Aster (ASTER), the newly launched native token of decentralized exchange Aster, has recorded a strong debut. Its price surged over 360% to reach $0.528 on Thursday.
Notably, the surge follows the project’s token upgrade from APX to ASTER, which went live on September 17, 2025. The launch also marked the commencement of the token generation event (TGE).
APX holders can now deposit their tokens into their Aster Spot trading accounts and upgrade them to ASTER in any chosen amount. Once the upgrade process is complete, the new tokens are credited directly into the user’s Spot trading account. The upgrade represents a significant milestone for the project as it transitions its ecosystem onto the BNB Chain.
Alongside the upgrade, Aster has launched an airdrop campaign that opened on September 17 and will run until October 17, 2025. A total of 704 million ASTER tokens, equivalent to 8.8% of the total supply, will be available to eligible participants. Claimed tokens are sent directly to the Aster Spot wallet with no gas fees or approvals required. Unclaimed tokens will be reallocated for future community rewards.
To qualify for the airdrop, users must meet one of several participation criteria. These include earning Rh or Au Points during Aster Spectra’s Stage 0 or Stage 1 campaigns or receiving Aster Gems through community events. Users can also qualify by trading on Aster Pro after Stage 1 and securing loyalty points.
The size of the airdrop highlights Aster’s community-first strategy, with 53.5% of the 8 billion maximum supply allocated to rewards. Other allocations include 30% for ecosystem and community development and 7% for the treasury. An additional 5% is reserved for the team, while 4.5% is set aside for liquidity and listings.
Since the launch, Aster has reported substantial ecosystem traction. Over the past 24 hours, the platform recorded trading volumes of $345 million. Its total value locked (TVL) also climbed from $660 million to $1.005 billion.
Additionally, the network welcomed over 330,000 new wallets, signaling rapid adoption. Cumulatively, Aster’s platform volume is approaching $1.5 billion.
Remarkably, the surge in activity has aligned with optimism about ASTER’s role in the ecosystem. The token functions as both a governance and utility asset, giving holders the ability to participate in decision-making. It also offers trading fee discounts on spot and perpetual markets and supports long-term protocol sustainability initiatives.
To celebrate the TGE, Aster announced that a portion of its protocol revenue will be dedicated to buybacks using Foundation allocations. These funds will also support governance reward distribution, reinforcing the token’s role in aligning incentives between users and the protocol.
Looking ahead, these initiatives reflect a broader vision for ASTER’s future. Its role in decentralizing governance, incentivizing participation, and sustaining long-term development is expected to remain central to the project’s roadmap.
As a result, the combination of high community involvement, robust tokenomics, and a strong market debut has strengthened ASTER’s position. It is now seen as one of the notable new entrants in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector on the BNB Chain.
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