NEAR Historical Price and Returns Analysis: Should I Buy NEAR Now?

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive review of NEAR’s historical price movements and market volatility since its inception, combining data from bull and bear market phases to evaluate the potential returns of purchasing 10 NEAR tokens and answer the critical question: “Should I buy NEAR now?” This analysis aims to help both novice and long-term investors identify optimal entry points and growth opportunities.

Early Market Emergence and Initial Cycles: Historical Price Review (2020 to 2022)

NEAR Protocol is a highly scalable base layer protocol designed to support decentralized applications at speeds sufficient for mobile devices. The protocol employs state sharding to enable linear scalability with network nodes, targeting 100k TPS across one million mobile nodes. NEAR tokens serve as payment for validator fees, compensating validators for providing essential computation and storage resources to the network.

According to available market data, NEAR’s early trading history demonstrates significant volatility:

2020

• Opening Price: $100.00
• Closing Price: $1.48
• Highest Price: $100.00
• Lowest Price: $0.631
• Annual Return: -98.52%

2021

• Opening Price: $1.73
• Closing Price: $14.39
• Highest Price: $16.24
• Lowest Price: $1.73
• Annual Return: +731.06%

An investor who purchased 10 NEAR tokens during the 2020 market bottom and held through 2021’s bull run would have realized substantial gains, though early participants from the 2020 peak experienced severe losses initially.

Bear Market Adjustment and Mid-Cycle Volatility: Returns and Risk Analysis (2022 to 2023)

Following the 2021 bull market peak, NEAR experienced significant correction pressures typical of the broader cryptocurrency market downturn in 2022-2023:

2022

• Opening Price: $13.52
• Closing Price: $1.28
• Highest Price: $20.14
• Lowest Price: $1.28
• Annual Return: -90.57%

2023

• Opening Price: $1.65
• Closing Price: $3.65
• Highest Price: $3.80
• Lowest Price: $1.03
• Annual Return: +121.55%

Potential returns for investors purchasing 10 NEAR tokens during this period:

• 2022: -$120.11 (significant loss for those entering at higher prices)
• 2023: -$1.351 (modest negative returns despite annual gains)

Recent Market Cycle: Should I Buy NEAR Now? (2024 to 2025)

NEAR has demonstrated recovery patterns in recent years, with mixed performance indicating an unstable market environment:

2024

• Opening Price: $3.21
• Closing Price: $5.90
• Highest Price: $8.25
• Lowest Price: $2.75
• Annual Return: +83.61%

2025 (Year-to-Date)

• Opening Price: $4.97
• Closing Price: $1.51
• Highest Price: $4.98
• Lowest Price: $1.51
• Annual Return: -69.60%

Potential returns for investors purchasing 10 NEAR tokens during this recent period:

• 2024: -$17.04
• 2025 (to date): -$34.60

Summary: Bull Markets, Bear Markets, and Investment Timing Analysis

NEAR’s historical price trajectory reveals extreme volatility characterized by dramatic cycles of appreciation and depreciation. From its 2020 peak of $100 to current price levels near $1.51, the token has experienced multiple market phases. While 2021 offered exceptional returns for well-timed investors, subsequent years have demonstrated the significant risks inherent in cryptocurrency investing. The recent 2025 downturn suggests continued market uncertainty. Potential investors must carefully evaluate their risk tolerance and investment horizon against NEAR’s demonstrated volatility patterns before making purchasing decisions.