Solana had its moment. An onrushing tidal wave of fire, NFTs of monkeys, and claims of lightning quick payments. While Solana wrestled with outages and a reputation for catering to whales, something quieter, perhaps more profound, was brewing over at NEAR. In May 2025, NEAR spiked to 46 million monthly active users. It’s not only playing catch-up against Solana – it’s building a whole new metaverse. A universe fueled by something Solana seemingly overlooked: the cultural zeitgeist.

Memes, Not Just Megabytes Matter

Let’s face it, the world of crypto can be a bit… uptight. So much chatter about TPS and gas fees, and so little about the user experience. NEAR, on the other hand, appears to have already understood that attracting the masses isn’t just about being technically advanced. It's about culture. It starts with making Web3 fun, accessible—and I would argue, meme-able.

Think about it: what drives adoption? Is it the unfiltered processing might, or is it the storytelling? Is it not the narrative that stirs the soul and moves people to action? NEAR is quietly building that story. But that story is being written in concert with and by its community, one viral meme, one useful or fun dApp at a time.

While Solana started with an industrial emphasis on speed, NEAR went with a granular, people-first approach. Solana wanted to be the Formula 1 of blockchains, chasing speed and glory. NEAR is working to build a community go-kart track, opening it up to everyone to play where the fun has more to do with simply being able to play than simply winning. A more consumer-centric design goes a long way, with features such as account abstraction and chain signatures adding to the overall accessibility.

Web3 Gaming's Next Level Unlocked?

NFTs and Web3 gaming are the two sectors where NEAR is most surely positioned to truly shine. Why? Because these are inherently social activities. They live and die by their community, shared experiences, and yes, memetic culture.

  • NFTs: Think beyond simple profile pictures. Imagine NFTs as dynamic game assets, tickets to exclusive events, or even voting rights within a DAO. NEAR's architecture allows for intricate NFT functionalities that go far beyond what we've seen so far.
  • Web3 Gaming: Imagine games where players truly own their assets, where in-game economies are transparent and fair, and where the community has a real say in the game's development. Nightshade sharding positions NEAR as a strong contender in the Web3 space, particularly for gaming and blockchain social applications.

This goes beyond making better transportation games, this is about making better games of a new sort. A purchase and ownership experience that is more meaningful, more fulfilling, and more enjoyable.

Can Support Hold Token Value Up?

To be fair, the NEAR token’s recent price struggles aren’t very reassuring. The native rose is now trading at $2.37, down 6.30% over the past 24 hours. Moreover, it is still trading under its 50- and 100-day EMAs, adding to the bearish picture. The $2.20 key support level is significant. If it indeed holds, then we could see an eventual retracement back up to $3.20 or perhaps even $4.20. But if that does break, more downside is very much on the table.

Let’s not conflate the unfortunate price action of the token with the underlying opportunity of the platform. The market is a fickle thing, especially in the short-term, driven by short-lived trends and the tides of the broader market. In the long run, fundamentals matter. NEAR’s fundamentals – its ecosystem in full blossom, its user-centric philosophy, its future-facing technology – are as bulletproof as they come. NEAR’s Open Interest increased by 8.72% to $247.06 million, showing that market interest in the protocol is building up.

NEAR is more than a technology, or even another blockchain—it is a community-driven movement. It’s an incredible testament to the power of memes, culture and user experience. Solana had its moment in the sun, but this isn’t NEAR’s first rodeo. As they develop a more sustainable, inclusive platform that might just reshape the future of Web3,

NEAR isn't just another blockchain; it's a community-driven movement. It's a testament to the power of memes, culture, and user experience. Solana may have had its moment in the sun, but NEAR is building something more sustainable, something more inclusive, and something that might just redefine the future of Web3.