$312M Crypto Unlock Storm: ENA, MEME, and Solana Brace for Volatile Week
$312 Million in Token Unlocks This Week Could Shake Crypto Markets
A fresh wave of token unlocks worth over $312 million is set to hit the cryptocurrency market this week, stirring both excitement and anxiety among traders. Scheduled releases from Ethena (ENA), Solana (SOL), Memecoin (MEME), MOVE, and several gaming tokens could alter liquidity conditions across the market, influencing price action and trading sentiment through mid-November.
According to on-chain reports from Wu Blockchain and analytics firm Wise Advise, the unlock schedule between November 3 and November 10 combines large, one-time cliff releases and steady daily linear vesting. While total value released appears substantial, the true impact on prices depends heavily on what happens next — whether newly freed tokens flow into exchanges or remain in staking and treasury wallets.
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| Source: X |
A Crucial Week for Ethereum Alternatives and Meme Tokens
The week’s unlock schedule is unusually concentrated, led by Ethena (ENA) and Solana (SOL). Together, these two account for more than half the dollar value of all tokens being released. Analysts say this combination could trigger short-term volatility as traders react to changing liquidity conditions.
“This is the kind of week where you can see sharp dips followed by equally sharp rebounds,” said Martin Lee, a senior researcher at CryptoQuant. “Investors have already priced in many of these unlocks, but real market movement depends on where those tokens go next.”
Historically, token unlocks have created temporary price pressure as early investors or teams gain liquidity for previously locked allocations. However, in recent months, crypto markets have become more sophisticated, with many projects managing unlocks more transparently to avoid major shocks.
Ethena (ENA): $63 Million Unlock to Test Market Depth
One of the largest events this week comes from Ethena (ENA), which will release about 171.88 million tokens, valued at roughly $63 million. This represents a significant tranche of its prior allocations, and analysts are watching closely for any signs of those tokens being moved to centralized exchanges.
If large holders sell quickly, traders could see a sharp dip in ENA’s price. However, if the tokens are directed toward staking programs or ecosystem development, the short-term impact could be minimal. Market watchers on Etherscan and Nansen are tracking large wallet activity to identify the first exchange-bound transactions.
“ENA has been one of the more liquid mid-cap altcoins this quarter,” said Jasper Tan, digital asset strategist at TokenMetrics. “A $60 million unlock won’t crash the market by itself, but it could cause volatility if sell pressure clusters at specific price levels.”
Memecoin (MEME): 3.45 Billion Tokens Unlocked Amid High Speculation
Another major release involves Memecoin (MEME), which is set to unlock a staggering 3.45 billion tokens, equivalent to about $5.22 million in value. Despite the lower dollar figure, the token count is massive, and such events often lead to exaggerated swings due to thin liquidity and speculative trading.
MEME’s large community distribution model may help ease the impact, as many tokens are claimed gradually by users rather than hitting exchanges all at once. Still, analysts recommend keeping an eye on claim contracts and on-chain transfer destinations to gauge selling pressure.
“Meme tokens are like small caps in the stock market — they move fast, and they move hard,” said Tan. “Even small inflows or outflows can swing prices by double digits within hours.”
MOVE Token: Moderate Unlock, But Thin Liquidity Could Amplify Impact
The MOVE token is also unlocking this week, with about 50 million tokens entering circulation — an event valued at $3.37 million. Though the dollar figure appears moderate, its low trading volume means even a few million dollars of sell pressure could push prices downward.
Investors are advised to check liquidity levels before entering new positions, especially as smaller tokens often see wider bid-ask spreads during unlock periods. If most of the newly released MOVE tokens stay within project treasuries or investor staking pools, the impact could be contained.
Heroes of Mavia (MAVIA): Gaming Sector Faces 16.92% Unlock
One of the more eye-catching figures in this week’s lineup comes from Heroes of Mavia (MAVIA), a blockchain gaming project that will release about 11.89 million tokens, representing 16.92% of its circulating supply — one of the highest ratios among active gaming coins.
Such a large percentage unlock can cause outsized moves in low-liquidity tokens. Traders are watching wallet transfers to determine whether these tokens move toward DEXs or CEXs, which could indicate potential sell-offs.
“Gaming tokens have some of the most passionate holders but also some of the fastest profit-takers,” said Lee. “MAVIA could swing anywhere from 10% to 25% in a day depending on how fast those tokens move into circulation.”
Daily Linear Unlocks: Solana, Trump Coin, Dogecoin, WLD, and AVAX
Beyond cliff unlocks, several major cryptocurrencies are gradually adding new tokens to the market through linear vesting schedules, releasing smaller amounts each day.
The standout among these is Solana (SOL), with around 493,730 tokens — worth $92.2 million — entering circulation this week. Although this represents only about 0.09% of its circulating supply, the size in dollar terms makes it one of the most influential events.
Other notable linear releases include:
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TRUMP: 4.89 million tokens (~$36.68 million, or 2.45% of supply)
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Worldcoin (WLD): 37.23 million tokens
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Dogecoin (DOGE): 96.74 million tokens
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Avalanche (AVAX): 700,000 tokens
Linear vesting spreads selling pressure across multiple days, making daily impacts smaller but sustaining a steady stream of new supply that traders must absorb.
Lessons From Past Unlocks: What Traders Can Expect
Past unlock cycles have shown that market impact often depends on context, not size. For example, when Aptos and Arbitrum had large unlocks earlier this year, prices fell briefly but quickly recovered as buyers returned.
Typically, the largest single-day dips occur when tokens are directly deposited into exchange wallets — a clear signal of potential sell-offs. In contrast, when tokens remain in treasury, team, or staking addresses, the effect is often muted.
Traders and analysts emphasize that on-chain transparency has made predicting unlock effects more reliable. “You can literally watch the money move in real-time,” said Tan. “If tokens stay still, markets usually breathe a sigh of relief.”
Investor Strategy: Staying Safe in a High-Unlock Environment
For retail investors, weeks like this require heightened caution. Analysts recommend monitoring blockchain data for sudden spikes in exchange inflows, adjusting stop-loss levels, and avoiding high leverage until markets stabilize.
Portfolio managers suggest reducing exposure to assets facing large unlocks, or hedging positions with futures contracts if available. For long-term holders, the focus should be on fundamentals rather than short-term volatility.
“Unlocks don’t necessarily destroy value,” said Lee. “They just redistribute it. If a project’s fundamentals are solid, these dips often become buying opportunities.”
Market Outlook: Short-Term Noise, Long-Term Opportunity
While $312 million in token unlocks sounds dramatic, it represents only a fraction of total market capitalization across the assets involved. Still, combined liquidity effects can create sharp price swings — especially in smaller-cap tokens.
In the short term, traders can expect pockets of volatility, particularly in high-percentage unlocks like MAVIA or speculative sectors like meme coins. Over the medium term, however, the market may quickly stabilize if demand remains steady.
As the crypto ecosystem matures, such unlocks are becoming regular features rather than rare shocks — part of a broader trend toward transparency and predictable tokenomics.
Conclusion
This week’s $312 million in token unlocks highlights the evolving maturity of the digital asset market. From Ethena’s $63 million release to Solana’s daily vesting schedule, each event offers insights into investor behavior, liquidity management, and project development strategies.
For traders, the message is clear: watch the flows, not the fear. The direction of tokens — whether to exchanges, staking pools, or treasuries — will ultimately determine how much these unlocks really move prices.
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