TLDR
- ASTER price jumped 15% on October 23, climbing from under $1.00 to an intraday high of $1.11, pushing market cap above $2.2 billion
- The rally followed the launch of Aster’s Rocket Launch campaign, which offers traders access to early-stage crypto projects before major exchange listings
- Trading volume declined 5% during the rally, indicating whale participants drove the price movement rather than retail traders
- The Rocket Launch program features a $200,000 ASTER reward pool and uses project contributions for ASTER buybacks
- CZ’s presidential pardon by Donald Trump created additional buying pressure for tokens in the BNB ecosystem including ASTER
ASTER posted a 15% rally on October 23, moving from just under $1.00 to an intraday peak of $1.11. The price surge pushed the token’s market capitalization past $2.2 billion.
The rally came after Aster officially launched its Rocket Launch campaign. The program gives users exposure to early-stage crypto projects before they list on major exchanges.
Each Rocket Launch event includes a reward pool made up of ASTER tokens and the participating project’s native tokens. Projects joining the campaign contribute funds and tokens to Aster.
Aster unveils Rocket Launch 🚀✨
Your gateway to early-stage crypto projects and trading rewards is here!Aster is proud to introduce Rocket Launch, designed to provide liquidity support for early-stage projects while giving users early access to emerging on-chain opportunities.… pic.twitter.com/cfkPYC1DtY
— Aster (@Aster_DEX) October 23, 2025
Aster uses these contributions to buy back ASTER tokens. The platform then combines the repurchased ASTER with project tokens and distributes them to eligible traders.
Traders can qualify by meeting specific campaign requirements. They must maintain a required ASTER balance in both Spot and Perpetual accounts.
Participants also need to reach designated trading volumes across supported trading pairs. Winners will share $200,000 worth of ASTER rewards.
Trading volume dropped 5% during the October 23 rally. This pattern suggests large whale buyers drove the price movement rather than retail trading activity.
Data from Coinmarketcap confirms whale involvement during the breakout. The combination of rising prices and falling volume points to concentrated buying from a small number of participants.
CZ Pardon Adds Fuel to Rally
Donald Trump issued a presidential pardon for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao shortly after the Rocket Launch announcement. The pardon timing created extra buying pressure on ASTER.
The news sparked optimism across the crypto market. Projects linked to the BNB ecosystem saw increased attention, with ASTER becoming one of the top trending tokens.
CZ has publicly praised Aster’s infrastructure multiple times since the platform launched in September. He has highlighted the exchange’s liquidity routing and hybrid DEX model in several X posts.
Market observers have noted CZ’s rumored advisory involvement with the project. His public endorsements have strengthened market perception of Aster as a next-generation DEX.
Platform Features Drive Interest
The Rocket Launch program turns token launches into ongoing campaigns. It combines early project discovery with trading incentives and community-driven liquidity growth.
Aster CEO Leonard said the platform allows high-quality assets to be priced efficiently. The program brings market attention to promising projects through real trading activity.
Aster operates as a hybrid exchange offering both spot and perpetual markets. This structure sets it apart from most decentralized exchanges.
The platform uses its hybrid design to align incentives for projects, traders, and token holders. ASTER reclaimed its multi-week high above $1.10 on October 23.
