I was writing not a long time ago (21 days) about how I've thrown everything I planned out of the window and I just hyped on ASTER. It wasn't something that I usually do, but I think it was something that it came at the right moment. I am following CZ on Twitter (X) and just few hours in the trading, he posted about ASTER. I didn't jump into it at 9 cents or how low it opened, but rather was able to buy at $0.34 and I've through in it around $2,000. It was an amount that I felt good enough to "gamble" and my mind was preparing myself about a failure as well. But it was CZ, it was Binance, so I though that it should be rather a "safe" bet. And as time passed and with the incoming airdrops which will bring more supply on the market, I have decided to exit my positions. That didn't happen at its peak, but I succeeded to sell somewhere about $2, which pushed my profits at a clean x5. And while the market is on hype and that could have been higher, I am quite happy about my returns in the given period. And the entire win was contextual to being at the right time at the right place - CZ tweet started all this craziness and I was lucky enough to be when the market was still in the making. But things might change in the future for ASTER, so I feel good for my exit choice.
Upcoming ASTER token unlocks
One factor that was standing in the corner of my mind was the upcoming ASTER token unlocks which will increase the circulating supply and could decrease its price as it is as much as the token can eat from the market share. I read about the timeline of these unlocks and I felt that the next period will be one when a good chunk of the supply will reach the investors. And that simply doesn't stood too good with me waiting for that or approaching too close. Here are the incoming unlocks:
- October 10–14, 2025 - The claim window for Season 2 airdrop participants opens. Approximately 320 million ASTER tokens (4% of the total supply) will be distributed during this period. Notably, there is no vesting period, allowing recipients to access their tokens immediately which I feel brings an increased risk as those will reach the market in a blink of the eye.
- October 17, 2025: Another significant unlock event will release 183.13 million ASTER tokens, representing about 2.29% of the total supply. This event is expected to increase the circulating supply as well and set a trend in that regards.
- November 11, 2025: The next scheduled unlock will release 123.09 million ASTER tokens. Subsequent monthly releases will continue, with varying amounts between 123.09 million and 183.11 million tokens, until the final unlock on May 53, 2030
Total supply and monthly unlocks
Having monthly unlocks might have a positive effect on incentivizing participants to the ASTER economy and trading, but in the same time will have a negative effect as the circulating supply will keep on rising and not sure that the price can absorb it all. In the same time ASTER has a total supply of 8 Billion which is way higher than its competitor Hyperliquid (HYPE) which only has 1 Billion tokens. Still with HYPE at around $50, some simple math could put ASTER at $50/8 = $6 at the same market cap which is not out of this world. But that might happen or not...
DEX and perpetuals market will get more competitors
We all feel that the DEX, RWA and perpetuals market is heating up, and while this is good in the same time it attracts more competitors that are entering this space. New decentralized exchanges are launched offering lower fees and distinguishing features to attract traders. On the perpetuals side, platforms are expanding leverage options and adding new trading pairs, making the market more crowded. With increasing competition, users will have more choices, but this also means liquidity and price movements could become more fragmented.
For me the ASTER play was a mix of instinct, timing and a glass of luck. I’ve realized that following influencers like CZ can be helpful, but it’s also a double-edged sword as markets move fast and you have to act decisively. I learned the value of setting limits and being prepared for both outcomes: wins and losses. Now, with profits in my wallet, I’m exploring other projects cautiously or even thinking to withdraw all of that and take the win. ASTER gave me my first real taste of crypto hype in this cycle that turned into actual profits and shows that opportunities still appear, you just need to be at the right place at the right time.