By Key Points
- Aster DEX Fully Refunds Traders in USDT
- XPL Perp Glitch Spiked Price to $4 from $1.3
- Daily Fees Hit $16.3M, 3x More Than Hyperliquid
- Whale Buys $115M in ASTER Tokens Amid Growth
Aster DEX has shown remarkable resilience after a technical glitch disrupted trading on its platform earlier this week.
The issue centered on an error in the XPL perpetual futures contract. A misconfigured index price caused prices to spike up to $4 on Aster DEX, while other exchanges reported XPL trading around $1.3. This led to sudden liquidations and trader losses.
Compensation for the XPL perp incident has now been fully distributed. All affected users have received reimbursement directly in USDT to their accounts.
We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process. For any further questions, please submit a ticket via… https://t.co/Wp0en9vm44
— Aster (@Aster_DEX) September 26, 2025
The exchange quickly responded by halting trading, investigating the issue, and pledging full refunds to affected users. Within hours, all impacted accounts were compensated in USDT.
“Compensation for the XPL perp incident has now been fully distributed,” Aster DEX confirmed in a statement. “All affected users have received reimbursement directly in USDT.”
The glitch was traced back to a hard-coded index price of $1, which failed to adjust even after the mark price cap was removed. The temporary error created a brief but extreme price movement, freezing charts and triggering auto-liquidations.
We are aware of abnormal price movements on the XPL perpetual trading pair. Rest assured, all user funds are SAFU. We are conducting a full review and will compensate any affected users for losses.
— Aster (@Aster_DEX) September 25, 2025
Despite the chaos, Aster DEX managed to turn the situation around quickly, restoring confidence across its user base. Traders praised the platform for the speed and transparency of the refund process.
However, not all issues were resolved. Several users pointed out a significant drop in their trading points, a form of loyalty or rewards metric, even though their funds were returned.
“Why are my trading points down by over 100,000 compared to yesterday?” one frustrated user asked.
The event highlighted the risks inherent in decentralized derivatives trading, where smart contract bugs or configuration errors can quickly spiral.
XPL Price Performance. Source: Abhi on X – Techtokens
Similar situations have led to larger issues, like the Hypervault rug pull that stunned investors earlier this year. Still, Aster DEX’s handling of the issue turned a potentially damaging incident into a reputation boost.
Aster DEX Surges Past Hyperliquid in Daily Fees and Traders
While the glitch made headlines, Aster DEX’s growth numbers stole the show.
The platform recorded an impressive $16.3 million in daily trading fees, more than triple Hyperliquid’s $4.9 million, within the same 24-hour period. These figures show that traders are not only returning to Aster DEX, but doing so in greater numbers than before.
Data from Dune Analytics confirmed this momentum. Aster DEX has now onboarded over 2.57 million total users, with 468,000 new traders joining in just one day.
The issue on the XPL perpetual trading pair has been fully resolved.
All users liquidated during this period will have their liquidation losses calculated and reimbursed directly to their wallets in USDT within the upcoming hours. Further updates will be shared shortly. We…
— Aster (@Aster_DEX) September 25, 2025
Much of this success can be attributed to the platform’s structure. Aster DEX runs on BNB Chain, offering fast, low-cost trading, direct wallet connectivity, and no central custody, features that are increasingly attractive to DeFi traders.
In fact, the broader BNB Chain bull market is lifting many projects tied to its ecosystem.
Aster vs Hyperliquid on Market Share Fees Metrics. Source: Dune Analytics – Techtokens
As a result, Aster DEX has positioned itself as a strong competitor to Hyperliquid, a derivatives platform with backing from Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. But where Hyperliquid leans on centralization, Aster DEX continues to push its on-chain, transparent model.
With strong user growth and record fee generation, Aster DEX is now being seen as a market leader in decentralized perps.
Why are my trading points down by over 100,000 points compared to yesterday? Can points still be deducted? What’s the reason? @Aster_DEX pic.twitter.com/zOOsNo1YEz
— CryptoLin.eth | 🕊️ (@web3_xiaoyao) September 26, 2025
Whale Activity Hints at Deep Confidence in Aster DEX
Beyond daily users and revenue, there’s another sign that Aster DEX is gaining serious traction, whale accumulation.
According to crypto analyst Mario Nawfal, a major wallet accumulated 55 million ASTER tokens, valued at over $115 million, over just two days. This type of movement suggests that big players are placing long-term bets on Aster DEX’s success.
Whale activity often signals internal confidence, either from team members or early investors who believe the platform’s value will increase.
This massive token buy has fueled speculation that insiders are doubling down on the exchange, possibly preparing for upcoming updates, listings, or even institutional partnerships.
Other platforms like Ronin’s buyback plan have also triggered similar whale confidence.
Combined with the recent recovery from the XPL glitch, the whale move paints a picture of a platform that is not just surviving but thriving, even under pressure.
As more traders shift towards on-chain derivatives, the market is watching closely to see whether Aster DEX can maintain this momentum and truly cement its position at the top.
THIS WHALE HAS BOUGHT 55M $ASTER ($115M) OVER THE PAST 2 DAYS
WHAT DOES HE KNOW? pic.twitter.com/EDg0m8pHTr
— 0xMarioNawfal (@RoundtableSpace) September 26, 2025
Why Aster DEX Is Gaining Trust Despite the Glitch
What makes the Aster DEX story stand out is not just its growth — but how it handled failure.
In DeFi, bugs and glitches happen. What sets platforms apart is how they respond.
Aster DEX didn’t ignore the problem or shift the blame. It paused trading, issued full refunds in USDT, and kept the community informed at every step. This kind of transparency is rare, and it’s paying off.
The exchange saw a surge in trading activity immediately after the refund announcement. Rather than flee, traders returned. And new ones joined.
Aster DEX has also benefited from broader trends. As more users move away from centralized platforms post-FTX and seek trustless, non-custodial options, exchanges like Aster DEX are in the right place at the right time.
Its architecture on BNB Chain allows for scalability and speed, while its recent handling of the XPL glitch has shown that the team can operate under pressure.
It’s worth noting that transparency and reserve management, like in Tether’s USDT reserve strategy, are now essential to retain user trust.
With the combination of growing fees, millions of traders, and whale backing, Aster DEX is becoming one of the most watched platforms in the crypto space right now.
Much like how Cardano’s 2025 roadmap is reshaping sentiment for ADA holders, Aster DEX is shaping a new narrative in on-chain derivatives.
What is your reaction?
