NEAR Protocol Plunges to $2.23—But Analysts See a Stunning $8 Rally by 2026

NEAR Protocol just hit a brutal $2.23—but hold the obituary. Wall Street’s crypto soothsayers are whispering about a potential 260% moonshot to $8 by 2026.

Why the whiplash? The usual suspects: institutional FOMO, developer adoption, and that sweet, sweet tokenomics magic. Meanwhile, traditional finance bros are still trying to short Bitcoin with their 401(k)s.

Buckle up. This blockchain isn’t dead—it’s loading up for a comeback tour.

• NEAR Protocol is trading at $2.23, marking a 10.69% daily drop, yet wallet activity remains strong.
• Despite bearish sentiment, long-term projections range widely, from $1.80 to $8.00 by June.
• Analysts note critical support at $2.4398, with divergence between price stagnation and user growth.

NEAR Protocol (NEAR) is trading at $2.23, showing a 10.69% decrease in the last 24 hours. Despite this price dip, trading volume increased sharply, up 61.53% to $255.36 million. NEAR has lost 3.90% over the past week, and is holding around a very important technical price zone.

Crypto analyst stated that, NEAR is potentially oversold at this level, while $2.4398 is termed as critical support. Further bearish price movement can be expected if price breaks below this level, while a bounce could indicate trend change. According to forecast scenarios, NEAR Protocol could be highly volatile, reaching both $1.80 and $8.00 in the next 12 months. NEAR is expected to range between $2.50 for bearish predictions and $5.00 to test $8.00 for bullish expectations.

Active Wallets on NEAR Grow Even as Price Declines

Although price action continues to be lackluster, adoption on the NEAR Network paints a different picture. Data visualized on Thesis.io shows a stark divergence between the price decline and the steady growth of active wallets. NEAR’s price was relatively flat from mid-2020 until early 2022, after which it spiked to an all-time high of almost $20 in January 2022. That was followed by a long corrective period, stabilizing around $2.45 by mid-2025.

At the same time, the number of active wallets has been growing steadily, from almost none in 2020 to about 14% by June 2025. This shows the system is improving, probably because more people are using AI-based decentralized apps (dApps). The fact that users keep increasing even when the market is slow suggests strong real-world use and good chances for long-term growth.

NEAR Protocol Price Forecasts Show Mixed Predictions

Forecasts concerning NEAR’s future price developments remain ambiguous. According to the estimates provided by DigitalCoinPrice, there is an expectation of growth, potentially achieving $4.91 by late 2025. Furthermore, they believe that there’s, albeit, a very thin chance for it to reclaim its former peak of $20.42. In contrast, Changelly does not seem to share the same optimism, estimating a price range of $2.67-$2.69.

But the truth is, none of these predictions will come true if NEAR stays around its late 2021 price range of $2.50 to $5.00. Right now, the price is below a key support level, which could mean more short-term selling before any real recovery.

However, if adoption in the NEAR Protocol ecosystem increases, the sentiment might turn around for the better, particularly during a market slowdown. NEAR network expansion and ecosystem development may drive investor focus and, in turn, aid in NEAR’s price recovery.

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