NEAR Protocol price jumps 28% after confidential perpetual futures launch

NEAR Protocol's price surged nearly 28% in 24 hours to about $3.47 on Sept. 18, extending its seven-day gain to over 40% following the launch of confidential perpetual futures. The new product, introduced Sept. 17 on near.com, lets traders open positions without publicly linking them to their accounts. Hyperliquid provides execution and liquidity, while NEAR's Confidential Intents infrastructure handles privacy, offering access to over 50 perpetual markets while hiding position size, direction, and entry time. Confidential Intents surpassed $70 million in total value locked on Sept. 15, triggering the first snapshot under the NEAR@3.33 incentive program. NEAR traded as high as $3.50, with trading volume rising sharply and the token advancing nearly 30% against Bitcoin during the same period.