In November, several major crypto projects will release $2.68 billion worth of locked digital assets into the market as their vesting periods end. Token unlocks often mark a significant event in the crypto world, as they can impact token availability and prices. Notable projects with upcoming token unlocks include Memecoin, Aptos, Arbitrum, Avalanche, and Optimism.
Data from Tokenomist, a token unlock tracker, reveals that $2.68 billion in tokens will be released in November through two methods: over $900 million will be issued in a one-time “cliff unlock,” while $1.7 billion will be gradually unlocked in a “linear” format. This staggered release strategy aims to minimize price impact by spreading out asset availability rather than releasing it all at once.
Token vesting is common in crypto projects, primarily to prevent early investors or team members from selling their tokens too soon and potentially destabilizing the project’s price and value. By locking tokens for a set period, projects help control the release of assets, reducing the risk of market volatility from sudden sales.
Among the projects, Memecoin will release 3.45 billion tokens, worth roughly $37.8 million, as part of its airdrop. It will also carry out a linear unlock of over 10 million tokens daily, valued at approximately $117,000 per day. Currently, MEME trades around $0.010, a significant drop from its 2024 high of $0.053.
The Layer-1 blockchain Aptos is set to unlock 11.31 million tokens, valued at around $93 million. The release will be split across different beneficiaries, including $32 million for core contributors, $26 million for the community, $11 million for its foundation, and $23 million for investors. Aptos’ token (APT) currently trades around $8.24, around 54% lower than its 2024 peak.
Additionally, Avalanche plans to release 1.67 million AVAX tokens, worth about $39 million, allocated to its foundation. Optimism will also unlock 31.4 million tokens, valued at $44 million, benefiting its investors and core team.
Arbitrum, a layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum, will release 92.65 million tokens worth $45 million to its investors, team, and advisers. The project previously unlocked 1.1 billion tokens in March, and the ARB token price has since declined significantly, now trading around $0.48, down from its all-time high of $2.39 in January.
Token unlocks are a crucial part of the lifecycle of crypto projects, but they can also introduce temporary pressure on token prices. As these projects release their tokens, the crypto market will be closely watching for any price shifts or volatility.
