NEAR rallies intraday before sellers cap momentum at key resistance
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) showed a burst of bullish momentum on Monday, climbing as much as 5.7% to an intraday high near $1.73, before running into heavy selling pressure that erased most of the gains. While the move briefly signaled renewed interest in the token, the failure to break through resistance has raised questions about the sustainability of the rally.
The advance began shortly after the U.S. market open, when NEAR rebounded sharply from session lows and attracted increased trading activity. Volume rose approximately 47% above its 30-day average, indicating a noticeable pickup in participation. However, despite the higher volume, buying pressure lacked the sustained strength typically seen during trend reversals or institutional accumulation phases.
Resistance Holds Firm at $1.73–$1.74
Price action stalled decisively in the $1.73–$1.74 resistance zone, where NEAR faced multiple intraday rejections. A clear rejection near $1.736 marked the session high, after which sellers regained control and pushed the price back toward the $1.68–$1.70 range.
From a technical standpoint, the session reinforced NEAR’s range-bound structure rather than signaling a confirmed breakout. While the initial rally demonstrated short-term bullish intent, the inability to sustain momentum above resistance suggests persistent overhead supply.
Support Structure Remains Intact
On the downside, strong support has formed around $1.66–$1.67, following a high-volume reversal earlier in the session. Notably, NEAR managed to print higher lows after the mid-session bounce, hinting at accumulation interest near the lower boundary of the range.
This price behavior suggests that while sellers remain active near resistance, buyers are still willing to step in on dips—keeping the market balanced rather than decisively bearish.
Underperformance vs. Broader Crypto Market
Despite the intraday rally,
$NEAR underperformed the broader CD5 crypto index, indicating that the move was driven more by token-specific flows than by sector-wide bullish momentum. This relative weakness further underscores the lack of strong follow-through buying.
Without a decisive expansion in volume and a sustained close above resistance, the current price action is more consistent with consolidation than with the start of a new uptrend.
Outlook: Consolidation Likely Until Breakout or Breakdown
For now, NEAR appears caught between improving short-term structure and persistent overhead resistance. A confirmed breakout would require a strong push above $1.74, supported by significantly higher volume and sustained participation.
Conversely, a failure to hold above near-term support could expose the token to a rotation back toward the $1.66 support area, keeping the broader range intact.
Key Levels to Watch:
Resistance: $1.73 – $1.76
Support: $1.66 – $1.67
Until one of these levels breaks convincingly, NEAR is likely to remain range-bound, with traders watching closely for signs of either renewed accumulation or renewed selling pressure.
@NEAR Protocol #NEAR