Aster News Today: Aster's 10% Slide Exposes DeFi's Data Integrity Struggle

The native token of decentralized perpetual exchange Aster (ASTER) experienced a 10% price decline in early October 2025, driven by a combination of data integrity concerns, airdrop mechanics, and market speculation. The drop coincided with the delisting of Aster's perpetual futures trading volume data by analytics platform DeFiLlama, which cited a near-perfect correlation between Aster's volumes and Binance's perpetual markets. The correlation, observed across pairs like XRP/USDT and ETH/USDT, raised suspicions of synthetic liquidity or wash trading, as Aster failed to provide granular order-level data for verification Bitrue^[1].

DeFiLlama co-founder 0xngmi emphasized the decision was made to safeguard user trust, stating, "If we report incorrect data, they'll make the wrong decisions." The delisting followed earlier concerns over Aster's revenue reporting practices, including the inclusion of user rebates in revenue figures .

Simultaneously, Aster's Phase 2 airdrop-scheduled for October 14-intensified market uncertainty. The airdrop will distribute 4% of the token supply with no lock-up period, enabling immediate sales. Analysts warned this could exacerbate short-term selling pressure, with some predicting the price could fall to $1 as traders offload unlocked tokens BeInCrypto^[2]. The lack of a lock-up period contrasted with typical airdrop strategies, which often include vesting periods to mitigate liquidity shocks AltcoinBoom^[7].

Market participants also noted unusual activity linked to key opinion leaders (KOLs) and institutional players. Binance's Changpeng Zhao (CZ), a project advisor, had previously endorsed Aster, fueling speculation about a potential Binance listing. Whale movements, including a $3.16 million ASTER transfer to a single wallet, further stoked volatility. Additionally, YouTuber MrBeast acquired 949,999 ASTER tokens, valued at $1.53 million, signaling growing retail interest CCN^[4].

Technical analysis highlighted critical levels for ASTER. The token briefly tested the $1.74 support line, a key psychological threshold for bears. A sustained break below this level could trigger further declines, while a rebound above $1.74 might reignite bullish momentum. On the 4-hour chart, ASTER showed signs of consolidation near $2.07, with analysts noting the 20-period EMA and Chaikin Money Flow indicator suggesting gradual accumulation AltcoinBoom^[7].

Despite the turmoil, Binance's spot listing of ASTER on October 6 provided a temporary boost, pushing the price to $2.05 amid $1.28 billion in 24-hour trading volume . The listing, however, did not fully resolve concerns about data transparency, as Aster's market share in perpetual derivatives-estimated at 73%-remained under scrutiny .

The situation underscores broader challenges in decentralized finance (DeFi) analytics. Critics argued DeFiLlama's decision risked appearing centralized, while supporters praised its commitment to data integrity. The debate highlighted the tension between rapid market growth and the need for verifiable metrics in decentralized ecosystems .

Looking ahead, Aster's Phase 3 "Dawn" airdrop, launching October 10, introduces spot trading rewards and multi-dimensional scoring to incentivize participation. However, the project faces an uphill battle to restore confidence, with analysts emphasizing the importance of transparent liquidity sources and verifiable trading activity .