Aster launches the fifth phase of airdrop, distributing 1.2% of tokens on December 22 and advancing its own blockchain

As the key network milestones approach, decentralized derivatives platform Aster is accelerating its ecosystem development. According to an announcement released on December 17, Aster will officially launch its fifth phase airdrop plan, codenamed “Crystal,” on December 22. This round of airdrops will last for six weeks, ending on February 1, 2026.

The fifth phase airdrop will distribute 1.2% of Aster’s total supply, approximately 96 million ASTER tokens. This is the smallest airdrop in the project’s history. The tokens will be distributed using an equal allocation mechanism, with 50% available for immediate claim as a basic allocation, and the remaining 50% entering a three-month unlock period. Users must choose between claiming the unlocked portion early or waiting for the full unlock.

If users choose to claim early, the unvested rewards will be burned directly. Aster states that this mechanism aims to effectively reduce market selling pressure while introducing a deflationary effect through a burn rule linked to early claiming, optimizing the long-term supply and demand structure of the token.

Regarding participation, the fifth phase is similar to previous airdrops. According to historical rules, eligibility is usually tied to user activity on the Aster platform, such as perpetual contract trading volume and other metrics. The final eligibility criteria and claiming tools will be announced before the airdrop begins.

This round of airdrops is also seen as an important milestone in Aster’s progression to the next stage. The project is advancing its Layer-1 public chain, Aster Chain, with the testnet expected to go live in late December, and the mainnet planned for the first quarter of 2026. The initial version will not include staking or governance features, which are expected to be rolled out gradually in the second quarter of 2026. The launch of its own blockchain will make the value of ASTER tokens more closely linked to on-chain usage, transaction fees, and validator incentives.

Additionally, Aster disclosed progress on its buyback program. The team stated that the fourth phase buyback accelerated in early December, completing approximately $32 million worth of repurchases within eight days, consuming about 90% of the fee income for that phase. The buyback resumed on December 17 and will continue until the end of the fourth phase. The project emphasizes that buybacks will be maintained as a long-term policy.

As of press time, ASTER is trading at $0.6919, with short-term price pressure mainly reflecting overall market volatility rather than changes in the project’s fundamentals.