AltcoinsExchange
|4 min ReadCZ backs Aster as token races to $300M in hours
Maya Chen
Senior Analyst
Published
Jan 16, 2026
Don’t blink: the window is open
CZ just backed a new exchange called Aster. The token exploded out of the gate. It went from
0.2181 in hours. Market cap pushed past $300 million in the first six hours. That is a statement. Miss it and you watch others take the ride.Aster is built to challenge Hyperliquid. It runs spot and perpetuals. It aims to be everywhere. Multi chain by design. Backers include CZ-affiliated YZi Labs, PancakeSwap on BNB Chain, and other major players.
Source: CoinMarketCap.
Why this launch matters now
The team spent months priming demand. The Genesis push pulled in hundreds of thousands of wallets and over $514 billion in volume. That is real flow. The launch also dropped a community airdrop of 704 million tokens. That is 8.8 percent of an 8 billion supply. People showed up because the incentives were clear.
Aster plans support across BNB Chain, Ethereum, Solana, and Arbitrum. One venue, many rails. It offers leverage with tools built to cut MEV risk, like hidden orders and advanced modes. That matters on chain. Traders want execution that does not paint a target on their backs.
The platform reported rapid user traction. The airdrop was flagged by Binance Wallet. In June, Aster announced institutional-grade liquidity for BTC perps and compared its book to Hyperliquid, Binance, and Bybit. CZ reacted: “Binance level liquidity on Aster.” He then posted an $ASTER chart and praised the team’s execution. Soon after, CZ complained about DEX liquidations caused by public liquidation levels. Aster implemented Hidden Orders. Traders noticed.
The blueprint for outperformance
Backers with reach. A primed user base. A big airdrop. Multi chain execution. Features that solve real pain. This is the playbook. It mirrors how winners scale in crypto. You make entry easy. You harden execution. You let the market do the rest.
Some call Aster the “Chinese Hyperliquid.” At a
1.5 billion FDV, bulls see room. They talk about a 10X path to
55 billion by that same yardstick. The gap is the opportunity, if momentum holds.Analysts point to CZ’s track record. BNB went from
962. MYX Finance, another CZ-backed DEX, delivered a 1000 percent move in three days. Crypto Thannos urges buyers to hold into October. That is when Aster withdrawals go live. Some expect a Binance listing and other tier one listings to follow. These are opinions, but the signal is clear. Attention is shifting.Popular Hyperliquid trader James Wynn suffered multiple liquidations on chain. It shows why hidden orders and smarter execution matter. Aster leans into that. The market is paying attention.
What this means right now
We are in a window. On-chain derivatives are scaling fast. Aster is not the only game, but it has juice. If CZ keeps signal boosting, flows will chase it. That is how cycles build. First the chart. Then the listings. Then the copycats.
If you want safety, sit out. If you want upside, study the blueprint and act with intent. The next phase unlocks when October withdrawals hit. Momentum loves catalysts.
Disclaimer: This document is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed in this document are not, and should not be taken as, investment advice or recommendations. Recipients should do their own due diligence, taking into account their specific financial circumstances, investment objectives and risk tolerance, which are not considered here, before investing. This document is not an offer, or the solicitation of an offer, to buy or sell any of the assets mentioned.