Bitcoin Holds Above $81K as NEAR Surges 23% on ZEC Swap Traffic
Bitcoin Tops $81,000 as NEAR Jumps 23%
Bitcoin traded just above $81,000 on Monday Asian morning hours, adding less than 1% over 24 hours, according to CoinDesk data. The gain extends a slow climb that began after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cleared a path for onchain trading of tokenized U.S. stocks on Thursday.
NEAR was the standout among major tokens, surging about 23% to just above $4. The move is linked to NEAR Intents, a swap service on the NEAR blockchain that lets a wallet trade one token for another across different chains without needing to move funds between them first.
Key Numbers
- Bitcoin: just above $81,000, up less than 1%.
- NEAR: up about 23% to just above $4.
- ZEC: gained 3% to just above $1,500.
- BNB: gained 2% to nearly $777.
- Ether and HYPE: each up about 2%.
- XRP, DOGE, SOL, TRX: rose 1% or less.
What Drove NEAR's Surge
Consumer wallets like ZODL and Vizor have integrated NEAR Intents to offer ZEC swaps. Daily ZEC volume routed through the service jumped sixfold in a single day within the past week, according to the report. NEAR has become the routing layer for one of the most heavily traded tokens, and its own token followed the traffic.
Broader Market Context
Asian stocks and U.S. equity futures rose after U.S. officials described trade talks with China as "very successful" ahead of a summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping this week. MSCI's Asia Pacific gauge climbed nearly 1%, led by tech shares in South Korea and Taiwan. S&P 500 futures rose less than 1% and Nasdaq 100 contracts a little more.
Brent crude fell 2% to just above $101 a barrel, its fourth straight decline, easing inflation worries and lifting Treasury futures.
Analyst View
Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at exchange BTSE, attributed the weekend's bitcoin spike to the SEC clearing onchain trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and the short squeeze that followed. He said he expects little on the calendar this week beyond remarks from Federal Reserve officials. Mei predicted more volatility in the weeks leading up to the Fed's late-October meeting, noting there is more than a month of speeches and a single inflation print to shift positioning before then.
What Is Confirmed
Bitcoin traded above $81,000 as of Monday Asian morning. NEAR rose about 23% to above $4. ZEC volume through NEAR Intents increased sixfold in a single day in the past week. SEC cleared a path for onchain trading of tokenized U.S. stocks on Thursday. The trade talks were described as "very successful" by U.S. officials.
What Is Still Unclear
The exact cause of NEAR's price surge is not fully confirmed, though the report attributes it to the ZEC swap traffic. The duration of the increased volume is unclear.
Why It Matters
The SEC's move could broaden the appeal of onchain trading, while NEAR's role as a routing layer shows how cross-chain services can drive token demand. The rise in stocks and bitcoin suggests improved risk appetite, partly due to trade-talk progress.
What Happens Next
Investors will watch for remarks from Federal Reserve officials this week, with the Fed's late-October meeting more than a month away. The U.S.-China summit is scheduled this week.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.
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