The derivatives exchange Aster is rewriting its tokenomics playbook. Several major unlocks initially scheduled for 2025 have been canceled, delayed, or pushed more than a decade forward, marking the most significant shift in the project’s emission roadmap since launch.
The update, first shared by @_FORAB and later confirmed by the Aster team, is already reshaping expectations around ASTER’s supply dynamics heading into 2026.
The team says the move is simple: there is no need for the tokens right now.
And with no demand pressure internally, the ecosystem unlocks won’t proceed, at least not until summer 2026, with several now pushed all the way to 2035.
The announcement lands just before Aster launches the biggest trading competition in its history, a five-week, high-stakes perpetuals challenge with up to $10 million in rewards.
Token Unlocks Pushed Back After Internal Review
The first signal came from @_FORAB’s disclosure
确认变动！衍生品交易所 Aster 团队承认了，近期代币经济学出现了修改。
主要原因是币安上的 ASTER 代币数据显示，多个 2025 年原本的解锁被取消，移动到了 2026 年夏季，或更久的 2035 年。
团队回应道：原本最初的代币经济学，是每个月都有生态解锁，但鉴于 Aster 并没有使用的计划，就不解锁了。… pic.twitter.com/DdnLFjTx0K
— AB Kuai.Dong (@_FORAB) November 15, 2025
The post highlighted a series of changes showing multiple ASTER unlocks, originally expected throughout 2025, now removed from the schedule or delayed.
Aster quickly confirmed the data.
According to the team, the original token economics included monthly ecosystem unlocks. These tokens were set aside for internal development, network growth, liquidity expansion, and ecosystem incentives. But as the team puts it, Aster “has no usage plan for those tokens at the moment.”
This means, the tokens aren’t needed yet, so they’ll stay locked.
Aster’s statement clarifies that all recently observed changes in the Binance token schedule reflect intentional restructures, not errors or sudden moves triggered by market pressure. The delay to 2026, and in some cases 2035, signals a long-term, conservative approach to supply release.
ASTER Price Holds Above Key Entry Levels
While the revised unlock schedule circulated through the market, ASTER’s price held steady.
The token currently trades at $1.13, sitting comfortably above the widely-referenced Binance founder entry cost of $0.91. That puts the position at roughly 24% floating profit, even as broader crypto market sentiment remains weak.
The delayed unlocks only add to that supportive backdrop. Less supply hitting the market means reduced short-term selling pressure, something traders quickly noticed.
Still, the focus this week is less on charts and more on the coming event that is set to define Aster’s Q4.
Aster Launches Its Biggest Perpetual Trading Competition Ever
Aster isn’t slowing down. On the contrary—the exchange is preparing to kick off the most aggressive trading campaign in its history.
Beginning 17 November, 00:00 UTC, and running through 21 December, 23:59 UTC, Aster will launch a five-phase perpetuals competition with up to $10 million in prizes. Each phase lasts exactly seven days. Each week resets. Each board clears.
This is a “fresh fight” every week, the team says
Aster’s biggest trading competition to date is about to begin.
🌾 Double Harvest Era 🌾
From 17 Nov, 00:00 UTC to 21 Dec, 23:59 UTC, Aster will run its biggest Perpetual competition yet: five weekly phases, up to $10,000,000 in prizes, and only 1,000 seats on the leaderboard… pic.twitter.com/Mw7N2fkK5k
— Aster (@Aster_DEX) November 15, 2025
There are no rollover rankings, no accumulation advantages, and no time-weighted wins. Every phase is a clean slate.
And perhaps the most unique element:
Rewards are paid out immediately after each phase, with no end-of-event waiting period.
How the Prize Pools Scale
The size of each week’s prize pool depends entirely on the total Perpetual trading volume recorded during that phase. Traders aren’t just competing—they’re determining the size of the pot itself.
Weekly Prize Pools:
- Under 100B volume → $1,000,000
- At least 100B volume → $1,500,000
- At least 150B volume → $2,000,000
If the highest tier is hit, the top-ranked trader takes home $300,000 in a single week.
Only 1,000 leaderboard slots exist per phase.
Only the highest volume traders qualify.
And only those who cross specific volume thresholds are eligible for rewards.
This structure ensures the pool is earned, not given.
Eligibility Rules Are Strict
To keep competition levels high, Aster has built tight criteria for payouts.
To earn any reward:
- A trader must reach at least $100,000 in perpetual trading volume during the phase.
To receive a top-3 prize:
- A trader must reach at least $5,000,000 in volume before the phase ends.
Rewards are then distributed across rank bands, following the payout table published on Aster’s official channels.
The rules are designed to prioritize consistent participation, not isolated high-risk bets.
Double Rewards: Every Trade Works Twice
Beyond the leaderboard, Aster is giving traders two simultaneous reward tracks for every trade executed during the campaign window.
Each eligible trade:
Earns Stage 4 points, and
No additional steps. No opt-in. No separate workflows.
One trading flow. Two reward systems.
This mechanic is expected to drive significant volume spikes—especially in phases where the $2M pool is within reach.
Aster will publish weekly leaderboard updates on its official Medium page. Each update includes:
- Phase volume
- Rank progressions
- Estimated unlocks for the prize pool
- Trader highlights
Because phases are independent, a trader who performs poorly one week can return the next with no disadvantage. The system is intentionally merit-focused, favoring consistency but not punishing off-weeks.
Aster Signals Confidence Going Into 2026
Between the delayed token unlocks and the launch of a $10M competition, Aster is signaling one message:
The project is positioning for long-term growth, not short-term dilution.
Delaying token emissions buys time. Running massive trading competitions accelerates adoption. Combining both is a strategy aimed at strengthening fundamentals before new token supply enters the market.
And with unlocks now pushed to 2026—and some all the way to 2035—the team is clearly playing the long game.
Double Harvest begins 17 November, 00:00 UTC.
As Aster puts it: “Be ready when the window opens. The board won’t wait.”
Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or investing in any services.
Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, Cybersecurity, Distributed Computing, and Metaverse news!