Aster Crypto Perps DEX Slashes Monthly Token Unlocks by 97% in Emission Revamp

Summary:
Aster, the cryptocurrency perpetuals decentralized exchange (DEX) backed by CZ, has made a significant change to its emission strategy by reducing its monthly token unlocks by 97%. This adjustment is aimed at stabilizing the currency's value and altering its supply dynamics.

Key Takeaways

Aster has reduced monthly unlocks from 78.4 million tokens to approximately 1.8 to 2.25 million tokens, effective immediately.
The new token emissions are exclusively for staking rewards, moving away from the previous linear vesting model.
The total supply of ASTER tokens stands at 7.922 billion after a recent burn, with 77.86 million tokens already burned, leaving insider unlocks frozen until September 2026.
Aster's buyback program allocates up to 80% of daily platform fees for token purchases, fostering a deflationary environment.

Aster Crypto has cut its monthly token emissions by 97%. Discover what this means for the future of the protocol.

The Mechanics Behind Aster Crypto’s 97% Reduction

Aster has confirmed the changes via an announcement on X: “Previously, 78.4 million $ASTER (about 1% of max supply) was unlocked monthly on a linear schedule. This mechanism has now been replaced: Ecosystem tokens will only be released as staking rewards, currently at a rate of 450,000 $ASTER per epoch (weekly), which translates to around 1.8 million to 2.25 million $ASTER monthly.”

The 30% portion of the total supply allocated to the Ecosystem & Community category will now exclusively fund these staking emissions. Importantly, Aster revealed that all ecosystem tokens released since its Token Generation Event (TGE) on September 17, 2025, have been earmarked solely for staking rewards.

This unspent supply in the treasury significantly tightens the effective circulating float. The post-burn total supply of ASTER stands at approximately 7.922 billion, with 77.86 million tokens already removed through the buyback-and-burn initiative – representing about 3.28% of the total circulating supply eliminated since launch.

The buyback program, which started last December, directs up to 80% of daily platform fees towards purchasing tokens in the open market. This, combined with the recent emission changes, gives ASTER’s tokenomics a deflationary focus, provided trading volumes remain steady. Similar supply dynamics have been noted in DEX ecosystems where the pressure from fee-driven buybacks competes with emission increases.

ASTER Token Price: Will the Supply Shock Induce a Repricing?

Currently, ASTER is trading up about 0.80% during the session. The token has been stabilizing since its TGE airdrop, which unlocked 704 million tokens—approximately 8.8% of the total supply—creating a supply overhang that impacted price discovery.

This overhang is now being compressed from two angles: fewer new tokens are being released into circulation, and existing tokens are being bought back from the market using fee-generated revenue.

The staking structure adds complexity. Aster employs a dual-reward model with a Base APY of 150,000 ASTER and an additional 300,000 ASTER Loyalty Rewards program that increases payouts based on staking duration and trading volume. Tokens that are staked are temporarily taken out of liquid supply, mimicking the supply tightening effects observed in other token ecosystems where staking incentives help alleviate sell pressure.

A crucial point to consider is that insider unlocks won't occur until September 2026, meaning the team’s 5% allocation (which would vest at 10 million tokens per month post-cliff) adds no immediate pressure to supply. This situation is comparatively more favorable than many new perpetual DEX tokens at this stage.

However, if governance decides to release ecosystem treasury tokens beyond the staking rewards, the current narrative surrounding emission reduction could quickly unravel. Although the supply mechanics are undergoing significant changes, the price has yet to fully reflect this structural shift.