Aptos fell 7% as a scheduled token unlock increased circulating supply and pressured prices. APT dipped to about $1.7066, underscoring the persistent influence of vesting mechanics on market sentiment.
On the unlock date, 11.3 million APT tokens were released, equal to roughly 1.5% of total supply. Those tokens were allocated to core contributors and early investors and became available for sale, creating immediate sell-side pressure that weighed on price discovery. Market participants anticipated the event and repositioned ahead of time, a behavior that amplified downside momentum. Trading volumes rose about 38% above monthly averages during the episode, reflecting both front-running by traders and increased execution from holders seeking liquidity.
Short-selling and pre-emptive selling were central to the move lower. Algorithms and discretionary desks trimmed exposure or opened shorts in advance, turning a predictable supply increase into a larger price correction. The risk of concentrated selling by early recipients—often characterized as “insider dumping” in market commentary—added to negative sentiment, converting technical supply metrics into behavioral selling.
The combined effect of realized liquid supply and anticipatory positioning drove the 7% decline and the elevated volume observed on the day.
Structural tokenomics and historical context for Aptos
Aptos operates a prolonged vesting schedule; approximately 11.3 million APT are released monthly under the current plan, a cycle slated to continue until October 2032. Historical patterns show heightened volatility around unlock events, with prior post-unlock corrections reaching 17.94% and 14.10% within seven days after releases.
That track record frames the recent slump not as an isolated shock but as a recurring outcome of an aggressive and transparent issuance timetable. Vesting schedules are intended to align incentives; here, they also create a predictable inflationary pressure that the market must absorb.
The 7% drop in Aptos on 11 de dic. de 2025 reflects a structural interaction between scheduled token releases and market behavior: transparent vesting enables planning, and planning enables front-running that magnifies price moves.
For holders and traders, the implication is clear — recurring unlocks remain a primary near-term catalyst for APT price volatility, and market participants will watch subsequent monthly unlocks under the vesting schedule through October 2032 as the next verifiable milestones for supply-driven volatility.
