Near Protocol’s native token, NEAR, has the potential to grow 20x by 2027, according to Arthur Hayes, co-founder of the crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX.
Key takeaways:
- Hayes said NEAR Intents could make privacy coins like Zcash more usable across blockchains without bridges or multiple wallets.
- NEAR has surged more than 90% since Hayes publicly highlighted the token alongside ZEC and HYPE in May.
NEAR makes privacy coins like ZEC usable: Hayes
Speaking on The Rollup podcast, Hayes said NEAR’s bullish case rests on NEAR Intents, a feature that lets AI agents move assets privately across blockchains without dealing with bridges, multiple wallets or fragmented liquidity.
The same infrastructure also supports NEAR’s broader AI-agent thesis, where autonomous apps can execute payments and trades on-chain.
Hayes linked NEAR’s upside to Zcash (ZEC), the privacy-focused cryptocurrency that has rallied more than 1,000% over the past year and revived investor interest in private money.
ZEC/USD daily chart. Source: TradingView
He said Near Protocol could become the next major beneficiary of that trend because it helps make private tokens like ZEC usable beyond a single blockchain, allowing users to move value across the broader crypto economy.
“I can now send any crypto asset I want to anyone across the internet in an anonymous way from shielded Zcash using Near Intents,” Hayes said, adding:
“I think NEAR has a 20x potential, where you know Zcash might have a 5x potential over the next year.”
Hayes’ NEAR calls echo his Zcash rally playbook
Hayes’ remarks add to a string of bullish NEAR endorsements from Hayes.
In a May 11 essay, Hayes explicitly positioned NEAR as one of his top speculative bets alongside ZEC and Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE.
He reinforced that view in a May 22 post earlier this week, calling HYPE, ZEC and NEAR “the holy trinity.”
NEAR’s price has grown by over 90% since Hayes began publicly highlighting the token, as shown below.
NEAR/USD four-hour chart. Source: TradingView
Hayes’ endorsements have historically attracted significant attention from traders, as evidenced by his 2025 Zcash posts.
Related: Zcash is ‘running its own bull market’ as ZEC price paints 88% rally setup
In October 2025, Hayes’ bullish commentary, including “ZEC to $10k” and naming it a core holding, acted as a major upside catalyst. ZEC delivered over 350% gains in the following weeks.
ZEC/USD daily chart. Source: TradingView
NEAR fractal hints at 35% rally next
NEAR’s current breakout is starting to resemble its 2023–2024 recovery setup, when it bounced from the $0.91–$0.99 range before rallying by about 250%.
For instance, in 2026, NEAR has rebounded from the same $0.91–$0.99 bounce zone, while its daily relative strength index (RSI) has surged to around 88, showing aggressive buying pressure.
The token has also formed a golden cross, a bullish signal where the shorter-term moving average rises above the longer-term one.
In NEAR’s case, the 50-day exponential moving average (50-day EMA, the red line) at around $1.646 has been moving above the 200-day EMA (the blue line) at around $1.647.
Traders often view this as an early sign that a downtrend may be turning into a sustained uptrend.
The first major upside target sits near $3.38–$4.00, a former support zone that may now act as resistance. The $4 target sits roughly 35% above current prices and could become NEAR’s next test if the breakout holds.
A decisive move above $4.00 would strengthen the 2023–2024 fractal and open the door to a 250% rally toward the $9–$10 area in 2026.
Conversely, failure to reclaim the $3.38–$4.00 zone may lead to a sharp bearish reversal toward the 50- and 200-day EMAs. That would amount to roughly 45% downside from current levels.