Aster’s 112 RWA markets are live, so why is ASTER still stuck?

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Aster has expanded rapidly across tokenized assets and infrastructure, but investors are still waiting for those developments to translate into stronger demand for $ASTER.

Aster’s H1 2026 growth

In H1 2026, Aster launched its own L1, added staking, expanded into 112 RWA markets, and opened new listing routes through Aster Open Standards.

The platform also improved execution with features such as TWAP, Chase Order, Scale Order, and sub-accounts. In addition, Aster Code attracted builders and generated $12 billion in volume.

The biggest change for the token came in June.

AMBCrypto previously reported that Aster began using 99% of daily platform fees to buy back $ASTER for stakers, alongside an ongoing burn programme designed to reduce total supply. This model is similar to Hyperliquid’s [HYPE].

Ideally, the mechanism could help remove 5 billion $ASTER tokens from circulation over time.

Traders want more proof

Looking ahead, Aster Vault could bring more capital into the ecosystem, Aster Card may create everyday utility, and the expanded TradFi offerings could attract many more traders.

More importantly, platform activity can feed into staking rewards and token buybacks, since most daily fees are now used to purchase $ASTER.

However, traders don’t seem convinced. $ASTER traded near $0.626 at press time, and has spent much of the recent period moving within a narrow range. The daily RSI was at 48, so the pace is neutral. OBV has improved from earlier lows, but there isn’t enough for a proper breakout.

Derivatives traders are also just as wary. Aggregated Open Interest fell to around $149 million, so there isn’t a lot of leveraged participation. Funding was positive at about 0.0043, so long positions still have a slight bias. Positioning remained cautiously bullish rather than overly optimistic.

For now, the roadmap alone appears insufficient to drive a sustained rally. Traders are likely waiting for stronger evidence that these initiatives translate into higher activity, fee generation, and token demand.