Decoding NEAR’s $11.25M liquidity sweep: Is $1.35 the next target?

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-02-27Last updated on 2026-02-27

Abstract

NEAR Protocol surged 11% in 24 hours, leading AI-related cryptocurrencies amid anticipation around AI updates and Nvidia's upcoming Q4 2025 earnings. The price broke out of a consolidation range between $0.946 and $1.095, sweeping $11.25M in liquidity and reaching $1.26. A retest of the breakout level could propel NEAR toward the $1.30–$1.35 zone. Key drivers include the announcement of "User-Owned AI" at NEARCON 2026, emphasizing user privacy and cross-chain security. Trading volume for Near Intents reached $442.1M over the past week, though active users declined slightly. Sentiment remains strongly bullish.

Near Protocol [NEAR] led the AI sector after surging 11% in 24 hours as of press time. The altcoin also made it into the list of the top 10 trending tokens of the day as traders anticipated upcoming AI updates.

NEAR price rally eyes liquidity at $1.30

The charts showed that the altcoin was in a sideways market where it was bouncing between $0.946 and $1.095. Each of the two levels had rejected price advances three times. However, the upper resistance could not contain the overnight strength in altcoins.

The 4-hour chart showed the Break of Structure (BOS) happened at $1.028 after massive buying just below this level. This resulted in the price hitting $1.26, where it picked up liquidity worth $11.253 million.

After the liquidity sweep, which was 30% up from the low at $0.963, NEAR embarked on a pullback toward the liquidity above the range.

NEAR was now retesting the breakout, and confirmation could propel it toward liquidity between the $1.30 and $1.35 zone. Otherwise, the price may revert to the consolidation area.

Sentiment analysis affirmed how NEAR was trending on social media. The sentiment percentage was ticking strongly to the upside, with the reading at 100%. But what was behind the spike in social dominance?

NEAR unveils ‘User-Owned AI’

One of the key drivers of the social media sentiment was the unveiling of ‘User-Owned AI’ for the ecosystem at NEARCON 2026. The co-founder of NEAR, Illia Polosukhin, stressed that this was important for safety and economic purposes.

The added layer, referred to as “Confidential Intents,” allowed users to make private cross-chain transactions.

Furthermore, it protected against MEV bots, frontrunning, and position exposure. This meant that NEAR was expanding into an agent-driven market while ensuring the privacy of participants.

Meanwhile, attention has also turned to AI‐related cryptos, as Nvidia prepares to release its Q4 2025 earnings on February 26. In past instances, positive earnings reports have triggered sharp rallies in the sector.

With anticipation running high, NEAR could strengthen its position as a leader in the AI‐crypto space.

Near Intents’ trading volume explodes

Meanwhile, this surge in fundamentals spilled over to token trading volume. Over the past week, Near Intents saw a total of $442.1 million in volume.

The highest volume in the last 24 hours, according to Token Terminal, was $88.628 million. The monthly volume experienced an 11% increase, while fees experienced a 10% surge.

Altogether, the metrics were pointing toward bullish action. However, a decrease in monthly and daily active users by 3% and 8%, respectively, did not rhyme with the current sentiment.

Final Summary

  • NEAR rallies 11% from the team unveiling ‘User-Owned AI’ and the upcoming Nvidia Q4 2025 earnings.
  • NEAR price eyed $1.30 only if it successfully retested the breakout level above $1.095.

Related Questions

QWhat was the key announcement from NEAR that contributed to its recent price surge and social media sentiment?

AThe key announcement was the unveiling of 'User-Owned AI' for the ecosystem at NEARCON 2026, which includes 'Confidential Intents' for private cross-chain transactions and protection against MEV bots.

QWhat price level did NEAR break to initiate its recent rally, and how much liquidity did it sweep at $1.26?

ANEAR broke its structure at $1.028, which initiated the rally. It then swept liquidity worth $11.253 million at the $1.26 price level.

QAccording to the charts, what is the next potential price target for NEAR if it confirms the breakout?

AThe next potential price target for NEAR is the liquidity zone between $1.30 and $1.35, provided it successfully retests and confirms the breakout above the previous resistance.

QWhat external event related to the AI sector is also contributing to the bullish anticipation for NEAR?

AThe upcoming release of Nvidia's Q4 2025 earnings on February 26th is contributing to the bullish anticipation, as positive reports have historically triggered rallies in the AI-related crypto sector.

QDespite the bullish metrics, what contradictory on-chain data was mentioned regarding user activity?

ADespite the bullish metrics, there was a contradictory decrease in monthly active users by 3% and daily active users by 8%.

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