NEAR Price Prediction: Near Protocol Eyes $4 as Bulls Take Control

Highlights:

• NEAR is making a second attempt at the $3.17 resistance
• Attempt at resistance comes on the day NEAR is having a network upgrade
• Rally through resistance could push NEAR to $4 short-term

Near Protocol (NEAR) is one of the top cryptocurrency performers in the last 24 hours. In this period, NEAR has rallied by 9.54% to trade at $3.11. Besides the rising prices, NEAR trading volumes are also on the rise during the day. When writing, NEAR trading volumes stood at $377.7 million, up by 3.97% in the day. 

This is a strong bullish signal as it means that even as the price goes up, investor interest in NEAR is rising as well. If the current momentum continues, NEAR could keep outperforming the other top 100 cryptocurrencies going into the foreseeable future. There are a couple of factors that support the ongoing NEAR rally now and going into the future. 

Network Upgrade Driving Excitement Around NEAR

The primary driver of the current NEAR price rally is the network upgrade that is taking place today. The upgrade is such a big deal that it is being supported by some of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, key among them being Binance.

Usually, network upgrades come with challenges, including bugs and transaction delays. However, NEAR has planned its upgrade so well that it is expected to go on smoothly, something that has won the confidence of investors. For instance, Binance has made clear announcements on what will happen during the upgrade to avoid any surprises for investors.

Binance will support the Near Protocol (NEAR) Network Upgrade & Hard Fork.

👉 https://t.co/8xL1dDoqKF

— Binance (@binance) September 19, 2025

They have stated that they will suspend all deposits and withdrawals of NEAR from 00:00 UTC on the 23rd of September. This is an hour ahead of the planned upgrade and aims to ensure a smooth flow of the whole process. It also points to prudent risk management as network reorganizations of this manner impact everything from validator software, node consensus, to wallet operations. The meticulous planning involved has given NEAR a boost, one that could see the price keep going up in the short to medium term. 

Chart Analysts Point to A Bullish Market Structure for NEAR

NEAR is also pushing higher because chart analysts are pointing to its price action as being inclined more on the bullish side. For context, despite the recent market weakness, analysts point out that NEAR’s relative strength index stands at 53. This is a neutral reading, a positive thing given that the broader market has been weak recently.

$NEAR has been quietly building strength!

On the weekly timeframe, price is consolidating in a 231-day accumulation zone, forming a clean double bottom at higher volume.

Accumulation this long rarely goes unnoticed. It often precedes expansion, and with @NEARProtocol ecosystem… https://t.co/oqFZu2WRnR pic.twitter.com/Qr41PhEErZ

— CryptoBusy (@CryptoBusy) September 22, 2025

Analysts also point to the moving averages, where NEAR is standing above several long-term moving averages, namely the 20, 50, and 200 moving averages. This is a sign of underlying strength and could see NEAR keep going higher in the short term.  

The Macro Environment Favors A NEAR Rally

The macro environment also supports a Near Protocol rally. The US recently cut interest rates, and this has given a liquidity boost to the financial markets. Even better is that analysts expect one more rate cut before the end of the year. This is likely to keep the momentum up across all risk-on assets for the remainder of the year. For cryptocurrencies like NEAR, which are already sending strong bullish momentum, this could mean a rally to new highs in the short to medium term.

Markets price a 75.4% chance the Fed cuts rates to 3.50% – 3.75% by the Dec. 10 meeting. pic.twitter.com/HLO3r5VTyu

— CryptoGoos (@crypto_goos) September 23, 2025

Technical Analysis – NEAR Price Pushing Towards A Critical Resistance Level

NEAR is currently gaining upside momentum and making a second attempt at the $3.17 resistance after failing at it on September 20. If bulls garner enough momentum and push NEAR through the $3.17 resistance, then a rally to $4, or higher, could follow in the short term. 

On the other hand, if bulls fail at the $3.17 resistance, two scenarios could play out. The first is a possible consolidation around the $3.17 resistance. The second is a possible correction that could see NEAR drop to the $2.34 support in the short term. Of these scenarios, a rally through the $3.17 resistance seems more likely as bulls are gaining momentum already, thanks to hype around the network upgrade.