Bitwise NEAR ETF Launch Highlights Institutional Interest
NEAR Protocol (NEAR)
Editor:
Eugene Serbin
Coinfomania.com reports that NEAR co-founder Ilblackdragon discussed the newly launched Bitwise NEAR ETF, signaling growing institutional interest. The initiative is expected to enhance NEAR’s visibility in the institutional investment space and potentially attract more users to the ecosystem. Bitwise’s CIO Matt Hougan and Head of Research RasterlyRock provided insights during the conversation, highlighting the increasing appetite for digital assets.
This ETF launch marks a significant milestone for NEAR, reflecting its relevance in the evolving landscape of digital assets. The product places NEAR within a larger framework of institutional investment options, underlining its importance for developers and users. Bitwise Asset Management is known for innovative products catering to the demand for cryptocurrency exposure.
While the broader crypto market shows mixed signals and volatility, this initiative could stabilize NEAR’s position among investors. The ETF may serve as a catalyst for broader adoption of NEAR and its associated products. Traders are advised to watch for impacts on NEAR's market engagement as institutional interest grows. This development occurs against a backdrop of ongoing regulatory discussions and macroeconomic factors.
How the market reacted
Whalio's own Binance spot order flow for NEAR, measured when this story was written up on 1 October 2026. Not the outlet's figures.
NEAR is trading at $5.34, with a 1-hour buy ratio of 51.5% and a 4-hour ratio of 51.2%, indicating slightly more buying than selling in the short term. However, the 24-hour buy ratio sits at 49.7%, showing that over the full day, selling pressure has slightly outweighed buying. The 1-hour volume delta is positive at +$110,446, while the 4-hour delta is +$564,456, suggesting recent inflows are outpacing outflows. In contrast, the 24-hour volume delta is negative at -$1,223,715, meaning net selling has dominated the day's total volume. The cumulative volume delta (CVD) for the 24-hour close is -$1,152,823, confirming that sellers have been more aggressive than buyers over the longer timeframe. Buying pressure appears to be building in the immediate short term but remains weaker than the daily average.
The latest daily buy ratio of 50.8% sits at the 68th percentile of the last 323 days, against a median of 49.7% - ordinary for this coin.
Was that an ordinary day?
The same Binance spot measurements for NEAR, averaged over the days leading up to the story.
Over the preceding week, the average buy ratio was 50.4%, making today's 24-hour ratio of 49.7% slightly lower by 0.7 points. This indicates that today is a slightly less bullish day for NEAR compared to the weekly norm. Spot volume today stands at $233,188,950, which is 0.89 times the weekly average, showing reduced trading activity. The 8-day volume delta totals +$18,255,115, with net buying occurring on 4 of the last 7 days. The price has increased by 23.3% over the last 8 days, driven by this cumulative positive delta. Today's volume is below average, suggesting a pause in the intense activity seen over the past week.