The final week of October 2025 is a critical period for crypto traders and institutions, as three major token unlocks from LayerZero (ZRO), Plasma (XPL), and Soon (SOON) are set to release over $90 million in new supply onto the market, potentially triggering significant price volatility.
A Week of Significant Unlocks
The schedule for the week is packed, with each event having the potential to influence market liquidity and token prices.
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LayerZero (ZRO) – October 20: The omnichain interoperability protocol unlocked 25.71 million ZRO tokens, valued at approximately $42.68 million. This release accounted for about 7.86% of its circulating supply, with allocations directed to strategic partners and core contributors.
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Soon (SOON) – October 23: The Solana Virtual Machine rollup project unlocked 15.21 million SOON tokens, worth about $14.22 million. A significant portion of these tokens was designated for ecosystem growth, including airdrops to NFT holders and community incentives.
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Plasma (XPL) – October 25: The Layer-1 blockchain focused on stablecoin transactions released 88.89 million XPL tokens, with an estimated value of $36.27 million. All of these tokens are intended for ecosystem and network growth initiatives.
What it Means for the Market
Token unlocks are fundamental economic events that can test the balance between supply and demand. The release of a large number of tokens can increase selling pressure, especially if early investors or team members decide to take profits. This often leads to short-term price volatility and potential dips. However, it’s not always a negative signal; these events also increase liquidity and, if the tokens are allocated to productive ecosystem development, can foster long-term growth and stability.
For market participants, this means navigating a period of heightened uncertainty. The market’s reaction will ultimately depend on the underlying strength of each project and whether new buyer demand can absorb the incoming supply.
Navigating the Unlock Wave
For traders, treasury managers, and institutional desks, a proactive and informed approach is crucial during this period.
It is essential to look beyond the headline numbers and assess the specific allocation details for each unlock. For instance, tokens released for ecosystem growth or community rewards might not be immediately sold on the open market, whereas those given to early investors could pose a higher risk of selling pressure. Furthermore, the broader market context matters; these unlocks are part of a larger wave of token releases in October, which can have a cumulative effect on market liquidity and sentiment.
Monitoring on-chain data for signs of tokens moving to exchanges and keeping a close watch on trading volume and order book depth can provide real-time clues about potential price movements. For corporate treasuries, this may be a time to review position sizes and consider risk management strategies to protect against unexpected volatility.
The coming days will reveal how effectively the market can digest this new supply. Projects with strong fundamentals and clear utility are more likely to weather the volatility and emerge stronger, turning a short-term test into a long-term opportunity.
