according to the materials of the site - By ETHNews
Michael van de Poppe believes that NEAR is trading significantly below its true value, calling it one of the most undervalued assets in today's market.
His view is based on both the expansion of the ecosystem and the technical positioning, which together indicate that the token is currently undervalued relative to its fundamental growth. The sentiments he described reflect the situation at the end of 2019, when skepticism surrounded tokens that subsequently became growth leaders.
The chart provided by the analyst shows the lowest valuation zones observed since early October and late November. NEAR is moving within a clearly defined downward trend, but the price continues to hold above the $1.60 zone, which has repeatedly acted as a stabilizing level. Van de Poppe asserts that this sell-off reflects undervaluation rather than a weakening of fundamentals, noting that demand for the token is growing while sentiments have yet to change.
The growth of the ecosystem is outpacing market prices.
The central point in Van de Poppe's argument is the rapid acceleration of NEAR Intents—a key mechanism that has led to exponential growth in network activity in recent months. He dismisses the idea that tokens are devoid of purpose, pointing to the real utility of the ecosystem and the increasing activity of developers. In his view, such a level of usage growth is not reflected in the current market price, creating a gap that historically resolves with a sharp price increase.
He expects that NEAR will not remain at these levels for long, considering the combination of ecosystem development and erroneous market expectations. In his opinion, the token is in a zone where long-term demand continues to grow, while short-term sentiments remain overly cautious.
From a technical standpoint, Van de Poppe emphasizes the importance of overcoming key resistance levels. A return above $1.80, followed by a confident breach of $2, would be the first convincing sign of a return to bullish momentum. His chart shows a wide consolidation range beneath major resistance, where numerous failed bounces have kept the price at previous levels.
He notes that a return to this area typically leads to acceleration, especially when the overall trend structure shows oversold conditions. The chart also shows previous spikes in liquidity that marked potential turning points, with volumes increasing during attempts to break the downward trend.
The NEAR/USDT chart on TradingView confirms this thesis. The recent price movement shows a series of sharp wicks towards resistance and higher volatility in the $1.60–$1.70 range, but without breaking below support. Despite lower highs on the 4-hour chart, the underlying structure shows that buyers are consistently stepping in to defend the range. This consolidation aligns with the analyst's expectations that the token is preparing for a shift once momentum resumes.
Van de Poppe concludes that the current NEAR structure does not indicate a prolonged bearish trend. Instead, he describes it as a period of mispricing, supported by strong fundamental factors and growing network adoption. If the token successfully overcomes the stated resistance levels, he sees a clear path to the $3 mark in the first quarter of 2026, especially if sentiments shift back towards undervalued tier-one tokens.
At this point, NEAR remains in what he describes as a 'neutral-oversold period,' where the potential for decline appears limited, and recovery becomes increasingly likely as market positioning changes. With the growth of ecosystem usage and declining sentiments, conditions may already be set for a more significant movement that will only begin after a confident return to the $1.80–$2 range.
