Market Overview: NEAR Protocol/Tether (NEARUSDT)

Summary
• Price fluctuated between $1.472 and $1.600 with a late surge to highs.
• Momentum surged in the afternoon before fading overnight.
• Bollinger Bands expanded in the afternoon, suggesting rising volatility.
• Volume spiked with price near $1.593, confirming strength.
• RSI remained in overbought territory, indicating potential pullback risk.

At 12:00 ET on 2025-12-18, NEAR Protocol/Tether (NEARUSDT) opened at $1.488, reached a high of $1.600, and closed at $1.593 after hitting a low of $1.472. Total volume over 24 hours was 10,946,363.5 units with a notional turnover of $17,392,918.

Structure & Formations

Price found short-term support around $1.472–$1.476 and tested resistance at $1.500, $1.550, and $1.590. A strong bullish engulfing pattern formed around 17:00 ET as price broke above a prior consolidation range. A potential bearish reversal pattern emerged near the $1.600 high, with a long upper shadow and narrow close.

Moving Averages

On the 5-minute chart, price closed above its 20-period and 50-period moving averages, confirming a short-term bullish bias. Daily moving averages (50, 100, 200) suggest a longer-term sideways trend, with price hovering near the 200-period line.

MACD & RSI

The MACD crossed above the signal line late morning and remained positive through 17:00 ET, confirming bullish momentum. RSI hit overbought territory (70+), suggesting potential for a near-term pullback.

Bollinger Bands

Bands widened sharply between 15:45 ET and 17:00 ET as volatility surged. Price closed near the upper band at $1.593, indicating strong buying interest, though a retest of the lower band could signal renewed volatility.

Volume & Turnover

Volume spiked as price broke the $1.590 level and again near the $1.593 close, confirming strength. Notional turnover also rose in lockstep with price, showing no divergence and reinforcing the likelihood of sustained upward movement.

Fibonacci Retracements

On the 5-minute chart, price reached the 76.4% retracement level of the prior downward leg before stalling. Daily Fibonacci levels suggest potential support at $1.495 (61.8%) and $1.465 (78.6%), which could offer downside boundaries if the trend reverses.

The late-day surge toward $1.600 suggests strong conviction, though the overbought RSI and bearish reversal candle hint at possible consolidation ahead. Investors may watch for a pullback to test the $1.550–$1.570 range before the next directional move. As always, volatility remains a key risk in the short term.