NEAR Protocol [NEAR] recorded a 10.69% daily gain after trading volume surged 105.22% at press time, according to reports from AMBCrypto. The rally followed several weeks of sideways consolidation between the $1.257 and $1.864 zones before buyers regained control near the lower support boundary. Increased participation also suggested that traders had started rotating capital back into higher-beta altcoins as risk appetite improved.
Although NEAR's price remained below the key $1.864 resistance, buyers continued defending higher lows throughout the latest advance, as reported by AMBCrypto. The structure showed a series of higher lows forming since February, reflecting gradually improving buyer control across the daily timeframe. At the time of writing, the RSI climbed above 70, signaling that bullish strength had accelerated into overheated territory, though strong trends often sustain elevated readings during continuation phases.
Binance top trader positioning reflected strong bullish sentiment despite rising volatility during NEAR's recovery phase, according to AMBCrypto data. 66.09% of top trader accounts remained long, while only 33.91% held short positions, leaving the Long/Short Ratio at 1.95. However, heavily crowded long positioning increased the probability of sharper volatility near resistance zones if buyers lost control temporarily.
NEAR's OI-Weighted Funding Rate flipped negative to -0.0047% at press time, despite the recent rally across spot markets, as reported by AMBCrypto. The shift suggested that short positioning had started increasing even while the price continued trending upward, often reflecting rising skepticism among derivatives traders. Negative funding during rallies can create conditions for short squeezes once bullish pressure intensifies further, though weakening funding conditions can also signal trader expectations of exhaustion near resistance.
If buyers reclaim the $1.864 resistance successfully, NEAR would likely target the higher resistance zone near $2.618 during the next expansion phase, according to AMBCrypto analysis. The continued strength above the reclaimed $1.257 zone strengthened the broader bullish structure, though the $1.864 resistance still represented a major supply region that previously rejected several recovery attempts. Despite RSI entering overheated territory near resistance, continued strength above support would likely keep bullish continuation scenarios active.
