Binance announced that it would list the ASTER token, and the price jumped about 38% within minutes. Questions about the size of the turnover followed at once, as data vendors and compliance officers track turnover because it signals depth and flags possible manipulation. Early reactions centered on data quality after DeFiLlama removed certain figures tied to Aster’s trading.
Binance opened three spot pairs — ASTER/USDT, ASTER/USDC besides ASTER/TRY. It also attached the “Seed Tag,” its own label for assets that carry high risk plus wide price swings. The tag did not stop buyers, yet chat channels soon filled with claims that the turnover was padded.
DeFiLlama acted first — it removed perpetual futures figures for Aster after staff saw repeated buy sell cycles that matched Binance prints. The deletion shrank the total visible turnover and undercut models that funds use for sizing positions and margin calls.
Listing details and market data reactions
Rumours then linked Aster DEX to YZiLabs, the investment office of Changpeng Zhao. CZ replied through public statements that neither he nor Binance backs Aster DEX. Binance repeated its standard risk line: “Exercise caution but also conduct thorough research before trading ASTER.”
Wash trading occurs when one party places both sides of a trade to lift volume without a change of ownership. In this context, the turnover debate hinges on whether the observed patterns reflect genuine liquidity or engineered activity.
Binance slot widens access, yet tainted turnover lowers the value of that depth as well as skews depth charts. Risk engines that pull from DeFiLlama must replace the deleted futures feed and recalibrate margin ratios.
The Seed tag and the CZ rumour raise KYC questions for custodians and prime brokers. Regulatory signal proven wash trading can draw fines or delistings from watchdogs and data rankers.
The outcome now rests on third party audits of the tape and on any further statement from Binance or DeFiLlama that explains the detected patterns. In practical terms, clarity on turnover quality will guide position sizing, margin policies, and custody decisions around ASTER in the near term.
