The fourth week of October 2025 is a key period for crypto markets, with significant token unlocks from LayerZero (ZRO), Soon (SOON), and Plasma (XPL). These events will release over $94 million in new supply into the market, testing investor sentiment and liquidity.
A Week of Significant Unlocks
Here is a summary of the key unlocks scheduled for the week of October 20, 2025:
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LayerZero (ZRO) – October 20: Approximately 25.71 million ZRO tokens (about 7.86% of the circulating supply) will be unlocked, with an estimated value of $44.2 million.
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Soon (SOON) – October 23: An unlock of 15.21 million SOON tokens (about 4.52% of the circulating supply) is scheduled, valued at approximately $14.34 million.
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Plasma (XPL) – October 25: The largest release by volume, 88.89 million XPL tokens (about 4.97% of the circulating supply), will enter the market, worth roughly $36.05 million.
A Closer Look at the Projects and Unlock Impact
Understanding the nature of each project and the destination of the unlocked tokens is crucial for gauging the potential market impact.
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LayerZero (ZRO): As an omnichain interoperability protocol, LayerZero enables different blockchains to communicate. The tokens being unlocked on October 20 are allocated to strategic partners and core contributors. This is a substantial release, representing nearly 8% of the circulating supply, which could lead to increased selling pressure if recipients decide to take profits.
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Soon (SOON): This project is a high-performance Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) Rollup. Its unlock on October 23 is designated for NFT airdrops, ecosystem development, and community incentives. Releasing tokens for these purposes can sometimes mitigate immediate sell pressure, as the funds are aimed at growing the network rather than immediately rewarding insiders.
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Plasma (XPL): Plasma is a Layer 1 blockchain focused on enabling zero-fee stablecoin transfers. The 88.89 million XPL tokens scheduled for release on October 25 are earmarked entirely for ecosystem expansion and network growth. This suggests the release is intended to fund long-term development rather than provide short-term liquidity to early backers.
What This Means for the Market
For product managers and compliance officers, these events are critical to monitor. The simultaneous release of such a large volume of tokens can act as a real-time stress test for these assets. The key question is whether market demand can absorb the new supply without significant price deterioration.
Historically, large unlocks can lead to short-term volatility and price dips if the new supply overwhelms buying interest. The days following these unlocks will reveal the underlying strength of each project and the conviction of its holders.
