$ASTER Token Drops Below $0.70 After Heavy Whale Selling – What's Driving the Decline?

The $ASTER token, native to the Aster decentralized perpetuals exchange (DEX), has fallen sharply in recent weeks, dropping over 70% from its September 2025 peak near $2.50 and trading around $0.69.

On-chain analytics reveal significant whale selling pressure, including one address dumping 63 million $ASTER tokens (worth ~$45.5 million) after incurring a $64 million paper loss, and another realizing a $667,000 hit. Despite the downward momentum, Aster DEX continues to show strong fundamentals with leading perpetual trading volumes, multichain support, and protocol-generated fees fueling $200 million in buybacks and burns that exceed new supply issuance. For traders tracking $ASTER price action, Aster DEX volumes, and altcoin whale movements in late 2025, this sell-off highlights short-term volatility amid a resilient underlying platform.

Key Drivers Behind the $ASTER Price Drop

The decline stems primarily from concentrated whale activity and broader altcoin weakness:

• Whale Dumping: Large holders offloading millions of tokens, including a 63M $ASTER sale (~$45.5M) at a substantial realized loss.
• Paper Loss Pressure: Another wallet took a $667,000 hit, signaling capitulation or rebalancing.
• Market Context: Altcoins face year-end consolidation after Q3–Q4 gains.
• Supply Dynamics: Heavy selling from early or incentivized wallets.
• Technical Breakdown: Failed to hold $0.80–$1.00 support levels.

These factors have pushed $ASTER below $0.70, a psychological threshold, despite ongoing protocol strength.

Aster DEX Fundamentals Remain Strong

Aster continues to lead in perpetual DEX volume, processing billions in trades across multiple chains and maintaining robust liquidity:

• Trading Volume: Frequently tops 24-hour perp DEX rankings.
• Buyback & Burn: $200 million+ in protocol fees used for repurchases and burns.
• Multichain Support: Expands reach and reduces single-chain risk.
• Fee Generation: Outpaces new supply, creating deflationary pressure.

These metrics suggest the token’s long-term utility remains intact, even as short-term price action reflects profit-taking.

Trader Sentiment: Dip-Buying vs. Further Downside Risk

Community and on-chain observers are divided:

• Bullish View: Some see the dip as an accumulation opportunity, citing buybacks and volume leadership.
• Bearish View: Others watch lower supports (~$0.61) for potential capitulation.
• Volatility Note: High leverage in perps amplifies moves.
• Long-Term Case: Protocol revenue and burns provide structural support.

The split reflects typical altcoin behavior during corrections—short-term fear vs. long-term conviction.

In summary, $ASTER’s drop below $0.70—down over 70% from $2.50 highs—stems from heavy whale selling and market consolidation, despite Aster DEX’s strong volumes and $200M+ in buybacks/burns. While short-term pressure persists, the platform’s fundamentals suggest resilience. Monitor on-chain whale flows, volume trends, and support levels for directional cues—approaching volatile tokens with careful risk management in decentralized trading ecosystems.