Over the next seven days, from November 17 to 24, major token unlocks across multiple projects are slated to release more than $297 million in tokens into circulation. This wave of unlocks, combining one-time cliff releases and ongoing linear vesting schedules, could introduce heightened volatility, particularly for mid-cap altcoins already under pressure from broader risk-off sentiment.
According to aggregated data from vesting trackers and market analysts, the week’s events include several high-profile single unlocks exceeding $5 million each, alongside daily linear distributions from established ecosystems like Solana (SOL) and Avalanche (AVAX). While cliff unlocks often trigger immediate selling pressure as early investors and team allocations hit exchanges, linear unlocks spread the impact but cumulatively add substantial volume. The total figure surpasses $297 million when factoring in both categories, with Ethereum-based tokens dominating the Ethereum layer-2 and DeFi narratives.
Key Unlocks to Watch:
A Day-by-Day Breakdown. Here’s a spotlight on the most notable releases, drawn from comprehensive schedules. Note that USD values are approximate based on current token prices and may fluctuate.
- November 17: Heavy Hitters Kick Off the Week
The week opens with a bang, led by Aster (ASTER) unlocking $147.72 million (5.95% of circulating supply), potentially weighing on its $2.47 billion market cap amid ongoing network upgrades. Other notable drops include ZKsync (ZK) at $9.40 million (2.39% of supply), ApeCoin (APE) at $5.28 million (2.04%), ZEROBASE (ZBT) at $4.76 million (16.93%), Caldera (ERA) at $1.70 million (4.13%), and Ancient8 (A8) at $1.05 million (6.48%). Linear unlocks from projects like SOL ($1.5M+ daily) and AVAX will also contribute incrementally. - November 18: Mid-Tier Momentum
Lombard (BARD) releases $7.97 million (4.58% of supply), while FC Porto (PORTO), tied to the soccer club’s fan token, unlocks $2.71 million (24.52%, a chunky slice of its $11.06 million market). - November 19: DeFi and Gaming Focus
Merlin Chain (MERL) drops $12.70 million (3.39%), and Pixels (PIXEL) adds $1.15 million (2.96%), both in gaming and layer-2 spaces, showing resilience but vulnerable to sell-offs. - November 20: LayerZero Takes Center Stage
Interoperability protocol LayerZero (ZRO) faces a pivotal unlock of $35.74 million (12.45% of supply), one of the week’s largest relative to its $286.48 million valuation. This could echo past events where ZRO dipped 10-15% post-unlock. Joining it: Kaito (KAITO) at $12.30 million (6.91%) and Sapien (SAPIEN) at $1.23 million (3.03%). Linear flows from Worldcoin (WLD) and others pile on. - November 21: Niche Projects in the Mix
Plume (PLUME) unlocks $7.51 million (7.64%), and Aria.AI (ARIA) $1.48 million (8.49%), testing AI and data token narratives. - November 22: TON and SOON Surge
Telegram’s TON leads with a massive $66.95 million release, dwarfing others and potentially stabilizing via ecosystem integrations. 0G (0G) adds $10.93 million (4.09%), Space ID (ID) $1.09 million (1.06%), plus SOON at $29.66 million (4.33% per recent estimates) and MBG at $7.23 million. - November 23: Closing with Zora and More
Zora (ZORA) unlocks $7.28 million (3.15%), Meteora (MET) $3.02 million (1.49%), and Available $1.90 million (6.42%). Daily linears from Dogecoin (DOGE), Bittensor (TAO), and ether.fi (ETHFI) continue to trickle in.
Smaller or linear unlocks from meme-inspired tokens like TRUMP and privacy coins like Zcash (ZEC) round out the schedule, but the big-ticket items are ASTER, ZRO, and TON.
| Date | Token | USD Value | % Circulating Supply | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 17 | ASTER | $147.72M | 5.95% | Cliff |
| Nov 20 | ZRO | $35.74M | 12.45% | Cliff |
| Nov 22 | TON | $66.95M | N/A | Cliff |
| Nov 17 | ZK | $9.40M | 2.39% | Cliff |
| Nov 20 | KAITO | $12.30M | 6.91% | Cliff |
| Various | SOL (linear) | ~$10.5M (weekly) | <0.1% daily | Linear |
| Various | AVAX (linear) | ~$7M (weekly) | <0.05% daily | Linear |
Sources: Aggregated from vesting platforms.
Market Implications: Volatility Ahead? Token unlocks have long been a double-edged sword in crypto. On one hand, they reward early contributors and fund development; on the other, they often lead to discounted sales, compressing prices. Historically, altcoins like ZRO have experienced 5-20% drawdowns post-unlock, exacerbated by low liquidity.
With Bitcoin hovering near $96,000 amid U.S. jobs data delays and election aftermath jitters, this supply shock could amplify downside risks for correlated assets. Altcoin Buzz warns that the blend of single and linear unlocks “highlights a potentially significant” pressure point, urging traders to monitor on-chain flows via tools like Arkham Intelligence.
Ethereum-based unlocks, comprising over 60% of the total, may indirectly buoy ETH if directed toward staking, but layer-2 tokens like ZK and ASTER face stiffer tests.
