• NEAR has been testing a bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern with strong resistance at $2.14
• Short liquidations and rising social interest hinted at building momentum for a potential breakout

NEAR Protocol [NEAR], at press time, seemed to be showing signs of a potential rebound, backed by rising market capitalization and moderate price gains. In fact, its market capitalization rose by 4.47% to hit $2.55 billion – A sign of cautious optimism among investors. However, this came at a time when its 24-hour trading volume plunged by 15.66% to hit $148.48 million. 

At the time of writing, NEAR was trading at $2.12, up by 4.26%. Despite the price uptick, however, the volume drop indicated weak trader commitment. This also suggested that the recent gains may lack the strength needed to trigger a sustained rally, unless buying pressure increases meaningfully.

Can the inverse head-and-shoulders pattern drive a breakout?

NEAR’s chart revealed a well-defined inverse head-and-shoulders structure – Often a sign of a bullish reversal in the making. The neckline sat just above $2.14, with notable support levels at $2.06 and $1.95. 

The price seemed to be testing this neckline, and a breakout above it could fuel a 14.84% move to the projected target of $2.43. This pattern’s symmetry, with clearly formed shoulders and a central low, enhances its reliability. 

However, traders should remain cautious as this bullish setup requires strong volume confirmation. Without such a catalyst, the rally could stall, and the pattern may lose its significance.

Short liquidations mount as bearish bets backfire

Liquidation data underlined growing pressure on short sellers. Over the last few sessions, short liquidations hit $31.42k, far surpassing long liquidations, which totaled just $10.46k. Binance alone accounted for $21.25k in short liquidations, showing that many traders misread the market’s direction. 

Additionally, Bybit and OKX also saw notable short-side wipeouts, suggesting that bears are being squeezed as the price edges higher. This imbalance in liquidations can act as a hidden driver of momentum as forced exits from short positions create sudden upurges in price.

Rising social volume hints at growing interest

Social metrics also highlighted that NEAR is regaining visibility among retail traders. The social volume climbed to 6, while dominance rose to 0.039% – Marking the highest activity in recent weeks. 

While these numbers remain moderate, they underlined a shift in sentiment that could accelerate if price action confirms the bullish pattern. Therefore, if the breakout materializes, growing chatter across social platforms may help fuel further demand and FOMO-driven buying from sidelined participants.

Developer activity cools down, but remains strong

Finally, on-chain development metrics revealed a slight slowdown in builder activity. NEAR’s development activity score dropped from a peak of 27.68 to 19.48 by 12 April. Although this decline may signal a temporary pause after intense upgrades, it did not yet suggest a reversal in trend. 

In fact, developers remain actively engaged and NEAR continues to outperform many projects in its category in terms of code-level contributions. Therefore, any rebound in activity could further reinforce investor confidence in NEAR’s long-term viability.

Could NEAR be gearing up for its next major rally?

NEAR Protocol is shaping a bullish structure that could set the stage for a breakout. The inverse head-and-shoulders pattern highlighted a potential 15% move, while short-side liquidations and rising social engagement hinted at growing momentum. 

However, the real test lies in breaking the $2.14 neckline with strong volume. If this happens alongside renewed developer commitment and rising interest, NEAR could be on track for a significant rally towards $2.40.