NEAR AI Data: Top Growth Drivers 2025

The blockchain landscape is rapidly transforming into a data-first and AI-native environment — and NEAR is positioning itself at the heart of this transformation. 

For those evaluating the NEAR data economy, understanding its AI token ecosystem, expanding NEAR AI marketplace, and overall NEAR growth trajectory in 2025 is crucial. 

This article explores the major growth drivers set to propel NEAR in 2025, how its AI-native infrastructure contributes, and why investors and developers alike should pay attention.

Scalability & On-Chain AI Infrastructure

NEAR has made significant technical upgrades that lay the foundation for large-scale AI data and compute integration. 

For example, the Nightshade 2.0 upgrade delivered block times around 600 ms and finality in ~1.2 s.

NEAR is increasingly being branded as a “blockchain of AI” where AI agents can operate, interact across chains, and process data efficiently.

Such scalability and low-latency throughput position NEAR to serve not just ordinary dApps, but AI-native data markets, large-scale compute workloads, and real-time agents. As the NEAR data economy grows, the infrastructure foundation is strong.

Read Also: How to Buy NEAR Protocol

Developer Adoption & AI-Focused Ecosystem Growth

A blockchain’s growth depends on activity — and NEAR is showing meaningful signs of ecosystem expansion:

• Monthly active users (MAUs) reached about 46 million as of May 2025.
   
• Developer activity remains robust, with thousands of contributors and over 58,000 smart contracts deployed.
   
• NEAR’s support for AI-tooling, AI dApps, and data infrastructures is highlighted in its blog “The State of AI on NEAR: 2025 Update.”

With this momentum, NEAR isn’t only building a normal blockchain ecosystem but one tailored for AI tokens, the NEAR AI marketplace, and data-driven applications.

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AI Tokenization & Data-Economy Use Cases

Beyond infrastructure and usage, one of the biggest growth drivers is tokenization of data and AI services:

• NEAR supports data-driven applications, marketplaces, and indexing that allow monetization of data and AI workflows.
   
• The rise of AI tokens across the ecosystem — NEAR is often listed among the top AI-driven crypto projects for 2025.
   
• Real-world momentum: NEAR’s price surged ~45% in a month between June and July 2025, largely fueled by AI sector optimism and data-economy narratives.

As organizations and agents require access to data, models, and compute, NEAR’s marketplace model becomes increasingly relevant to the NEAR growth story.

Read Also: NEAR Sharding Benefits 2025: Trade Fast on Bitrue

DeFi & Cross-Chain Integration Supporting AI Use Cases

Growth in the NEAR ecosystem isn’t solely about AI — it’s also about DeFi, staking, and cross-chain design, which all feed into its broader utility:

• NEAR’s total value locked (TVL) in DeFi continues to grow, supporting liquidity for data-driven and AI-enabled services.
   
• Cross-chain bridges and integrations (e.g., NEAR Intents, Sui interoperability) expand NEAR’s addressable market for data & AI services. 
   
• Institutional flows and investor interest increased, recognizing NEAR as more than a smart contract chain but as an AI-capable platform.

Pulling these together, NEAR's infrastructure, ecosystem, tokenization of data/AI, and DeFi/cross-chain links form a powerful growth engine.

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Major Challenges & Considerations

While the NEAR AI marketplace and data economy present significant opportunity, several risks persist:

• Despite strong metrics, NEAR remains early in the AI-agent and data monetization cycle — adoption beyond infrastructure remains to be proven.
   
• The token’s price is still well below earlier highs; NEAR remains significantly discounted from previous peaks.
   
• Competition from other Layer-1s emphasizing AI and data services means NEAR must continue executing and differentiating.
   
• Macro conditions: AI hype is strong now, but infrastructure spending and monetization may lag. Analysts note that AI compute investments will only pay off later in the decade.

Understanding these risks is key to aligning expectations around NEAR 2025 growth.

Read Also: NEAR vs Lido: Comparing Blockchain Staking Giants

Conclusion

NEAR stands at an inflection point. With fast transactions, an expanding user base, AI-tooling, cross-chain bridges, and a burgeoning data marketplace, its role in the NEAR data economy is becoming more defined. 

For investors, developers, or ecosystem builders focused on AI tokens and the convergence of data + blockchain, 2025 may prove a pivotal year for NEAR’s growth potential.

While risks remain, the structural drivers suggest that NEAR’s combination of infrastructure + AI-native focus could set it apart in the crowded Layer-1 field.

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FAQ

What is the “NEAR data economy”?

The NEAR data economy refers to the ecosystem around data-sharing, monetization, AI model hosting, indexing, and compute infrastructure built on the NEAR Protocol. It leverages its high-throughput, low-latency architecture to support data and AI applications.

Why are AI tokens relevant for NEAR’s growth?

AI tokens represent native incentives for data, models, agents, and compute services. NEAR’s AI-friendly infrastructure and growth in AI-enabled apps make it a strong platform for these tokens — boosting utility and demand.

What is the “NEAR AI marketplace”?

This is the ecosystem of applications, marketplaces, and tools built on NEAR where AI-models, data-assets, agent services, and compute workflows can be deployed, exchanged, or monetized — part of the broader AI ecosystem.

How does NEAR 2025 differ from earlier years?

In 2025, NEAR emphasizes AI first: upgrades like sub-second finality, higher TPS, and support for AI-agents plus data-economy tooling are accelerating its utility beyond generic Layer-1 usage. Metrics like user growth and developer activity support this shift.

What are the key risks for NEAR’s growth going forward?

Key risks include slower-than-expected monetization of data/AI services, stronger competition from other chains, macro headwinds affecting crypto/AI funding, and overvaluation relative to fundamentals if hype overshadows delivery.