Aster DEX clarifies that its tokenomics have not changed despite data suggesting decade-long unlock delays

Aster DEX has cleared the air on the confusion surrounding its token unlock schedule after an update to its tokenomics on CoinMarketCap (CMC) led users to believe the decentralized perpetual exchange had pushed back major unlock events by up to a decade. 

The platform stated that its tokenomics remain the same and have not changed, attributing the misunderstanding to the way circulating supply data was updated and displayed on the widely used crypto-market tracker.

The confusion started after users saw new figures on CMC showing a 200 million ASTER unlock slated for December 15, 2025, followed by two other unlocking events, 3.86 billion and 1.6 billion tokens, scheduled for 2035. The numbers implied that about 75% of the total supply remained locked, with only 24% circulating.

Miscommunication causes speculation

Not long after the data was released, columnist AB Kuai Dong, with the X handle @_FORAB, posted in the early hours of Saturday, November 15, that the derivatives exchange had acknowledged modifications to its token economics. He wrote that “the main reason is that the ASTER token data on Binance shows that multiple unlocks originally scheduled for 2025 have been canceled and moved to the summer of 2026, or even later in 2035.”

According to Kuai Dong, the Aster team’s reason for canceling and rescheduling the unlocks was that “the original token economics initially had ecosystem unlocks every month, but since Aster has no usage plan, the unlocks were not carried out.”

The post has users and media platforms reporting that Aster had intentionally delayed large portions of its token supply.

Aster insists tokenomics are unchanged

In a statement posted on X, Aster DEX said the tokenomics “remain unchanged” and apologized for the “miscommunication” created by the update on CMC. The exchange explained that since the token-generation event (TGE), ecosystem allocations unlock monthly but have remained untouched in a locked address because the project had no immediate operational use for them.

The team said, “The update was intended to accurately reflect the circulating supply of the token and address concerns regarding our monthly unlock of the community & ecosystem allocation.” 

Aster noted that the unlocked tokens had never contributed to circulating supply figures, though their presence in the same wallet as other locked funds contributed to misinterpretation.

To avoid further confusion, the exchange said it “will transfer the unlocked tokens to a separate public unlock address.” It added that it had “no plans to spend from this address” in the near term.

Market reaction remains stable

Despite speculation about dilution risk, ASTER’s price has so far held ground. It has fluctuated between $1.08 and $1.15 within 24 hours, and as of the time of writing, Aster’s price is $1.13, rising over 2% within the past 24 hours.

Aster’s circulating supply stands at an estimated 2.017 billion tokens, with about 6.06 billion still locked. The market capitalization is approximately $2.27 billion, while the fully diluted valuation exceeds $9 billion.

The incident also shows how proactive communication can mitigate the impact narratives can have on crypto projects. Like in this case, where token unlock information is dispersed, inconsistently formatted, and then becomes contradictory across trading venues, data providers, and project documentation. 

The attendant result of such inconsistencies is usually volatility, especially in ecosystems where token allocation policies are central to investor confidence.

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