Share this article
Large Crypto Token Unlocks Drive Prices Lower Within Two Weeks, Research Suggests
Unlocks are staggered releases of cryptocurrencies that had been frozen to prevent early investors or project team members from selling in large numbers.
Updated Jul 21, 2023, 5:09 p.m. Published Jul 21, 2023, 11:33 a.m.
Make us preferred on Google
If you have been following the crypto market for a while, you have probably heard of token unlocks. The process refers to staggered releases of specific amounts of cryptocurrencies that had been frozen to prevent early investors or project team members from selling in large numbers.
Unlocks free up liquidity and are widely considered bearish, though some observers say they only accentuate the existing market trend.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
New research by analytics firm The Tie shows coins, on average, declined in the lead-up to the event. However, when the liquidity freed up represented more than 100% of the average daily volume, prices quickly recovered, only to fall deeper within two weeks following the unlock. The firm conducted a study of over 350,000 unique unlock events involving more than 100 tokens.
"In cases where the unlock represented more than 100% of the average daily volume, prices tended to rebound faster, albeit for a brief period. This could be attributed to traders feeling relieved that the unlock did not flood the market with new tokens immediately," Lawrence Lewitinn, the director of content at The Tie, wrote in Wednesday's newsletter.
"Nonetheless, within two weeks, prices of tokens facing such significant unlocks fell below their initial levels at the time of the unlock," he wrote. "This may suggest that holders preferred to wait a few days before selling into the market."
The Tie's research also showed an exponential increase in trading volumes in coins that saw large unlocks.
More For You
Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale.
What to know:
Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token.
The ecosystem now spans phygital products (> $13M retail sales and >1M units sold), games and experiences (Pudgy Party surpassed 500k downloads in two weeks), and a widely distributed token (airdropped to 6M+ wallets). While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility.
More For You
BNB rises 2.5%, nears $900 mark as prediction market growth signals utility expansion
A new physically backed BNB exchange-traded product launched on Nasdaq Stockholm, adding to existing investment options.
What to know:
- BNB token climbed 2.5% to $89e, approaching the $900 resistance level, with increased trading volume suggesting fresh buying interest.
- A new physically backed BNB exchange-traded product launched on Nasdaq Stockholm, adding to existing investment options like Grayscale's pending ETF filing.
- BNB Chain saw significant growth in prediction markets, with platforms like Opinion Labs logging over $700 million in 7-day trading volume and cumulative trading volumes crossing $20 billion.
Top Stories
