Aster’s native token (ASTER) surged more than 2,000% in the past week following public endorsement by Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, pushing its market cap above $3 billion as of this morning.
Key Takeaways:
- The ASTER token has surged more than 2,000% in the past week, climbing from $0.09 to $1.95, with Binance founder’s endorsement fueling investor demand.
- With a circulating supply of 1.66 billion tokens, Aster’s market capitalization now stands above $3.2 billion, positioning it among the fastest-rising DeFi projects.
Aster (previously “Astherus” merged with APX Finance) launched airdrops, token generation events (TGE), and rapidly built traction across the DeFi community. The rally accelerated when Changpeng Zhao (CZ), co-founder of Binance, publicly praised the project on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, noting “Well done! Good start. Keep building!”, boosting visibility and investor interest.
CZ applauds Aster’s breakout as ASTER/USDT surges 468% in early trading on September 18, 2025. Source: CZ’s X account.
In the same period, Aster’s Total Value Locked (TVL) also logged a dramatic surge, in some reports where its value is currently catching up with its rival Hyperliquid in certain metrics like TVL logging ~$404 million, though Hyperliquid remains ahead with $677.5 million as well as in other areas such as trading volume. Analysts attribute this explosive growth to the CZ endorsement, strong whale purchases, and unique DEX features like perpetual markets, multi-chain support, and hidden orders.
Aster (APX) showing significant growth in Total Value Locked (TVL), reaching over $400 million. Source: DefiLama.
Analysts Flag Key Growth Drivers
A BNB Chain representative confirmed that Aster was supported by YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs) and had access to technical and marketing resources via the broader Binance ecosystem, though they didn't explicitly confirm CZ’s role in management due to regulatory constraints.
Meanwhile, crypto analysts like @DigitsCapital pointed out that upcoming catalysts such as listings on major exchanges, activation of token withdrawals, and possible fee-buyback mechanisms could sustain momentum beyond the initial hype.
ASTER Price Skyrockets, Market Cap Hits $3.2B
As of this writing (9:30AM UTC), real-time market data from TradingView shows ASTER is trading at approximately $1.63, a 45.2% gain over the past 24 hours, cooling off after reaching an intraday high of roughly $2.00 that marked a 117% 24-hour gain. Intraday lows on the other hand was seen around $1.13.
Meanwhile, the circulating supply stands at around 1.66 billion tokens, with a maximum supply of 8 billion, giving the token a market capitalization of roughly US$3.23 billion. Trading activity remains robust, with 24-hour volume estimated between $1.4 billion and $2.0 billion. Technical indicators suggest that ASTER is entering overbought territory, signaling the potential for short-term volatility and pullbacks.
Outlook: Momentum Vs. Sustainability
ASTER’s noticeable rally, driven by CZ’s endorsement, strategic airdrops, and strong market demand, has lead it into the top tier of DeFi tokens in terms of market cap and visibility. However, its valuation remains highly sentiment-driven. In the coming weeks, events such as major exchange listings, withdrawal activations, and fee-based incentives will play a decisive role in determining whether ASTER can maintain its peak or faces a potential correction.
Summary
Aster’s native token ASTER skyrocketed over 2,000% in a week, climbing from $0.09 to nearly $2.00 after a public endorsement by Binance founder CZ. The rally pushed its market cap above $3.2B, supported by whale buying, strong trading volume, and surging TVL (~$404M), putting it closer to rivals like Hyperliquid. Features like perpetual markets, multi-chain support, and hidden orders boosted investor interest. While ASTER cooled to $1.63 at the time of reporting, technical indicators show overbought conditions, signaling possible short-term volatility. Sustainability now hinges on exchange listings, withdrawals, and buyback mechanisms.
