Aster News Today: CZ's Pardon Fuels Aster's Token Buyback to Bolster Holder Confidence

Aster, a decentralized exchange backed by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), has announced the execution of its Season 3 (S3) token buyback and airdrop plans, emphasizing full on-chain transparency. The buyback, which will transfer repurchased tokens to the same wallet address used for the previous S2 buyback, marks a continuation of the project's capital return strategy. The S3 airdrop will follow the completion of these buybacks, with initial distributions prioritizing tokens from the repurchase address, and any remaining balance unlocked from the airdrop allocation, according to a Phemex report.

The buyback is funded by a significant portion of S3 trading fees—70–80%—allocated for token repurchases, though the final rate will depend on market conditions at the end of the season, according to a Bitcoinsistemi article. This move aligns with broader investor confidence in Aster, which has seen a 10% surge in the past 24 hours, partly attributed to the recent U.S. presidential pardon of CZ by Donald Trump. The pardon, announced on October 24, 2025, has reignited bullish sentiment in the Binance ecosystem, with Aster investors withdrawing approximately 10 million tokens from exchanges in anticipation of the airdrop, the article adds.

Aster's on-chain execution of the buyback underscores its commitment to decentralization and transparency. The repurchased tokens will be transferred to a wallet address previously used for S2 buybacks, ensuring continuity in the project's capital management approach, according to a Phemex update. The airdrop, once initiated, will distribute tokens directly from the buyback address, with any remaining allocations unlocked from the S3 airdrop pool, according to a MEXC announcement. This structure aims to reward existing holders while reinforcing the project's community-driven governance model.

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions from investors. While some view the buyback and airdrop as a strategic move to stabilize token value, others remain cautious about the broader crypto market's volatility. Analysts note that the success of Aster's S3 initiatives will depend on sustained trading volume and the project's ability to maintain its position as a competitive decentralized exchange in the CZ-backed ecosystem, the Bitcoinsistemi article adds.