ASTER jumps 20% after Aster ties nearly all platform fees to token buybacks

ASTER has surged more than 20% after Aster unveiled a new tokenomics framework that commits almost all platform fee revenue to daily token buybacks and large-scale supply reductions.

According to a June 17 X post by Aster, 99% of the protocol’s daily fees will now be used to purchase ASTER from the open market beginning June 17 at 12:00 PM UTC. The announcement pushed the token close to $0.80 before some profit-taking emerged, with ASTER later changing hands near $0.74, up roughly 13% over the past day.

The update introduces a second layer of supply reduction alongside the buybacks. Aster said it will remove an equal amount of ASTER from reserve holdings each day, creating what the protocol described as a 198% combined buyback-and-burn effect.

Reserve reductions will begin with the team allocation and continue until the total token supply falls from 8 billion ASTER to 3 billion.

Additional demand could also come from Aster Spot. According to the protocol, every permissionless token listing on the platform will require a 50,000 USDT fee, with all proceeds earmarked for further ASTER buybacks that will be distributed to stakers through the rewards program.

Platform fees now drive ASTER rewards

Rather than destroying purchased tokens, Aster said the acquired ASTER will be distributed to participants in its Loyalty Rewards program.

Under the revised model, each reward epoch will include a fixed allocation of 300,000 ASTER plus all tokens accumulated through daily buybacks.

Distribution will be directed to veASTER holders according to lock-weighted participation. Aster added that all buybacks will be executed through an automated daily time-weighted average price process and settled on-chain. To increase transparency, the project has also published the wallet address used for the purchases, allowing users to verify transactions independently.

By linking fee generation directly to token purchases, staking rewards and reserve reductions, the protocol has created a mechanism where higher trading activity results in larger buybacks and larger reward distributions.

Technical breakout places $0.81 resistance in focus

Market participants responded quickly to the announcement, driving ASTER above a trading range that had largely contained price action since April. On the daily chart, the token broke through support-turned-resistance near $0.65 and climbed toward the next major barrier around $0.81.

Aster daily price chart — June 18 | Source: crypto.news

The daily chart also showed strengthening momentum indicators following the move. ASTER’s Relative Strength Index rose above 65, while the MACD produced a bullish crossover accompanied by expanding positive histogram bars, signaling stronger buying pressure.

The $0.81 region remains an important level because it coincides with several prior rejection points visible on the daily chart. A successful break above that zone could expose the token to areas not tested since late 2025, while traders may look for the former resistance near $0.65 to act as support if the rally pauses.