Key Takeaways
- • Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan put NEAR Protocol's 2030 base-case price target at $155.85, with a bullish case of $562.81 and a bearish case of $1.63, as reported by Cryptopolitan on Oct. 13.
- • Hougan's thesis rests on demand for blockchain settlement infrastructure if autonomous AI agents begin executing payments, transactions and digital asset management without human intervention.
- • NEAR Intents has processed about $30 billion in cross-chain transactions to date, which Hougan cited as evidence of existing demand independent of the AI thesis.
- • Bitwise launched a spot NEAR exchange-traded fund, ticker NRR, on NYSE Arca in late September, with a 0.75% annual fee and an estimated 5.3% staking yield as of Sept. 25.
- • Per the prospectus, 33% of staking rewards go to the staking delegate, custodian and Bitwise, while 67% accrues to the trust and is reflected in net asset value.
Summary
Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has set a 2030 base-case price target of $155.85 for NEAR Protocol's NEAR token, according to a report by Cryptopolitan on Oct. 13. Hougan's bullish scenario places the token at $562.81, while his bearish scenario projects $1.63. The forecast implies roughly a 40-fold increase from current levels, and it is framed around whether artificial intelligence agents can generate new demand for blockchain infrastructure.
Hougan's core argument is that demand will grow for blockchain systems that handle fund transfers and settlement between applications if autonomous AI agents expand their role in making payments, transactions, reservations and digital asset management. NEAR is positioning itself for this market through NEAR Intents, a product that allows users or applications to execute transactions across multiple networks without handling the procedural differences between chains. The company's chain abstraction technology is designed to let users move assets across blockchains without awareness of underlying technical distinctions. The stated goal is to support an economy in which AI agents trade with one another and transfer funds.
Hougan emphasized that NEAR's long-term value does not depend solely on capturing the AI agent market. He noted that NEAR already operates an active blockchain business, with AI representing an additional growth opportunity. NEAR Intents has processed about $30 billion in cross-chain transactions to date. Hougan characterized NEAR as an example of a small market-capitalization token with both current utility and long-term upside, arguing that existing transaction demand could support the investment case even if AI-driven finance develops more slowly than expected.
The forecast coincides with Bitwise's launch of a NEAR-linked investment product. In late September, Bitwise listed a spot NEAR exchange-traded fund on NYSE Arca under the ticker NRR, allowing U.S. investors to gain exposure to NEAR through a regulated vehicle while earning staking rewards. The fund carries an annual fee of 0.75%, and an in-house Bitwise team manages staking of the underlying assets. Based on on-chain data as of Sept. 25, the estimated annual staking yield is 5.3%, though the article notes that yields fluctuate and are not guaranteed. According to the prospectus, 33% of total staking rewards is allocated to the staking delegate, custodian and Bitwise, with the remaining 67% accruing to the trust.
Hougan has said that the more AI agents carry out activities such as reservations and payments, the greater the need for a secure and independent settlement system. Whether NEAR can sustain its existing blockchain business while capturing AI-agent transaction and settlement demand is expected to shape its long-term valuation.
Hougan's core argument is that demand will grow for blockchain systems that handle fund transfers and settlement between applications if autonomous AI agents expand their role in making payments, transactions, reservations and digital asset management. NEAR is positioning itself for this market through NEAR Intents, a product that allows users or applications to execute transactions across multiple networks without handling the procedural differences between chains. The company's chain abstraction technology is designed to let users move assets across blockchains without awareness of underlying technical distinctions. The stated goal is to support an economy in which AI agents trade with one another and transfer funds.
Hougan emphasized that NEAR's long-term value does not depend solely on capturing the AI agent market. He noted that NEAR already operates an active blockchain business, with AI representing an additional growth opportunity. NEAR Intents has processed about $30 billion in cross-chain transactions to date. Hougan characterized NEAR as an example of a small market-capitalization token with both current utility and long-term upside, arguing that existing transaction demand could support the investment case even if AI-driven finance develops more slowly than expected.
The forecast coincides with Bitwise's launch of a NEAR-linked investment product. In late September, Bitwise listed a spot NEAR exchange-traded fund on NYSE Arca under the ticker NRR, allowing U.S. investors to gain exposure to NEAR through a regulated vehicle while earning staking rewards. The fund carries an annual fee of 0.75%, and an in-house Bitwise team manages staking of the underlying assets. Based on on-chain data as of Sept. 25, the estimated annual staking yield is 5.3%, though the article notes that yields fluctuate and are not guaranteed. According to the prospectus, 33% of total staking rewards is allocated to the staking delegate, custodian and Bitwise, with the remaining 67% accruing to the trust.
Hougan has said that the more AI agents carry out activities such as reservations and payments, the greater the need for a secure and independent settlement system. Whether NEAR can sustain its existing blockchain business while capturing AI-agent transaction and settlement demand is expected to shape its long-term valuation.
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