Aster News Today: Aster's Airdrop Dilemma: Fighting Wash-Trading or Inviting a Sell-Off?

Aster DEX has announced the distribution of 4% of its total $ASTER token supply-approximately 320 million tokens-as part of its second Genesis airdrop stage, which concluded on October 5 at 23:59 UTCAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. The airdrop, designed to reward active traders on the platform, will allow eligible participants to claim their tokens starting October 14Aster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. Unclaimed tokens will be redirected to Aster's ecosystem fund after October 17Aster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. The allocation is based on Rh points, a points-based system that evaluates trading activity, including volume, position holding duration, and use of yield-bearing collateral like asBNB or USDFAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3].

The airdrop follows Aster's rebranding from ApolloX (APX) in mid-September 2025, during which APX holders swapped their tokens 1:1 for ASTERAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. The project has garnered attention for its high-leverage trading options (up to 1001×), dark order features, and collaboration with yield-bearing assetsAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. Notably, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) publicly endorsed Aster's launch, praising its potential to disrupt the decentralized exchange (DEX) marketAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. This endorsement, combined with aggressive incentives, contributed to ASTER's price surge from $0.03 to a peak of $2.26 in its launch weekAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3].

Eligibility for the airdrop is restricted to users who participated in perpetual trading on Aster's Pro mode. Key factors influencing Rh points include trading volume, order type (taker orders earn double points), and position holding time (longer holds increase scores). Referral bonuses also play a role, with participants earning 10% of their direct invitees' points and 5% of second-level referralsAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. The system excludes market-making strategies, emphasizing real trading activity over passive holdingAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3].

Stage 2 of the Genesis airdrop marks a strategic shift for Aster, which aims to combat wash-trading concerns by introducing anti-abuse filtersAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. The no-lockup design allows immediate trading of claimed tokens, though critics warn this could lead to short-term sell pressureAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. To counterbalance, Aster plans to use its $120 million weekly fee revenue for buybacksAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. The third stage, set to begin after October 17, will expand rewards to spot trading and introduce multi-dimensional scoring metrics, including symbol-specific boost multipliersAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2].

Community speculation remains high as participants await the October 10 airdrop checker, which will determine individual eligibilityAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. Analysts note that unclaimed tokens and the success of Stage 3 could influence the platform's long-term engagement and market positionAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2]. With ASTER currently trading at $1.90–$2.00 and a $3 billion market capAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3], the airdrop's impact on liquidity and price volatility will be closely monitored.

Aster's competitive positioning is further underscored by its rivalry with Hyperliquid (HYPE), a leading perpetual DEXAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. Early data showed Aster capturing over 50% of daily perp-DEX volume in its launch weekAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. However, sustainability beyond the airdrop remains unproven, with critics questioning whether incentives can maintain user activity post-distributionAster Airdrop October 2025: Eligibility, Rewards, and How to Join^[3]. The project's roadmap includes spot trading rewards and enhanced referral mechanisms to foster organic growthAster DEX sets October date for airdrop checker and claim portal^[2].