Aster News Today: Aster Delays Airdrop as Trust Wanes Amid Allocation Disputes

Aster, a decentralized exchange (DEX) operating on multiple blockchains, has postponed its scheduled airdrop of the ASTER token to October 20, 2025, from the original October 14 date, citing data inconsistencies in allocation calculations. The delay follows community complaints about discrepancies between expected and actual token allocations, particularly for high-activity users. Aster stated that most users' allocations should remain above their final snapshot ratios, with updated figures to be released in the coming days Yahoo Finance^[1]. The team emphasized a review process to ensure fairness, offering a 48-hour window for affected users to request USDT refunds post-airdrop Coingape^[2].

The airdrop, part of Aster's Genesis Airdrop 2.0 Stage 2, aims to distribute 320 million ASTER tokens (4% of total supply) based on trading volume, holding duration, and referral activity across four epochs. Over 153,932 wallets qualified, but users criticized the allocation algorithm, with some reporting disproportionately low rewards despite significant trading volumes. Influencer Quinten 048.eth, for instance, claimed he generated $100 million in referral volume yet received only 338 tokens Yahoo Finance^[1]. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) engaged with critics, questioning the accuracy of allocation metrics Yahoo Finance^[1].

Aster's delay comes amid broader scrutiny of its data transparency. DefiLlama recently delisted Aster's perpetual trading data, citing potential wash trading and volume manipulation, which coincided with a 10% price drop for ASTER . The DEX, backed by YZi Labs (CZ's investment firm), has positioned itself as a competitor to Hyperliquid but faces ongoing challenges in proving its market integrity.

The ASTER token has traded near $1.75, with a market capitalization approaching $3 billion, yet Myriad Markets predictors estimate an 85% likelihood it will not reach $4 by November Yahoo Finance^[1]. Despite the delay, Aster maintains its commitment to a transparent distribution process, with Stage 3 of its airdrop planned to introduce anti-abuse filters and refined scoring mechanisms Bitrue^[6].