Aptos (APT) $50M Token Unlock May Have Limited Price Impact Amid Weak Futures Demand and Lower DEX Volumes

• 11.31M APT (≈$50M) unlocked on 11 Sep; price response was negligible.

• Futures open interest and weighted sentiment have declined since late July–August.

• DEX volumes fell from >$255M to < $150M, reducing gas-token demand and network activity.

Aptos token unlock: 11.31M APT released on 11 Sep; price impact muted. Read data-driven analysis and next steps for traders.

What was the impact of the Aptos token unlock on APT price?

Aptos token unlock had a limited market impact: 11.31 million APT (~$50 million) was unlocked on 11 September 2025, and price moved only about 0.94% at the time of the emission. Weak speculative demand, lower futures open interest and falling DEX volumes prevented a stronger rebound.

How did the 11 September 2025 APT unlock affect on-chain metrics and market sentiment?

The unlock was part of Aptos’ monthly emissions schedule to fund ecosystem activity and vested stakeholders. On-chain data shows no immediate large sell pressure. A prior monthly unlock correlated with a 6% bounce, but the latest emission produced only a 0.94% spike.

Community commentary highlighted increasing staking demand that could absorb unlocked tokens. At the same time, sentiment measures and derivatives demand weakened, limiting upward price momentum.

Published: 2025-09-12 | Updated: 2025-09-12

Unlock details: At 10:00 UTC on 11 September 2025 Aptos released 11.31 million APT (~$50 million) as part of scheduled monthly emissions. Network operators state emissions support ecosystem growth and investor vesting schedules.

Price reaction: A spot-check of price charts showed a minimal immediate response — a ~0.94% uptick around the unlock. Prior monthly emissions have sometimes coincided with short-lived rallies (one recent unlock preceded a 6% bounce), indicating no consistent pattern between emissions and price.

Source: Token Unlocks (data point and timestamp)

Why did APT fail to rally after the emission?

Three primary factors limited upside:

• Weakened derivatives demand: Futures open interest and speculative metrics have trended lower since late July. Lower leverage interest reduces the likelihood of rapid price appreciation driven by de-risking flows.
• Lower on-chain activity: Aptos DEX volumes shrank from above $255 million to under $150 million, reducing natural gas-token demand for APT.
• Muted market sentiment: Weighted sentiment metrics (community and social signals) remained negative since late August, lowering appetite for accumulation.

Futures market demand declines

Santiment-provided indicators signaled falling weighted sentiment and open interest for APT since late July. This retreat in speculative participation contrasts with early-July behavior, when a sharp speculative spike helped APT move from $4.3 to over $5.5.

Source: Santiment (weighted sentiment and open interest trends)

Lower open interest suggests leveraged traders reduced exposure to APT. For largely speculative altcoins, sustained recovery usually follows revived futures demand and improved sentiment.

Source: Artemis (derivatives and sentiment overlays)

Network activity metrics also point to lower utility demand. Aptos chain DEX volumes contracted materially, which reduces natural transactional demand for APT as a gas token. Until volumes recover, structural demand will be constrained.

Source: APT/USDT, TradingView (price chart snapshot)

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the 11.31M APT unlock cause a sell-off?

The 11.31M APT unlock did not trigger a major sell-off. Price moved ~0.94% at the time and then remained range-bound, as derivative demand and DEX activity were insufficient to amplify selling pressure.

Will staking absorb future unlocks?

Community feedback indicates rising staking demand could absorb unlocked tokens. That would reduce immediate sell-side pressure, but staking velocity must outpace emissions for sustained absorption.

Key Takeaways

• Unlock size and timing: 11.31M APT (~$50M) unlocked on 11 Sep; limited immediate price impact.
• Demand factors: Declining futures open interest and DEX volumes reduced absorption capacity.
• What to watch: Recovering DEX volumes, rising staking rates and a return of speculative derivatives demand are needed for a sustained APT rally.

Conclusion

In summary, the Aptos token unlock on 11 September 2025 released material supply but did not drive a notable price collapse. Weak futures demand, declining DEX volumes and subdued sentiment constrained market reactions. Traders should monitor open interest, DEX activity and staking flows for signs that unlocked supply is being absorbed before assuming a durable recovery. COINOTAG will continue to track on-chain and derivatives data for further updates.