Why did the price of APT fall?

Aptos (APT) dropped 7.97% in the last 24 hours, falling more than the overall crypto market, which was down 3.64%. The main reasons include:

1. Token unlock pressure – 11.31 million APT tokens (worth about $48 million) were released on September 11, increasing the supply and raising concerns.
2. Technical breakdown – The price fell below an important support level at $4.38.
3. Market caution – The crypto fear/greed index is neutral at 47, and open interest in derivatives dropped 67%, showing less risk appetite.

Deep Dive

1. Token Unlock Sell Pressure (Negative Impact)

Overview:
On September 11, 11.31 million APT tokens were unlocked, equal to 2.2% of the tokens currently available in the market. This followed a previous unlock of $28.96 million worth of tokens on August 11 (BlockBeats).

What this means:
When tokens are unlocked, early investors or team members often sell them, increasing selling pressure. On September 11, APT’s trading volume jumped 94% to $455 million while the price dropped, indicating selling activity. The price has fallen about 10% over the past 30 days, matching the pattern of these unlocks.

What to watch:
The next token unlock is scheduled for October 11, with another 11.31 million APT tokens becoming available. If trading volume stays high but the price doesn’t recover, it could mean continued selling pressure.

2. Technical Breakdown (Bearish Signals)

Overview:
APT’s price fell below a key technical support level at $4.38, known as the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement. It is also trading below important moving averages: the 7-day simple moving average ($4.56) and the 200-day exponential moving average ($5.46).

What this means:

• The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 54.61, which means the token isn’t oversold yet and could fall further.
• The MACD histogram is shrinking (+0.025867), showing that bullish momentum is weakening.
• The next support level is at $4.12 (the lowest price since June 2025), and resistance is at $4.64 (the 23.6% Fibonacci level).

3. Altcoin Weakness (Mixed Effects)

Overview:
The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index dropped 8.7% in 24 hours to 63, while Bitcoin’s dominance increased to 57.77%. APT’s 7.97% drop was larger than Ethereum’s (-3.45%) and Solana’s (-4.2%).

What this means:
Investors are moving money from mid-sized altcoins like APT to safer assets such as Bitcoin and stablecoins. APT’s price has become more closely linked to Bitcoin’s movements, with a 30-day correlation of 0.89, making it more sensitive to overall market trends.

Conclusion

APT’s recent price drop is driven by token unlocks adding selling pressure, technical breakdowns signaling weaker momentum, and cautious sentiment across the crypto market. While long-term developments like WBTC integration and a growing user base of 10.5 million active users (Weex) add value, short-term risks are currently weighing on the token.

Key points to watch: Will APT hold the $4.12 support level? And could the Federal Reserve’s rate decision on September 14 trigger a rebound across the crypto market?

What could affect the price of APT?

Aptos is currently balancing between growing its ecosystem and managing risks related to its token supply.

1. Regulatory Progress & ETF Possibilities – The CFTC advisory role adds credibility, and an ETF approval might be on the horizon.
2. Token Unlocks & Inflation Concerns – About $48 million worth of APT tokens are released monthly, which could put downward pressure on prices until 2026.
3. DeFi & Real-World Asset (RWA) Growth – With over $719 million in tokenized real-world assets and integration of WBTC, Aptos shows strong demand driven by practical use cases.

In-Depth Look

1. Regulatory Clarity & ETF Potential (Positive Outlook)

What’s happening: In July 2025, Avery Ching, CEO of Aptos Labs, joined the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Digital Assets Subcommittee. This move brings Aptos closer to U.S. regulatory decision-makers. Additionally, Bitwise updated its application for an APT exchange-traded fund (ETF) to include in-kind redemptions—a strategy previously used before Bitcoin ETFs were approved (Bitwise).

Why it matters: Clearer regulations reduce hesitation from big financial institutions. If the ETF gets approved—which analysts estimate has about a 90% chance—it could attract traditional finance (TradFi) investors to APT. Historically, similar ETF approvals, like those for Bitcoin, have led to price jumps between 20% and 50%.

2. Token Unlocks & Supply Effects (Potential Challenges)

What’s happening: Every month, roughly 11.31 million APT tokens (about 2.2% of the total supply, valued at around $48 million) become available until 2026. A significant portion of tokens (32.5%) held by investors and core team members are still locked under vesting schedules (Token Unlock Data).

Why it matters: These regular token releases can create selling pressure, especially when trading volumes are low. This supply increase partly explains why APT’s price dropped about 46% over the past year.

3. Ecosystem Expansion & Real-World Asset Leadership (Positive Outlook)

What’s happening: Aptos supports over $719 million in tokenized real-world assets, ranking third worldwide. It also integrated Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) through LayerZero, which enhances decentralized finance (DeFi) liquidity. In September 2025, daily transactions exceeded 3 million, driven by stablecoins and institutional real-world asset projects (Zoomex).

Why it matters: Aptos’ strong position in real-world assets and partnerships with firms like BlackRock and Franklin Templeton could increase demand for APT as a utility token. Growth in total value locked (TVL) often aligns with price increases—APT’s peak price of $21 in 2025 matched these adoption trends.

Conclusion

Aptos’ future price depends on how well it can attract institutional investment through ETFs and real-world asset adoption while managing ongoing token supply increases. Regulatory progress and ecosystem growth offer promising upside, but token unlocks and broader market challenges (like a recent 3.76% drop in crypto markets over 24 hours) present short-term risks. The key question is: Can Aptos maintain momentum after these token unlocks, especially with over $10 billion in trading volume in Q3? Keep an eye on ETF developments and real-world asset adoption for clues.

What are people saying about APT?

Aptos (APT) conversations are shifting between steady development and eager trading. Here’s what’s catching attention:

1. Growing ecosystem activity vs. slow price movement
2. Traders watching the $4.30 price point closely
3. Conflicting signs: More stablecoins in use but upcoming token releases

Deep Dive

1. @Web3Niels: Partnerships & Price Outlook — Positive

Aave deposits reach $2 million, Bedrock integrates BTCFi, and sponsorship at Japan Stablecoin Summit
– @Web3Niels (23K followers · 12K impressions · 2025-09-07 09:00 UTC)
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What this means: These developments are good news for Aptos (APT). Integrations with decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) platforms could increase the coin’s usefulness. However, the price is still 51% below its all-time high, sitting at $4.22 as of September 6, 2025.

2. @Web3_Oma: Network Activity vs. Price Drop — Mixed Signals

3 million daily transactions, $1.25 billion in stablecoins, but APT price down 51% year-to-date
– @Web3_Oma (18K followers · 8.4K impressions · 2025-09-06 07:04 UTC)
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What this means: While the Aptos network is busy and growing, this hasn’t yet helped the price recover. The coin is testing support levels between $4.05 and $4.11, showing a disconnect between usage and market value.

3. CMC Community: Technical Analysis — Neutral

“If price breaks above $5.57, it could rise above $7. Falling below $4.46 might push it down to $4.20”
– Sasha_why_N (4.2K followers · 2025-06-08 18:27 UTC)
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What this means: Aptos is currently stuck in a price range between $4.46 and $5.18. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 42.5 (from a week ago) indicates the coin is neither overbought nor oversold, suggesting a technical stalemate.

Conclusion

The outlook for Aptos is mixed. On one hand, strong fundamentals like 3 million daily transactions and BlackRock’s $53.4 million investment show promise. On the other hand, the price remains sluggish, and upcoming token unlocks (32.5% of supply by 2028) could add selling pressure. Keep an eye on the $4.30 price level this week: holding above it might force short sellers to buy back, while falling below could speed up declines. For now, the Aptos network continues to develop as traders watch and wait.

What is the latest news about APT?

Aptos is balancing growth in its ecosystem with challenges from token unlocks, while watching important price levels. Here are the latest highlights:

1. Aave Deposits Reach $2M (September 7, 2025) – DeFi use grows as Aave connects with Aptos.
2. $28.96M Token Unlock (September 11, 2025) – 2.2% of Aptos tokens released, testing how the market handles it.
3. Price Breakout Watch at $4.30 (September 7, 2025) – Technical signals suggest a possible 15-20% price increase.

In-Depth Look

1. Aave Deposits Reach $2M (September 7, 2025)

Summary: Since January 2025, Aave’s integration with Aptos has brought in $2 million in deposits. This is a big step for Aptos as it’s the first major decentralized finance (DeFi) project on the platform that isn’t based on Ethereum’s technology. This success follows Aptos’ v1.5 upgrade, which made transactions faster and more secure.
Why it matters: This is good news for Aptos (APT) because it shows the platform’s technology works well and is attracting DeFi users. However, new regulations like the Genius Act, which limits interest-bearing stablecoins, might slow down the creation of new yield-earning products. (Web3Niels)

2. $28.96M Token Unlock (September 11, 2025)

Summary: On September 11, 11.31 million APT tokens worth about $28.96 million (at $4.28 each) were unlocked. Most of these tokens (67%) are for community and ecosystem projects, while 33% are for staking rewards. This follows a larger $54 million token unlock in August, which caused the price to drop 8%.
Why it matters: In the short term, this could put downward pressure on the price as some holders might sell. But in the long run, these tokens could help grow the ecosystem if used wisely. The trading volume of $438 million in the past 24 hours suggests there’s enough market activity to handle this unlock. (BlockBeats)

3. Price Breakout Watch at $4.30 (September 7, 2025)

Summary: Aptos’ price tested the $4.30 resistance level again after six months of trading in a range. Analysts point out that similar patterns in other coins like SOL and INJ led to price rallies earlier this year.
Why it matters: If Aptos breaks above $4.30 and holds, it could trigger automated buying and push the price up to between $4.95 and $5.15, a 15-20% increase. If it fails, the price might fall back to the $4.05 support level. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 42.5 and volume is increasing, which indicates growing momentum. (Web3Niels)

Conclusion

Aptos is caught between growing interest from DeFi projects like Aave and challenges from token unlocks that increase supply. Technical indicators suggest upcoming price swings. Even though APT is down 51% this year, it still has 1.1 million daily active users. The big question is whether the ecosystem’s growth can overcome the pressure from new tokens entering the market and spark a lasting price recovery.

What is expected in the development of APT?

Aptos is making big strides with these key updates:

1. Shardines Scaling (Q4 2025) – This will allow the network to handle nearly unlimited transactions at once.
2. Framework-Level CLOB (Q4 2025) – An on-chain order book that makes decentralized finance (DeFi) trading more efficient and transparent.
3. Raptr Consensus Upgrade (2025) – Improves speed and reliability, especially when the network is busy or under attack.

In-Depth Look

1. Shardines Scaling (Q4 2025)

What it is: Shardines is a new technology that splits the Aptos network into smaller parts called shards, letting it process over 1 million transactions per second by working on many tasks at the same time. This helps the network grow without slowing down.

Why it matters:

• Positive: This tackles one of the biggest challenges in blockchain—scaling up without losing security or speed—making Aptos a strong option for big financial applications and tokenizing real-world assets.
• Caution: The upgrade’s success depends on how many validators (network participants) adopt it and how well the system manages communication between shards.

2. Framework-Level CLOB (Q4 2025)

What it is: This is a decentralized Central Limit Order Book (CLOB) built into the Aptos framework. It lets any decentralized app (dApp) create exchanges that match buy and sell orders directly on the blockchain, ensuring fairness and transparency. More details can be found on the Aptos Forum.

Why it matters:

• Positive: It could reduce fragmentation in DeFi markets and attract more liquidity by offering tighter price spreads.
• Neutral: Its impact depends on how widely it’s adopted across the Aptos ecosystem.

3. Raptr Consensus Upgrade (2025)

What it is: Raptr is a new consensus method that combines two approaches to improve transaction speed and finality, especially during network congestion or attacks.

Why it matters:

• Positive: This upgrade could give Aptos an advantage in fast-paced trading and handling real-world asset transactions.
• Caution: It hasn’t been tested at large scale yet, and competitors like Solana already lead in low-latency performance.

Conclusion

Aptos is focusing heavily on improving scalability (Shardines), building better DeFi tools (CLOB), and strengthening network reliability (Raptr) to become a leading platform for global trading. While the technology looks promising, its success will depend on attracting developers and standing out in a crowded market. The big question remains: can Aptos’ Move-based ecosystem surpass Ethereum and Solana in drawing builders and users?

What updates are there in the APT code base?

Aptos is making important updates with improved node software, better developer tools, and stronger security measures.

1. Node v1.35.3 Release (Sept 17, 2025) – Validators must update to benefit from faster data handling and better performance.
2. Move Secure Library Initiative (June 2, 2025) – A $200K fund supports creating audited, reusable smart contract modules.
3. TypeScript SDK v4.0.0 (July 31, 2025) – Simplified event handling and new multi-key account features added.

In-Depth Look

1. Node v1.35.3 Release (Sept 17, 2025)

What’s new: This update introduces storage sharding, which breaks up data into smaller parts to speed up processing. It also adds lazy loading, meaning nodes don’t have to load everything at once, reducing the time it takes to sync with the network.

Key points:

• Nodes will stop working if they don’t complete the storage sharding update.
• Transaction data requests now support larger responses (up to 15MB).
• A new endpoint /identity_information lets nodes share their peer IDs, improving network transparency.

Why it matters: These improvements help Aptos handle more transactions smoothly and make the network more reliable. Validators (the network’s operators) need to upgrade to keep the system running without issues. (Source)

2. Move Secure Library Initiative (June 2, 2025)

What’s new: Aptos launched a $200,000 open-source project to create secure, reusable smart contract modules—similar to what OpenZeppelin does for Ethereum-based chains.

Key features:

• Pre-audited modules for common functions like access control and DeFi building blocks.
• Support for multiple programming languages (Python, Rust) and developer tools like VS Code plugins.

Why it matters: This initiative makes it easier and safer for developers to build on Aptos by reducing repetitive coding and improving security. It’s a big step toward attracting institutional developers and larger projects. (Source)

3. TypeScript SDK v4.0.0 (July 31, 2025)

What’s new: The software development kit (SDK) for TypeScript removed older event query methods to simplify dependencies and added support for multi-key accounts, allowing more flexible authentication.

Key points:

• Developers need to update their event queries to new endpoints.
• Added rotateAuthKeyUnverified for custom authentication setups.

Why it matters: This update modernizes developer tools but requires some adjustments for existing projects. The new account features could enable more complex decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. (Source)

Conclusion

Aptos is focusing on making its network faster, more secure, and easier for developers to use. These updates support its goal to be a top-performing Layer 1 blockchain for enterprise-level decentralized applications. It will be interesting to see how these technical improvements affect Aptos’ competition with other blockchains like Sui and Solana in late 2025.