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More than $5.5 billion worth of previously locked crypto tokens are scheduled to enter circulation in January, with major releases from Ondo, Bitget Token, Hyperliquid and the Official Trump token set to test market demand amid uneven liquidity.
According to data from Tokenomist, approximately $2.5 billion will be released through cliff unlocks—where tokens become tradable all at once—while another $3 billion will enter circulation gradually through linear vesting schedules.
Crypto vesting mechanisms are designed to align long term incentives by preventing early investors, founders and contributors from flooding the market.
However, when Crypto token unlock events cluster within a short period, they can still test demand, particularly during periods of fragile sentiment.
“Unlocks are not inherently bearish, but timing and concentration matter,” said Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, in commentary shared via Galaxy Research. “Large releases during low volume environments can amplify volatility.”
The four largest releases account for nearly 2 billion dollars of January’s scheduled Crypto token unlock value, representing approximately 35 percent of the total supply set to be released during the month.
Ondo leads the group, with approximately 1.9 billion ONDO tokens scheduled to unlock on January 19. At current prices tracked by CoinGecko, the release is valued at more than 840 million dollars.
Tokenomist data indicates that these tokens are allocated across founders, team members, community incentives and private investors.
Bitget Token follows with 140 million BGB tokens scheduled for release on January 26, valued at nearly 500 million dollars. According to publicly disclosed tokenomics, 80 million of those tokens are earmarked for team allocations, while the remaining 60 million are designated for branding and promotional initiatives tied to ecosystem expansion.
Hyperliquid represents the third largest Crypto token unlock of the month, with 12.4 million HYPE tokens valued at approximately 327 million dollars set to unlock for core contributors. Notably, HYPE traded higher ahead of the release, reflecting short term optimism despite the incoming supply.
“The market reaction to unlocks often depends on whether holders intend to sell or stake,” said Messari analyst Sam Reynolds in a recent note published by Messari. “Not all unlocked tokens immediately translate into sell pressure.”
The Official Trump token adds an additional layer of attention to January’s Crypto token unlock calendar. On January 18, roughly 50 million TRUMP tokens valued at about 270 million dollars are scheduled to unlock for founders and team members.
While smaller in absolute value compared to ONDO and BGB, the release carries outsized visibility due to its association with US President Donald Trump and the broader political narrative surrounding crypto adoption in the United States. Market participants note that heightened attention can amplify volatility regardless of token size.
Political themed tokens have historically exhibited sharp price swings around supply events, particularly when retail participation is high. Analysts caution that this dynamic may apply to the TRUMP unlock as well, depending on broader market conditions and sentiment.
Despite the scale of January’s Crypto token unlock events, analysts stress that unlocks alone do not determine price direction. The broader context, including spot market liquidity, derivatives positioning and macroeconomic signals, will play a decisive role in how markets digest the new supply.
According to liquidity metrics tracked by Kaiko, centralized exchange volumes remain below quarterly averages, suggesting that large unlocks could have an outsized impact if selling pressure accelerates. Conversely, strong demand or staking participation could mitigate downside risks.
“Unlocks are part of the normal lifecycle of crypto assets,” said Noelle Acheson, former Head of Market Insights at Genesis, in analysis published by Coindesk. “The real question is whether demand growth keeps pace with new supply.”
As investors prepare for January’s Crypto token unlock cycle, attention will remain focused on on chain flows, exchange inflows and post unlock price behavior. Whether these releases trigger short term corrections or are absorbed smoothly may offer broader insight into market maturity heading into the first quarter.
