A significant increase in derivatives market flows (over 100%) suggests increased trader activity and potential for a directional move. however, near is currently consolidating between key moving averages, indicating a period of indecision before a breakout.
Near is currently trading between support at $1.80-$1.85 and resistance around $2.00-$2.10. the increased futures activity suggests a potential breakout, but the direction is not yet clear. a move above $2.05 could lead to bullish momentum, while falling below $1.80 could signal a bearish retracement.
The article suggests that volatility expansion could happen 'sooner rather than later' due to the increasing futures flows and price compression, implying a short-term impact.
Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available. Liquidity is growing Near might be stuck Advertisement Following a more than 100% increase in derivatives market flows, Near Protocol (NEAR) is exhibiting renewed activity, indicating that traders are once again preparing for a bigger move. Fresh capital entering futures markets may indicate that volatility is about to return, even though NEAR has spent the last few weeks consolidating following its explosive rally in May and June. Liquidity is growing Recent futures flow data shows that NEAR saw a net inflow of about $1.7 million during the four-hour period, which is a 242% increase. With net inflows of $1.78 million and growth of more than 200%, the eight-hour period also remained steadily positive. When traders start opening new positions ahead of expected market movement, such spikes usually signify increased speculative interest. NEAR/USDT Chart by TradingView When combined with growing open interest across major exchanges, the derivatives picture becomes even more intriguing. Despite a recent slowdown in spot market volume, open interest remains high, and Binance, Bybit, and MEXC continue to dominate NEAR trading activity. When traders prepare for a directional breakout during accumulation phases , this divergence frequently appears. HOT Stories What Could Ignite $100K Bitcoin Rally? Novogratz Names Three Factors XRP's Price Health Is on the Line, Did Shiba Inu (SHIB) Finally Bottom? Ethereum's (ETH) Mini-Golden Cross: Crypto Market Review Near might be stuck Technically speaking, NEAR is still stuck between important moving averages and is currently trading at about $1.93. After failing to maintain a move above the $2.00-$2.10 range, where the 50-day moving average continues to serve as resistance, the asset recently lost momentum. Bulls, however, continue to have a significant advantage because the price is still above the 100-day and 200-day trend indicators in the $1.80-$1.85 range. Advertisement You Might Also Like Sun, 07/19/2026 - 06:20 What Could Ignite $100K Bitcoin Rally? Novogratz Names Three Factors By Alex Dovbnya The chart also shows that, in contrast to the extreme fluctuations observed in May and June, volatility has considerably decreased. Sharp directional movements have historically followed such contraction periods. This indecision is reflected in the Relative Strength Index near 48, which is essentially in neutral territory and allows for either bullish or bearish expansion. Regaining $2.05 would probably give bulls fresh momentum and possibly pave the way for the $2.30-$2.50 range. On the downside, losing support at $1.80 would render the existing recovery structure invalid and put NEAR at greater risk of a retracement. Advertisement NEAR appears to be entering a phase where the next volatility expansion could happen sooner rather than later, as futures flows have accelerated by more than 100% while the price remains compressed. Traders are already positioning themselves for it. #NEAR Protocol News