The Aster DEX implemented a major tokenomics overhaul on June 17, directing 99% of its daily platform fees to automated ASTER token buybacks. Each purchased token triggers an equal burn from the project’s reserves, a mechanism the team calls a “198% buyback.” The token initially rallied 23% following the announcement but has since retreated, trading nearly 73% below its all-time high.
The decentralized exchange Aster DEX launched a significantly upgraded tokenomics model on June 17. In a post on X, the platform stated that 99% of daily fees will now fund automatic buybacks of its ASTER token.
Each token repurchased will prompt a one-to-one burn from the project’s reserves, starting with the team allocation. The protocol described this combined effect as “a 198% buyback: 99% repurchased and 99% burned from reserve.”
The purchased tokens will not be removed from circulation entirely. Instead, they will be added to the protocol’s Loyalty Reward pool for distribution to stakers.
This pool already distributes 300,000 ASTER per epoch. The DEX has a stated goal of burning its total supply from 8 billion tokens down to 3 billion.
Current data shows a circulating supply of approximately 2.68 billion against a total supply of 7.82 billion. The announcement immediately propelled the token’s price upward by 23%.
The value jumped from around $0.64 to $0.79, according to market trackers. However, the gains were mostly erased, with the price settling near $0.65.
This level is almost 73% below its all-time high of $2.41, recorded in September 2025. The new model replaces a previous program announced in December 2025.
That earlier plan allocated 80% of fees to buybacks, split between automatic daily purchases and a discretionary strategic reserve. The latest update removes the strategic reserve entirely, committing nearly all fee revenue to automated repurchases.
