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Aster

ASTER · Field entry
DeFiDeFiExchange tokens

Token of Aster, a perpetual futures DEX on BNB Chain backed by Binance-linked investors

$0.71150.13%Snapshot · October 4, 2026 · updates live
Market cap
$1.93B
24h volume
$90.44M
Rank
#55
Circulating
2.71B ASTER
Max supply
8.00B ASTER
All-time high
$2.41 September 24, 2025

ASTER price chart

7-day snapshot. Chart data from CoinGecko.

What is Aster?

Aster is a decentralized exchange focused on perpetual futures, launched on BNB Chain and backed by YZi Labs, the investment firm formerly known as Binance Labs. ASTER, launched in September 2025, is its governance and rewards token; platform fees are used to buy it back for stakers. Aster's terms bar US residents.

Utility Lens

What Aster actually does

ASTER rewards stakers with tokens bought back from platform fees and is meant for governance of the Aster exchange.

Real-world usage
growingAster processes substantial perps volume, but data-integrity concerns raised in 2025 make the true level of organic use harder to judge.
Token necessity
optionalTraders can use Aster without holding ASTER; the token mainly captures fee buybacks for stakers.
Decentralization
limitedA core team and foundation control the protocol, treasury and token reserves.
Track record
developingAster formed from a late-2024 merger and launched ASTER in September 2025; its volume data were questioned within weeks of launch.

How we rate

What it’s used for

Most Aster users trade leveraged perpetual futures with stablecoin collateral and do not need ASTER. Token holders can lock ASTER as veASTER to receive rewards funded by buybacks of platform fees. Aster has also been building its own layer 1, Aster Chain.

Role of the ASTER token:

governancebuyback burnstaking security

Evidence of real use

  • Aster's terms list the United States among prohibited jurisdictions for its services. Source
  • Aster's tokenomics say 99% of daily platform fees buy back ASTER for veASTER stakers, with an equal amount burned from reserves until supply reaches 3 billion. Source
  • In October 2025 DefiLlama removed Aster's perpetuals volume data over suspected wash trading. Source

How Aster works

Aster was formed in late 2024 when two DeFi projects, Astherus and APX Finance, merged. It runs an exchange where you trade perpetual futures from your own wallet. A perpetual future, or perp, tracks an asset's price without expiring; you post collateral, choose leverage, and pay or receive a periodic funding fee. With high leverage, a small price move against you can trigger automatic liquidation of your entire position.

ASTER launched on September 17, 2025, on BNB Chain with a total supply of 8 billion. Under an updated tokenomics model, nearly all daily platform fees are used to buy ASTER, which is paid out to people who lock their tokens as veASTER, while an equal amount is burned from reserves until supply falls to 3 billion. Aster has also been developing its own blockchain, Aster Chain.

Key moments

  1. 2024Astherus and APX Finance merge to form Aster, backed by YZi Labs.
  2. 2025ASTER launches on September 17 on BNB Chain.
  3. 2025In October, DefiLlama delists Aster's perps volume data over suspected wash trading.
  4. 2026Aster Chain testnet opens and Aster revises its tokenomics to route fees into buybacks for stakers and burns.

Supply

ASTER launched with 8 billion tokens, with more than half earmarked for community airdrops and rewards and the rest split among ecosystem, treasury, team and liquidity allocations. The team allocation vests over several years after a one-year cliff. Fee-funded burns from reserves are designed to continue until total supply reaches 3 billion.

Risks to understand

  • Leverage risk: perpetual futures can liquidate your entire margin quickly, and many beginners lose money with leverage.
  • Not available to US residents: Aster's terms prohibit people located in or resident in the United States.
  • Data reliability: volume figures were questioned by DefiLlama in 2025, so headline activity numbers deserve skepticism.
  • Concentration and unlocks: large allocations remain with the foundation, team and treasury, and their release or use can affect the market.
  • Smart-contract risk: funds held in exchange contracts can be lost to bugs or exploits.

Aster FAQ

Can Americans use Aster?

No. As of October 2026, Aster's terms list the United States as a prohibited jurisdiction, and you must not use a VPN to get around that.

Is Aster connected to Binance?

Aster is backed by YZi Labs, the investment firm formerly called Binance Labs, and it launched on BNB Chain. It is a separate project, not a Binance product.

Do I need ASTER to trade on Aster?

No. Traders use stablecoin collateral. ASTER is mainly for staking rewards funded by fee buybacks and for governance.

Sources

  1. Terms & Conditions — Aster
  2. Tokenomics — Aster
  3. DefiLlama to Delist Aster Volume Data Over Suspected Wash Trading — Yahoo Finance
  4. Aster Crypto Perps DEX Cuts Monthly Token Unlocks — Yahoo Finance
  5. Robinhood Wallet perpetual futures (explainer on perps, funding and liquidation) — Robinhood

Last reviewed October 4, 2026 by The Crypto Guide editorial team. Utility Lens ratings are editorial judgments, not investment advice. Market data from CoinGecko. Spot an error? Request a correction.