NEAR Protocol price jumps 28% as confidential perpetual futures launch

NEAR Protocol's price surged nearly 28% to about $3.47 on Sept. 18, extending its seven-day gain to over 40%, driven by the launch of confidential perpetual futures. The new product, introduced Sept. 17, lets traders open positions privately using Hyperliquid for execution and NEAR's Confidential Intents infrastructure for privacy, covering over 50 perpetual markets. Confidential Intents also surpassed $70 million in total value locked, triggering a token incentive snapshot. NEAR gained nearly 30% against Bitcoin, showing relative strength. The price faces resistance near $3.57, with the 4-hour RSI at 88.44, indicating overbought conditions. A close above $3.568 could open a new range, while losing $3.382 may expose lower support levels.