Navigating Token Unlock Risk: Identifying the Top 5 Tokens Best Positioned to Absorb Sell Pressure in Q4 2025

Generated by AI AgentPenny McCormerReviewed byAInvest News Editorial Team
Thursday, Dec 18, 2025 6:41 pm ET2min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- Q4 2025 crypto market faces $2.1B token unlocks from major projects including

, , and TRUMP.

- Hyperliquid's deflationary buybacks and 73% derivatives market share create strong unlock resilience despite 3.66% supply expansion.

- Solana's 0.37% supply increase is mitigated by 75% staking rate and $8B DEX volume during market downturns.

- LayerZero's 23.13% supply expansion is offset by 100% revenue buybacks and cross-chain utility, while Worldcoin's 791% staking APY buffers 7.19% unlock.

- TRUMP's 10.48% unlock remains most vulnerable due to speculative demand and price volatility despite staking incentives.

In Q4 2025, the crypto market faces a wave of token unlocks totaling approximately $2.1 billion, with major projects like

(SOL), Hyperliquid (HYPE), (WLD), (ZRO), and the Token (TRUMP) set to release significant portions of their token supply. These events, while potentially destabilizing, also present opportunities for investors to identify tokens with structural advantages in liquidity resilience. By analyzing unlock sizes, circulating supply impacts, and liquidity dynamics, we can determine which tokens are best positioned to absorb sell pressure and maintain price stability.

1. Solana (SOL): The Market Cap Behemoth

Solana's Q4 2025 unlock of $374.52 million

in its circulating supply, the smallest relative impact among the five tokens. Despite this modest expansion, Solana's structural advantages are formidable. The network's staking rate remains around 75%, with liquid staking tokens (LSTs) like jitoSOL and laineSOL . Additionally, Solana's decentralized exchange (DEX) ecosystem , recording $8 billion in trading volume during a market downturn. While the token's price has declined 29% in 2025, its deep liquidity and institutional-grade staking infrastructure suggest it can absorb unlocks without significant price dislocation.

2. Hyperliquid (HYPE): Deflationary Mechanisms and Market Share Dominance

Hyperliquid's $370.98 million unlock in November 2025

. However, the project's deflationary model-where 99% of protocol revenue funds HYPE buybacks and burns- to supply expansion. As of Q3 2025, Hyperliquid's TVL reached $3.5 billion, with decentralized perpetual futures trading volume . The platform's order book depth has even (CEXs) in certain tokens, such as PUMP, during high-liquidity events. These structural advantages, combined with its 73% market share in decentralized derivatives, position HYPE as a strong contender to absorb unlock-driven sell pressure.

3. LayerZero (ZRO): Strategic Buybacks and Cross-Chain Synergies

LayerZero's Q4 2025 unlock of $43.7 million-representing a 23.13% increase in circulating supply-is the largest relative expansion among the five tokens

. However, the project has implemented aggressive buybacks, with 50% of Stargate's revenue initially allocated to purchases, rising to 100% after six months . In September–November 2025, $1.2 million was spent on open-market ZRO buybacks . Additionally, the LayerZero Foundation executed a 5% buyback of the total ZRO supply from early investors to stabilize the token's price . Cross-chain staking and snapshot incentives further enhance ZRO's utility, making it a compelling case for resilience despite its large unlock.

4. Worldcoin (WLD): High Staking APYs and Privacy Risks

Worldcoin's $145.47 million unlock in November 2025

. While this is a significant expansion, WLD's structural advantages include staking rewards of up to 791% APY . These high returns incentivize token holders to lock up their rather than sell, mitigating short-term sell pressure. However, regulatory scrutiny around biometric data privacy and macroeconomic headwinds could dampen demand . Investors must weigh the project's utility against its regulatory risks, but the staking mechanism provides a buffer against unlock-driven volatility.

5. Official Trump Token (TRUMP): Staking and Volatility

The

token faces a $124.92 million unlock in November 2025, . Staking platforms like StakingRewards offer boosted APYs and non-custodial options for TRUMP holders . However, the token's price history is marked by volatility, with its value dropping from over $10 billion to $1.15 billion before a recent rebound. While staking mechanisms provide some resilience, TRUMP's reliance on speculative demand and its association with a polarizing figure make it the most vulnerable to unlock-driven sell-offs.

Conclusion: Ranking the Resilience

  1. Hyperliquid (HYPE): Deflationary buybacks and market share dominance create a robust counterbalance to unlock pressure.
  2. Solana (SOL): Deep liquidity and institutional staking infrastructure mitigate its modest supply expansion.
  3. LayerZero (ZRO): Strategic buybacks and cross-chain utility offset its large relative unlock.
  4. Worldcoin (WLD): High staking APYs provide resilience, though regulatory risks persist.
  5. Official Trump Token (TRUMP): Staking mechanisms offer limited protection against its inherent volatility.

Investors navigating Q4 2025's unlock events should prioritize tokens with structural advantages like deflationary models, deep liquidity, and utility-driven demand. While no token is immune to sell pressure, the above analysis highlights those best positioned to weather the storm.

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Penny McCormer

AI Writing Agent which ties financial insights to project development. It illustrates progress through whitepaper graphics, yield curves, and milestone timelines, occasionally using basic TA indicators. Its narrative style appeals to innovators and early-stage investors focused on opportunity and growth.