Crypto Token Unlocks Forecast to $3B in August, SUI & FTN Lead

Polymath CEO Vincent Kadar told Cointelegraph that institutional investors are evolving from “unlock anxiety” toward a more sophisticated evaluation of token releases. According to Tokenomist, crypto token unlocks are projected to drop to $3 billion in August, down 52% from $6.3 billion in July.

Despite this drastic decline, several high-profile token unlocks may still exert market pressure—most notably Sui (SUI), Fasttoken (FTN), Aptos (APT), Avalanche (AVAX), and Arbitrum (ARB).

• SUI has $167.62 million scheduled for August 1, making it the largest token release of the month. With only 34.5% of its total supply currently unlocked and a high fully diluted valuation, this token may trigger notable sell pressure from early holders.
• FTN follows on August 18 with $91.6 million, although over 94% of its supply is already in circulation—suggesting limited price impact.
• Other mid‑month unlocks include Aptos ($51.5M), Avalanche ($40.35M), and Arbitrum ($39.24M).
• Low‑float tokens such as Starknet ($16M) and Kaito ($29M) are likely to be more volatile due to thin market liquidity.

Kadar emphasised that while a 50% reduction in unlock volumes is significant, it does not signal a sustained market slowdown. Instead, he views it as part of ongoing shifts tied to investor sentiment, regulatory developments, and strategic liquidity planning.

According to Kadar, “unlock anxiety” has largely subsided. He noted that sophisticated investors are now focusing on token economics—asking whether tokens are unlocking in concert with authentic adoption, whether governance is transparent, and whether incentives align with long‑term value creation.

There is a growing trend towards evaluating fundamentals like governance structure, utility, and compliance—factors especially critical for projects courting institutional capital. Kadar described this as a constructive shift: as blockchain ventures interface with public markets, the narrative has matured beyond short‑term tokenomics to focus on sustainable, institution‑ready models.