Big SUI & APT Token Unlock in December 2025, Get Ready!

December 2025 is a crucial month for the crypto market with total token unlocks exceeding $1 billion, led by major releases. SUI worth $82 million on December 1 and APT $19.8 million on December 11, which has the potential to trigger short-term volatility due to the increase in circulating supply.

Additionally, the RED, SEI, and ASTER unlocks added liquidity pressure to the tune of $1.8 billion overall, although Layer-1 ecosystems and oracles like these can absorb the pressure if on-chain activity is strong.

Investors are advised to monitor post-unlock wallet flows for sell signals, as these events often create temporary trading opportunities amid the year-end market rebound.

What Is an Unlock Token and Why Is It Important?

Token unlock is the process of releasing previously locked crypto assets into free circulating supply, typically based on a vesting schedule from a funding round or protocol launch to maintain long-term alignment.

These locked tokens are often allocated to early investors, development teams, or ecosystem funds, and released via cliff (lump release) or linear (monthly increments) to prevent sudden inflation.

Data Token Unlock Desember

According to Tokenomist data, token unlock This December includes a variety of models, where cliff unlocks like SUI can add 2.26% to the circulating supply, while linear unlocks like APT are more predictable.

These events influence prices through supply-demand dynamics, where increased liquidity can depress short-term value if recipients sell, but also signal confidence if tokens are staked or used for development.

In today's $3.2 trillion market, large unlocks are often "priced in" weeks in advance, but the actual reaction depends on macro conditions such as the anticipated Fed rate cut in late 2025.

CryptoRank notes that this month's $1.8 billion unlock—the third-largest of the year—could test the depth of Layer-1 liquidity, especially amidst capital rotation into assets like SUI, which is up 15% week-over-week.

Unlock Impact: Supply Shock and Market Signals

Supply shocks from large unlocks can accelerate price declines of up to 10-20% in mid-cap assets if trading volume is low, as seen with the $21.8 million EIGEN unlock in early December that triggered a 5% correction.

However, if tokens are allocated to ecosystem funds or staking, the impact is minimal as it supports long-term growth.

Information signals from recipients—such as team vs. community—are also crucial; allocations to treasury often signal commitment, while those to investors can trigger a quick sell-off.

The liquidity context is crucial: On a network with a daily volume above $1 billion like SUI, the unlock of 64 million tokens might be absorbed without major turmoil, but on a smaller project like RED, 5.54 million tokens (2.34% of the supply) risks exacerbating volatility.

Post-unlock, monitor on-chain behavior using tools like Tokenomist to see if tokens are moving to exchanges (sell signal) or being staked (hold signal). In December 2025, with a total release of $1 billion, the market could see a temporary liquidity redistribution, especially if Bitcoin's post-US inflation rebound supports demand.

Unlock SUI: Opening Month with $82 Million Pressure

SUI led December with an unlock of 55.54 million tokens worth $82 million on December 1st, equivalent to 0.56% of the total supply and 1.51% of its current market cap of $5.94 billion. As a gaming- and smart contract-focused Layer-1, SUI has demonstrated resilience with a TVL of $500 million and 3,000 TPS, but this release—particularly from stake subsidies—could test the ecosystem's uptake.

CryptoRank data shows the current circulating supply is 3.74 billion out of a total of 10 billion, with a 7-year linear vesting for the community reserve, which accounts for 29.5% of the initial unlock.

The Fluorine Fermi SUI upgrade in October 2025 increases scalability, potentially attracting more dApps and absorbing new supply, but if liquidity is weak, the $1.59 price could fall to the $1.40 support.

Tokenomists predict minimal impact if 70% of tokens are staked, given the current APY of 5-7%. For traders, this presents a short-term buy-the-dip opportunity if on-chain activity increases 20%, as it did after the November unlock.

Unlock APT: Mid-Month Routine Vesting

Aptos released 11.31 million APT worth $19.8 million on December 11th, just 0.33% of the circulating supply but part of a 10-year linear vesting for the community and foundation.

With a circulating supply of 736 million and an unlimited total, APT relies on continuous emission to fund development, with the initial 51% allocation to the ecosystem having unlocked 24.5% since the 2022 TGE.

DefiLlama notes this unlock is 1.13% float, with a 12-month vesting cliff followed by a monthly release to avoid shocks.

Aptos, a Solana rival with a potential 100,000 TPS, sees a TVL of $1.2 billion by 2025 thanks to the integration of the Move VM, which could stabilize the price at $1.74 post-unlock if developer activity increases. However, if investor buybacks increase, pressure could push it to the $1.50 support level. Tokenomists point out that the 47.8% community allocation unlocks linearly, making this event more predictable than the SUI cliff.

Other Unlocks: RED, SEI, and ASTER

Redstone (RED) unlocked 5.54 million tokens (2.34% of supply) on December 6th, worth $1.5 million at $0.28, as a modular oracle supporting 110 chains and $10 billion TVL DeFi.

With a max supply of 1 billion and a 4-year vesting period (72% locked up initially), RED relies on staking for data security, where a 10-15% APY could absorb the supply if EigenLayer integration continues.

CoinMarketCap recorded a circulation of 295 million, with this unlock from data providers allocation to encourage diversification.

Token Unlock SEI

SEI, a Layer-1 EVM-compatible token, released 55.56 million tokens (1.31% of the supply) around December 15th, valued at $7.2 million at $0.13, from a team allocation with a 1-year cliff followed by a 5-year linear cliff. Circulating 6.37 billion of the 10 billion, SEI focuses on fast trading with 20,000 TPS, but mid-cap volatility could increase if validator engagement decreases. Messari predicts a 1.81% cliff impact, but 60% staking can mitigate this.

Token Unlock ASTER

ASTER unlocked 200 million tokens (2.5% of supply) on December 15th for an airdrop, worth $218 million at $1.09, part of a 53.5% community allocation on the perpetual DEX.

With a total of 8 billion and a vesting cliff for incentives, ASTER is backed by YZi Labs (ex-Binance) and generates $15 million in daily revenue, but its 96% concentration across six wallets raises concerns. DropsTab notes that this unlock boosts trader engagement and potentially increases volume by 1001x leverage.

Read also:Aster DEX Token Unlock Schedule Questioned, Here's the Explanation

How Traders Prepare for Unlock

Traders can prepare by monitoring the Tokenomist calendar for accurate schedules, adjusting position sizes 20-30% prior to the event, and using stop-losses at key support levels. Focus on the percentage of supply rather than the dollar value—a 2% unlock in a small asset is riskier than 0.5% in SUI. Monitor wallet flow via CryptoRank to detect exchange deposits, and diversify into non-unlocked assets like BTC to reduce exposure.

On platforms like BingX, use AI insights for real-time sentiment and order books, place pre-unlock order brackets, and trade phases: pre-event for anticipation, during for low volatility, and post for re-entry if holding is strong. Combine this with project narratives, such as SUI upgrades, to offset pressure.

Conclusion: Opportunity Amidst Risk

A December 2025 full $1 billion+ unlock could create volatility, but also an entry point for solid assets like SUI and APT if the ecosystem grows. With a potential post-Fed market rebound, focus on DYOR and risk management for a safe navigation into 2026.

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FAQ

When is the biggest SUI unlock in December 2025?

On December 1, 2025, 55.54 million SUI (~$82 million) entered the circulating supply, representing approximately 1.51% of the market cap.

How much is the APT unlock in December 2025?

December 11, 2025, 11.31 million APTs worth ~$19.8 million were released, part of the regular monthly linear vesting.

What other big unlocks are coming up in December 2025?

RED (Dec 6), SEI (~Dec 15), and ASTER airdrop 200 million tokens (Dec 15) total unlock value this month reached $1 billion+.

Does a big unlock always make the price go down?

Not always. If the token is directly staked or used by the ecosystem (e.g., high SUI & APT staking), the impact is minimal), but if it's listed on an exchange, it can reduce the price by 5–15%.

How can traders prepare for this unlock?

Monitor Tokenomist/CryptoRank, reduce positions 1–2 days before, prepare buy-the-dip at key support, and monitor the wallets receiving unlocks after 00:00 UTC.