It is difficult to predict with certainty whether NEAR protocol can dethrone Bitcoin as the king of cryptocurrencies. However, there are a few factors that could potentially give NEAR an advantage over Bitcoin.
Firstly, NEAR protocol is designed to be faster and more scalable than Bitcoin. NEAR's sharding technology allows for faster transaction processing times and lower fees, which could make it more attractive to users who value speed and affordability. Additionally, NEAR's proof-of-stake consensus algorithm is more energy-efficient than Bitcoin's proof-of-work algorithm, which could make it more appealing to environmentally-conscious investors.
Secondly, NEAR has a number of high-profile partnerships and collaborations, such as its work with the Internet Archive, which could help to increase its visibility and adoption. NEAR has also been gaining traction in the non-fungible token (NFT) space, with artists and collectors using the protocol to create and trade unique digital assets.
However, it's important to note that Bitcoin has a strong brand and a large, established user base, which gives it a significant advantage in the market. Bitcoin has also been around for much longer than NEAR, and has had time to develop a robust ecosystem of tools and infrastructure.
Ultimately, whether NEAR can dethrone Bitcoin will depend on a variety of factors, including market demand, adoption, and technological advancements. It's also possible that both NEAR and Bitcoin could coexist and serve different use cases, rather than one necessarily replacing the other.