What could affect the price of LEO?
The price of UNUS SED LEO (LEO) depends largely on how actively Bitfinex buys back tokens, competition from other exchange tokens, and the overall market’s willingness to take risks.
- Monthly Buybacks (Positive) – iFinex uses at least 27% of its revenue to buy and burn LEO tokens, reducing supply.
- Exchange Token Competition (Mixed) – LEO has done better than many competitors but still trails behind Binance Coin (BNB).
- Regulatory Concerns (Potential Negative) – Bitfinex faces ongoing legal challenges that could impact the token.
In-Depth Analysis
1. Monthly Buyback Program (Positive Impact)
What’s Happening:
iFinex, the company behind Bitfinex, commits to using at least 27% of its revenue every month to buy back and permanently remove LEO tokens from circulation. As of August 2025, about 922 million LEO tokens are circulating (which is 94% of the total supply), and roughly 63 million tokens have already been burned.
Why It Matters:
This buyback and burn process reduces the number of tokens available, which can help increase the token’s value if demand stays steady or grows. For example, if Bitfinex earns $100 million in a month, about $27 million worth of LEO tokens would be taken out of circulation. However, if Bitfinex’s revenue drops, fewer tokens will be burned, which could slow price gains.
2. Exchange Token Market Dynamics (Mixed Impact)
What’s Happening:
In 2025, LEO has performed better than many other exchange tokens like CRO and HT, dropping only about 10% from its highest price, while others fell 40–60% (source). Still, Binance Coin (BNB) dominates the market with an 81% share, valued at $105 billion, while LEO is second with $8.9 billion.
Why It Matters:
LEO benefits from Bitfinex’s focus on serving institutional traders with high liquidity. However, the sector faces challenges, such as rumors of Kraken’s $20 billion acquisition, which has boosted rival tokens like BNB (+3.3% on Sept 27, 2025). LEO’s relatively low price volatility (+0.46% over 7 days) may attract investors looking for stability but might limit big speculative gains.
3. Regulatory and Legacy Risks (Potential Negative)
What’s Happening:
Bitfinex still deals with the fallout from a 2016 hack where $71 million in Bitcoin was stolen, along with ongoing legal issues. Although iFinex has compensated users partly through LEO buybacks, stricter regulations—such as the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) rules—could create operational challenges.
Why It Matters:
New regulations or legal hurdles could reduce Bitfinex’s revenue, slowing down the buyback program and putting downward pressure on LEO’s price. On the other hand, resolving these legacy issues could improve investor confidence.
Conclusion
LEO’s price outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by its deflationary buyback model and Bitfinex’s strong position. However, competition from other exchange tokens and regulatory uncertainties remain risks. Investors should keep an eye on monthly buyback reports from iFinex and shifts in Bitcoin’s market dominance—these factors will influence whether demand for exchange tokens like LEO picks up again.
What are people saying about LEO?
LEO holders are staying calm and confident despite market ups and downs. Here’s what’s happening:
- Better performance than others – LEO is down only about 10% from its highest price, while many similar tokens have dropped 40–60%.
- Token buybacks in action – Every month, LEO tokens are bought back using a portion of Bitfinex’s revenue.
- Stable and steady – LEO’s low price swings make it attractive to traders who prefer less risk.
Deep Dive
1. @CryptoQuant: LEO Stands Strong Among Exchange Tokens Positive
"BNB and LEO are holding up well despite market ups and downs. BNB is only 6% below its peak price of $861, and LEO is down 10%. Other exchange tokens have fallen 40-60% from their highs."
– @CryptoQuant (2.1M followers · 483K impressions · August 5, 2025)
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What this means: This is good news for LEO. It shows that compared to other tokens linked to exchanges, LEO is seen as a safer choice during uncertain times.
2. @hitbtc: Monthly Token Buybacks Support Value Positive
"iFinex buys back LEO tokens every month using at least 27% of its revenue, purchasing tokens at current market prices."
– @hitbtc (892K followers · 217K impressions · August 1, 2025)
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What this means: This is a positive sign for LEO because regularly buying back tokens reduces the total supply, which can help support or increase the token’s value. These buybacks are directly linked to how well the exchange is doing financially.
3. @Cryptonewsland: Stability Attributed to Bitfinex Lending Demand Neutral
"LEO’s 10% drop from its all-time high is much smaller than the 40-60% drops seen in most exchange tokens. This stability is connected to Bitfinex’s lending services."
– Cryptonewsland (3.2M monthly readers · August 6, 2025)
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What this means: This is a neutral point for LEO. While it shows LEO is stable, this stability depends heavily on Bitfinex’s specific lending business rather than widespread use of the token.
Conclusion
Overall, the outlook for LEO is cautiously optimistic. The monthly token buybacks and support from the Bitfinex exchange help balance concerns about relatively low trading activity among everyday investors (LEO’s 24-hour trading volume dropped 1.56% as of September 27, 2025). Keep an eye on the next monthly buyback report expected around November 1. If buybacks remain strong, it could reinforce LEO’s reputation as a safer exchange token while others continue to fall.
What is the latest news about LEO?
LEO handles market changes with steady usefulness and controlled ups and downs. Here’s the latest update:
- Lagging Behind During Sector Rally (September 27, 2025) – LEO didn’t keep up as other exchange tokens jumped 3.24%, fueled by talks of Kraken’s $20 billion acquisition.
- Holding Strong During Market Drops (August 6, 2025) – LEO only dropped 10%, while competitors fell 40–60%, thanks to Bitfinex’s token buyback program.
- EOS Token Swap Update (June 18, 2025) – Bitfinex finished moving EOS tokens to Vaulta and restarted LEO services, keeping the system running smoothly.
In-Depth Look
1. Lagging Behind During Sector Rally (September 27, 2025)
Summary:
LEO’s price went up 0.61% in one day but didn’t match the 3.24% gain seen in other exchange tokens. Tokens like BNB and FTT led the way, boosted by rumors of Kraken’s big acquisition. LEO’s smaller move suggests less hype and more steady demand focused on its actual use rather than speculation.
What this means: This is neutral for LEO. While the sector’s rally shows growing interest in exchange tokens, LEO’s steady performance indicates it’s valued more for its practical use than short-term trading excitement. (PandoraTech News)
2. Holding Strong During Market Drops (August 6, 2025)
Summary:
LEO’s price stayed close to its highest point, dropping only 10%, while competitors like CRO and OKB lost 40–60%. This strength comes from Bitfinex’s buyback program, which uses 27% of its revenue to buy and burn LEO tokens, reducing supply. With a market value of $8.3 billion, LEO is the second-largest exchange token, supported by demand for Bitfinex’s lending and margin trading services.
What this means: This is positive for LEO. Its low price swings and token burn strategy make it a safer choice during market downturns, appealing to investors who want less risk. (CryptoFrontNews)
3. EOS Token Swap Update (June 18, 2025)
Summary:
Bitfinex completed moving EOS tokens to a new platform called Vaulta and restarted LEO services on this chain. This change doesn’t affect LEO’s token structure but shows Bitfinex’s ability to keep things running smoothly across different blockchain systems.
What this means: Neutral for LEO. The update keeps everything working but doesn’t add new features. Investors might watch for future upgrades linked to Bitfinex’s technology. (Bitfinex)
Conclusion
LEO stays strong thanks to Bitfinex’s revenue-based token burns and steady platform use, even as other exchange tokens face ups and downs. While it didn’t keep pace during recent rallies, its ability to hold value during market drops highlights its role as a stable asset. The big question is whether LEO’s focus on real-world use will attract more interest if the market shifts toward long-term fundamentals.
What is expected in the development of LEO?
UNUS SED LEO’s roadmap centers on integrating new platforms and maintaining a sustainable token buyback program.
- Bitfinex Pay Transition (September 15, 2025) – Moving to Estable Pay and ending support for MATIC tokens.
- Ongoing Monthly Buybacks – Using at least 27% of revenue to buy back and burn tokens.
- Expanding LEO’s Use Cases (2025) – Offering fee discounts for derivatives trading and peer-to-peer lending.
In-Depth Look
1. Bitfinex Pay Transition (September 15, 2025)
What’s Happening:
Bitfinex Pay, a payment service for merchants, will switch to a new system called Estable Pay on September 15, 2025. Current merchants can keep using Bitfinex Pay until then, but no new sign-ups are allowed. Support for the MATIC token will end earlier, on July 16, 2025, as part of a broader removal of certain tokens (Bitfinex).
Why It Matters:
This change is neutral for UNUS SED LEO. It simplifies the payment system but removes some token options like MATIC. If Estable Pay integrates well, it could improve how the platform works with other services over time.
2. Ongoing Monthly Buybacks
What’s Happening:
The company behind UNUS SED LEO, iFinex, commits to using at least 27% of its revenue every month to buy back LEO tokens from the market and burn them (permanently removing them from circulation). Historically, this has lowered the number of tokens available by about 6% each year (CoinMarketCap).
Why It Matters:
This is a positive sign for LEO holders because reducing the supply can increase the token’s value. However, since Bitfinex’s revenue depends on the crypto market’s ups and downs, there’s some risk that buybacks might not always happen consistently.
3. Expanding LEO’s Use Cases (2025)
What’s Happening:
LEO token holders will get discounts on fees when trading derivatives (complex financial contracts) and using peer-to-peer lending services. Discounts can be up to 1.5 basis points on derivatives fees and up to 5% on lending fees. Recently, these discounts were increased for traders with high volumes (Bitfinex Fees).
Why It Matters:
This encourages traders to hold and use LEO tokens, which can boost demand. In fact, derivatives trading volume on Bitfinex grew 44% month-over-month in October 2025, showing strong interest in these fee benefits.
Conclusion
UNUS SED LEO’s roadmap focuses on streamlining its ecosystem with the Estable Pay migration and supporting token value through ongoing buybacks. The added fee discounts aim to keep active traders engaged. While exchange tokens like BNB dominate the market, LEO’s specific fee advantages could help maintain demand despite broader challenges in the crypto space.
What updates are there in the LEO code base?
I wasn’t able to find useful information to answer this question right now. The CoinMarketCap team is continuously updating my crypto knowledge, so if any important details become available, I should have them soon. Meanwhile, please feel free to choose another question or cryptocurrency for analysis.