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- $NEAR surged 11.56% over the last 24 hours, fueled by AI integration and Nightshade 2.0 upgrade, outperforming broader market momentum.
- Bitwise projects $NEAR could hit $155.85, a 7,000% surge, if roadmap execution cements it as an AI-native blockchain hub.
$NEAR Protocol has recorded an 11.56% surge in the past 24 hours, placing it among the top three gainers today.
Compared to the overall crypto market, which only saw a slight 1.81% increase in the week, $NEAR’s achievement is clearly much more striking. Moreover, the trend over the past month has also remained positive, with a 30.75% increase.
This surge has led many to re-evaluate the project, which has recently been actively promoting itself as an AI-friendly blockchain.
$NEAR Powers Up with AI and Nightshade 2.0
A fresh catalyst arrived on September 16, 2025, when a partnership with Allora Network introduced a decentralized AI layer into the “Shade Agent” framework.
The goal is to provide predictive analytics for various decentralized applications (dApps). In this way, $NEAR seeks to strengthen its position as a blockchain ready to host various artificial intelligence-based solutions.
But that’s not all; another major step was taken earlier with the Nightshade 2.0 upgrade on August 18. This upgrade reduced annual inflation from 5% to 2.5%, optimized sharding to handle up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS), and introduced Chain Signatures as a cross-chain tool.
The results showed up quickly, with weekly active users climbing to 16 million and overtaking Solana, marking a clear shift in competitiveness.
Furthermore, CNF reported last July that $NEAR introduced DCML, a system that enables AI workloads to run securely within trusted enclaves.
With DCML, users can privately fine-tune models, verify results, and still earn revenue from model access without losing data ownership. This mechanism addresses the need for privacy in an era where personal data is often a vulnerable commodity.
Furthermore, Bitwise has also provided financial infrastructure support by launching the $NEAR Staking ETP on the Xetra exchange in early July. This product is designed with institutional-grade staking and cold custody integration.
Investors can enjoy a net return of 5.5% per year from staking with no lock-ups, plus daily liquidity. This kind of facility certainly opens the door wider for institutions looking to participate in the $NEAR ecosystem without the hassle of managing crypto assets traditionally.
Bitwise Shocks Market With 7,000% Price Forecast
What’s fueling the excitement is Bitwise’s latest prediction. They’ve set a seemingly wild target: the price of $NEAR could climb to $155.85, or more than 7,000% from its current level.
Analyst Renksi confirms this view by stating that if the roadmap is executed as planned, $NEAR has the potential to become a hub for AI agents, intent routing, and automated transactions. This statement certainly raises the question: is such a large prediction realistic or just wishful thinking?
Bitwise just dropped a wild target, $NEAR at $155.85
If @NEARProtocol nails its roadmap, it could become the hub for AI agents, intent routing, and automated transactions
This isnt just speculation, its a glimpse into the future thats getting closer every day right? pic.twitter.com/XkWSo307yB
— Renksi (@renksieth) September 18, 2025
However, considering the steps already taken, from AI integration and infrastructure strengthening to financial products targeting institutions, this vision of the future doesn’t sound too far-fetched.
Renksi even stated, “This isn’t mere speculation, but rather a glimpse of a future that’s getting closer every day.”