asterupdate

Aster DEX has rolled out a bold new upgrade aimed at derivatives traders, yet the market response to its native token, ASTER, remains subdued. The platform’s newly launched Shield Mode introduces ultra-high leverage trading for perpetual contracts, but growing sell pressure continues to weigh heavily on price action.

Shield Mode: High-Leverage Trading Takes Center Stage

Launched on December 15, Shield Mode is designed to offer an aggressive trading experience. The feature supports leverage of up to 1001x, alongside instant trade execution, zero slippage, no gas fees, and a streamlined one-tap long/short interface.

According to Aster DEX, Shield Mode orders are executed off-book, with shield pairs engineered to minimize slippage. The release also acts as an early step toward the platform’s broader Aster Chain privacy roadmap, hinting at future confidential trading capabilities.

Whale Activity Adds Pressure

Despite the product upgrade, on-chain data paints a cautious picture. Blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain recently highlighted another significant sell-off by a well-known ASTER whale. The address offloaded 13.44 million ASTER for approximately $11.67 million, after holding the tokens for less than a week.

The position was originally acquired for $13.04 million, locking in a loss of around $1.37 million. Cumulatively, Lookonchain estimates the whale’s realized losses on ASTER now exceed $35.8 million, a pattern that often reflects declining conviction from large holders.

Spot Market Shows Sellers in Control

Trading data further confirms bearish dominance. Metrics from Coinalyze show ASTER recorded net selling for three consecutive days. During this period, sell volume reached $150.82 million, while buy volume totaled $123.77 million, resulting in a negative delta of $27.05 million.

Sustained sell-side imbalance like this typically reinforces downward momentum and raises the risk of additional downside.

Technical Outlook Remains Weak

From a technical perspective, ASTER continues to trend lower. The token has been moving within a descending channel since its recent peak near $1.50, and recently dipped to a local low around $0.76.

At the time of writing, ASTER is trading near $0.815, down roughly 10% on the day. Momentum indicators echo the bearish tone:

RSI sits near 33, approaching oversold territory

MACD remains negative, suggesting downside pressure is still intact

Key Levels to Watch

Downside risk: A breakdown below $0.76 could open the door to the $0.70 support zone

Recovery scenario: A shift in sentiment and renewed buying interest could trigger a rebound toward $0.95

Final Take

While Shield Mode represents a meaningful technical upgrade for Aster DEX and strengthens its derivatives offering, the launch has yet to translate into positive price action for ASTER. Persistent whale selling, negative spot flows, and weak technical signals continue to overshadow the product news.

Whether Shield Mode can drive fresh demand or if sellers remain in control will likely determine ASTER’s next major move.
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