The Near Protocol community is set to vote on two significant changes. First, the annual emission of NEAR tokens will be reduced from 5% to 2.5%, a similar approach to Bitcoin’s halving every four years. This reduction signifies a crucial inflation-limiting measure. Second, validators will decide whether to upgrade the nearcore software to version 2.9.0, which includes this change and enables it to take effect. 80% of the network’s active stake must delegate to running nearcore v2.9.0 for the halving to be implemented. The voting period begins on October 21st and will continue until the activation date of October 28th at 1 a.m. UTC. If the required percentage is not reached by then, the vote will extend for another 23 days. Voting resolution is based on whether 80% or more of validators have upgraded to nearcore v2.9.0. This halving would reduce inflation to 2.5%. If less than 80% of validators upgrade, the initial proposal would be considered a “no.” The Near protocol’s native token, NEAR, is currently trading at $2.34 and is experiencing price volatility with support between $1.80 – $2.05, while resistance lies between $3.05 – $3.40. The 50-day exponential moving average (1D50EMA) remains below the current market price, signaling a bearish trend and a potential need for price breakouts. However, halving the NEAR supply could alleviate selling pressure, potentially weakening resistance levels, as seen in Bitcoin after halving events. The Near protocol has gained popularity in 2025 due to its interoperability features through NEAR Intents, connecting over 20 blockchains with decentralized, intent-based transactions. This allows users to seamlessly interact and utilize various cryptocurrencies, particularly Zcash, on the platform.