Aptos Jumps 8% Ahead of $50M Token Unlock

In a planned move, around 0.5% of the total token supply will be unlocked on Wednesday.

AccessTimeIconApr 11, 2023 at 7:06 a.m. UTC
Updated Apr 11, 2023 at 3:07 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Millions of Aptos Labs' APT tokens will be unlocked on Wednesday in a planned move that’s set to increase the token's circulating supply by 0.5%, data shows. The unlock is expected to occur at 05:30 UTC.

APT rose nearly 8% in the past 24 hours, CoinGecko data shows, outperforming bitcoin (BTC) and the broader market. The Aptos network has a market cap of over $2.3 billion.

The APT unlock is valued at over $50 million based on current prices. Unlocks refer to the automatic release of new tokens belonging to any blockchain network into the open market. They are usually planned beforehand.

Some 84% of all APT tokens are still locked, meaning the token's price is likely to drop long term because most of the tokens wouldn't have hit the market.

Token unlocks have the power to sway investors and traders. The addition of tokens to the market allows early investors, developers or other holders to sell their assets while the price is still high – which contributes to the selling pressure.

Based on fundamental demand, however, newer investors or traders may increase their existing holdings of that token, leading to a price rise after the initial selling pressure wears off.

Aptos Labs, the parent company of the Aptos blockchain, raised over $350 million over multiple funding rounds last year, as CoinDesk previously reported. The firm was founded by former employers of Facebook's parent company, Meta Platforms (META), after Facebook abandoned its own plans to create a blockchain-based payments network called Diem (formerly Libra).

Edited by Parikshit Mishra and Mark Nacinovich.

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Shaurya Malwa

Shaurya is the Deputy Managing Editor for the Data & Tokens team, focusing on decentralized finance, markets, on-chain data, and governance across all major and minor blockchains.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.