements that might influence the price movement of NEAR? How does the NEAR Protocol compare to other similar cryptocurrencies in terms of scalability, security, and adoption? What is the current market sentiment towards NEAR, and how might this affect its future performance? Could you provide some insights into the NEAR Protocol's potential use cases and the industry trends that might drive its growth?