During the week of December 22 to 28, several projects plan to release previously locked tokens into circulation—an event known as token unlocks. Such releases can impact liquidity and volatility, especially during the holiday period when trading volumes are often lower than usual. This article compiles key facts about the scheduled unlocks and provides practical recommendations for miners and traders.
What Are Token Unlocks and Why Do They Matter?
Token unlocks are scheduled releases of previously locked tokens into the circulating supply. Typically, tokens are locked for teams, advisors, investors, or ecosystem development and become available according to a set schedule.
When the lock-up ends, some recipients may sell their tokens, increasing selling pressure and potentially causing price fluctuations. At the same time, unlocks mark important project milestones—token releases are often outlined in the roadmap.
Detailed Overview of This Week’s Token Unlocks
According to Tokenomist, six notable token releases are planned between December 22 and 28 that deserve attention. The list includes projects with varying proportions of their circulating supply being released—from larger to relatively modest volumes.
- H — Christmas unlock: $15.28 million worth of tokens entering the market.
- XPL — also on December 25: release valued at $11.5 million.
- MBG — the largest by percentage of circulating supply: 8.42%.
- JUP — closing the week with an unlock adding 1.73% to circulating supply.
Note that the timing coincides with the holiday period, when trading volumes may decrease and amplify price reactions.
How Should Investors Prepare for Token Unlocks?
Approaching unlocks requires systematic analysis: first, assess the share of tokens being released relative to circulating supply, as it indicates the potential market pressure. It’s also important to review the project’s history and price behavior during previous unlocks, if any.
Additionally, check who the tokens are allocated to—team members, investors, or partners—as different recipients have varying tendencies to sell. Don’t forget to consider overall market conditions and holiday liquidity, which can intensify the effects.
Key Projects: H, XPL, and JUP
Tokenomist highlights three projects whose unlocks stand out in this schedule. Below is a brief summary of each, without forecasts or additional assessments.
H
The H unlock is scheduled for Christmas and involves $15.28 million worth of tokens entering the market. The original data also included the share relative to circulating supply, helping to gauge the release’s scale compared to the token’s overall liquidity.
XPL
XPL also has a release on December 25, valued at $11.5 million. Simultaneous releases of multiple projects on a holiday increase the need to monitor trading volumes and exchange spreads closely.
JUP
JUP closes the week with an unlock on December 28, adding 1.73% to the circulating supply. Compared to some other releases, this is a relatively small percentage, but it can still impact price under low liquidity conditions.
Why This Matters
If you mine and hold tokens or plan to buy them, understanding unlocks helps evaluate short-term liquidity and volatility risks. The holiday period usually sees reduced trading volumes, so even medium-sized releases can trigger more pronounced price movements.
For miners with 1–1000 devices, this means sudden price swings can affect short-term profitability, especially when engaging in margin trading or planning immediate sales of mined tokens.
What Should You Do?
For miners in Russia with small to medium-sized device farms, it’s useful to follow a simple plan: first, confirm whether the unlock affects tokens you hold or mine. If so, assess the share of tokens being released and current trading volumes to understand the potential scale of price movement.
Next, apply protective measures: reduce exposure before the release date, set stop orders, or split sales into multiple transactions to avoid large flash moves. Keep monitoring official project announcements and any schedule changes.
Practical Tips for Traders
- Monitor trading volumes and spreads 24–48 hours before and after the unlock—these indicate heightened activity.
- Use stop-loss orders and position sizes aligned with your risk tolerance.
- Consider partial sales or averaging positions instead of one large trade.
- Follow official project channels for updates on schedule or unlock conditions.
If you want to compare the impact of token events with exchange actions and market indices, additional information on related processes is helpful—for example, how exchanges delist tokens or how the altseason index changes. You can read more about related changes in the article on delisting nine tokens and in the review of the altcoin season index.
FAQ
What happens during a token unlock? During an unlock, previously locked tokens become available to recipients and may be sold on the market, increasing the circulating supply.
Do unlocks always cause price drops? No, unlocks create potential selling pressure, but the actual effect depends on the release size, recipient behavior, and market conditions.
Where can I find unlock schedules? Schedules are published in official project documentation and aggregated on specialized platforms like Tokenomist.
