🌟 The battle among DEXs is becoming increasingly intense. And Aster is showcasing its strength through the Crystal Weekly Drops event – a program that's making waves on Aster DEX. With Phase 4 just launched from January 12th to 18th, 2026, this is not an ordinary "farm" reward event, but a smart strategic move by Aster. Let's dive into the purpose behind it and the results Aster has achieved below!
1. Strategic Purpose of Crystal Weekly Drops
Aster DEX aims not just to "pump" short-term volume but to focus on sustainable growth. Here are the core objectives:
Increase Perpetual Trading Volume Sustainably: The event requires traders to achieve at least 100K USD volume/day for ≥6 days/week (excluding BTC/ETH), with a prize pool of up to 2 million USDF based on the total volume across the platform (unlock max when reaching ≥150B USD). This encourages real trading, helping Aster compete with giants like Hyperliquid and Lighter in the fierce perp DEX market.
Build a Loyal Community and Retain Users Long-Term: From Phase 3, Aster introduces a loyalty reward system – 20% Returning Bonus for previous participants and 20% Loyal Bonus for those who complete all 4 phases. Requiring to hold ≥444 $ASTER emphasizes prioritizing "quality" users, reducing churn rate (the rate of traders leaving the platform) and creating a sticky community. This helps Aster build a solid foundation before launching Aster Chain (expected Q1 2026).
Support the Transition Phase of the Airdrop Program: This is part of Stage 5: Crystal (total 6 weeks, allocating 1.2% total supply ~96M $ASTER). The event combines cash rewards (USDF stablecoin) with points/airdrops, shifting from a high emission model to "less inflation, same conviction" – reducing token inflation while maintaining appeal, preparing for long-term future.
In summary, Crystal Drops are not a typical "giveaway" but a strategic tool for Aster to solidify its top-tier position, attract professional traders, and ensure stable growth.
2. Results Achieved To Date (12/1/2026)
Based on data from Aster and various perp volume trackers, this event is showing clear effectiveness:
Participating Numbers are Increasing and Stabilizing:
Phase 1: ~6,000 participants, unlocking 1 million USDF.
Phase 2: Increased to ~9,883 participants (peak midweek).
Phase 3: Started with ~5,639 and ended with ~7,716 participants. → Indicates that the community is "hooked" on the reward system, with many traders holding tokens and trading regularly.
Trading Volume Explodes:
End of 12/2025 (Phase 1-2): Weekly volume ~25-33 billion USD, maintaining top 2-3 perp DEX.
Beginning of 1/2026 (Phase 3): Increased by 33.69% to ~33.9 billion USD, even leading 24h volume with ~1.78 billion USD on 11-12/1. → Aster is maintaining a strong competitive position, surpassing many competitors like Paradex and EdgeX.
Community Feedback: Many traders praise the real rewards (USDF cash + APY ~11% on margin), not easily inflated tokens. However, concerns remain about wash trading or long-term sustainability when a large prize pool could create selling pressure.
Overall, Crystal Drops are proving highly effective in boosting activity and retaining users, helping Aster prepare for a major leap with Aster Chain. If you are holding $ASTER or trading perp, this is a golden opportunity to participate in Phase 4 – higher volume, more attractive rewards! 🚀
👉 What do you think about this event? Are you farming Crystal Drops? Share below!
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⚠️ Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is NOT investment advice.
Cryptocurrency (crypto) carries high risks; you may lose your entire investment.
Always DYOR (Do Your Own Research) before investing.
Only invest money that you can afford to lose.
😍 Thank you for reading! If you have any comments or opinions, please leave them below! 😘
