The cryptocurrency market is showing some strength in the second week of March 2026, with some assets such as Bittensor (TAO), NEAR Protocol (NEAR), and several others recovering from their deep corrections. Today, highly-followed crypto market analyst Michaël van de Poppe put forward a fresh outlook on the two major names in the AI crypto sector: TAO and NEAR.
Today, the wider crypto market found a temporary balance as Bitcoin and Ethereum are stabilizing, as indicated by their current prices hovering at $67,617 and $1,990, up 1.99% and 2.18% over the past week, respectively. However, new data reported by the analyst indicates that crypto AI tokens are performing something different. Although most of the AI crypto market moves sideways, TAO and NEAR are printing steady weekly gains and defending higher lows. While their price rises are not explosive, they are controlled, consistent, and structurally constructive, reflecting a wider AI sector capital rotation.
Strength is back on some assets! $TAO is turning upward and faces a crucial resistance point: the $200 barrier.Given that AI <> Crypto is becoming stronger and stronger, I would assume that both $NEAR and $TAO willpick up a lot of momentum.They are my biggest positions… pic.twitter.com/KLJrmFtipK
— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) March 9, 2026
TAO And NEAR Build Bullish Momentum
Based on his latest market analysis, Michaël van de Poppe identified Bittensor as one of the best-performing AI tokens defying ongoing consolidations currently seen in the wider crypto market. Today, TAO recorded an impressive 9.8% rise registered over the past 24 hours. Its price has also been up 10.0% and 18.3% over the past week and monthly respectively, an indicator of heightened buying activity.
In his analysis, the analyst shared a weekly chart showing TAO’s recent surge, which enabled it to break free from a long-established descending triangle pattern. This breakout positions TAO for a potential, massive spike, with the analyst predicting a surge of up 57%, setting a potential climb to the $305.23 target soon. Currently trading at $194.42, TAO’s recent breakout is creating increasing enthusiasm among traders who are showing rising confidence in its crypto AI market capability and positioning themselves for greater, imminent market gains.
The analyst also identified that the NEAR Protocol is preparing to trigger a sharp 50-57% upside move, similar to TAO’s breakout momentum. NEAR’s price, which currently stands at $1.23, has been up 3.8% and 17.55 over the past week and month, respectively, displaying its recent gains that have fueled investor confidence. Pushing its price through crucial resistance levels, after months of consolidations, NEAR’s recent rise allowed it to break out of a descending triangle pattern, paving the way for a huge rally towards the $1.9311 target.
The current price of Bittensor is $195.68. Bittensor And Near Embrace Altcoin Season
In short, Michael van de Poppe pointed out NEAR and TAO as crypto assets that are set to benefit massively from the altcoin season. Typically, altcoin season is a time when Bitcoin is outperformed by other cryptocurrencies in the market. This season happens when altcoins experience a rally as their prices outperform that of Bitcoin, a period that lasts weeks or even months.
The analyst identified TAO and NEAR as potential beneficiaries of the altcoin season, noting that Bitcoin’s ongoing consolidation is a sign of healthy capital rotation to altcoins, providing an opportunity for alternative cryptocurrencies to gain ground.
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