DefiLlama Delists Aster Perpetual Futures Data After Spotting Near-Perfect Correlation With Binance Trades

• DefiLlama removed Aster volume data due to a close match with Binance trades.
• The Aster token dropped over 10% after data integrity concerns surfaced.
• Whale activity increased despite doubts over Aster trading volume.

DefiLlama has removed perpetual futures volume data from Aster due to questions about data integrity. The decentralized finance analytics platform flagged an unusual pattern. Aster’s trading volumes were showing near-perfect correlation with Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange.

The correlation ratio was observed to be close to 1. This triggered suspicion that the reported trading activity might not reflect organic user behavior. The Aster platform has not provided access to lower-level trading data. As a result, it is currently impossible to verify the legitimacy of its volumes or rule out wash trading.

Data Access Limitations Prompt Delisting

The decision to delist comes amid rising interest in Aster, a decentralized exchange linked to Binance co-founder CZ. DefiLlama cited the inability to trace who is making or filling orders on Aster as a critical issue. This lack of transparency led to growing concerns among analysts and users.

Comparisons with Hyperliquid, another decentralized perpetual exchange, showed clear differences. Unlike Aster, Hyperliquid’s trading activity does not match Binance’s on a one-to-one basis. The suspicious alignment between Aster and Binance raised red flags across the decentralized finance community.

Market Reaction and Token Performance

The ASTER token price fell sharply after the delisting news. It dropped by over 10% in the last 24 hours. The price had reached $2.27 earlier in the week but has now fallen below $1.90. On Oct 1, the Aster price dropped by 6.1% to $1.68, testing $1.52 support as resistance at $1.82 held. The decline erased most of the recent gains and pushed the token away from its all-time high.

The timing of the news comes just before Aster’s Phase 2 airdrop on October 10. Market watchers had anticipated positive momentum from the event. Instead, the controversy has introduced uncertainty, leading to increased volatility in the token’s price.

Whale Activity Signals Mixed Sentiment

Despite the drop in price, large investors remain active. Blockchain analytics show that a wallet address recently purchased 1.69 million ASTER tokens. The value of the purchase was around $3.16 million. This transaction followed a deposit of 2.92 million USDT into the platform. Last month, ASTER became the leading platform for decentralized perpetual trading with over $42 billion in daily volume.

The shift indicates tactical building up by a whale during the scandal. Nevertheless, the wider market is conservative. The tight relationship between Aster and Binance remains a source of interest. Any further developments in data transparency could impact sentiment in the coming days.