CZ’s $2M Aster Purchase Lifts Price, But Whales Are Betting Against the Rally

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao disclosed a $2 million personal investment in Aster on November 2, 2025. This caused a sudden 30% price surge within the first hour.

The token jumped from $0.93 to $1.21 as trading volume tripled and open interest nearly doubled. A major whale responded by opening a $25 million short position immediately after the pump, later expanding it to approximately $51 million with 3x leverage.

Aster price surges 30% in first hour after CZ announcement

CZ announced the purchase on the social media platform X, stating, “Full disclosure. I just bought some Aster today, using my own money, on Binance. I am not a trader. I buy and hold.”

The former Binance CEO purchased 2,090,598.14 ASTER tokens at an average price of $0.91. CZ emphasized this represents a long-term hold rather than a trading position.

Analyst StarPlatinum tracked the immediate market response following CZ’s 14:33 UTC disclosure. Within 60 minutes, Aster price climbed 30%.

Spot trading volume tripled, while open interest on the Hyperliquid exchange almost doubled, increasing by 98%.

The token consolidated around $1.20 by 15:33 UTC as the initial buying hype faded. Funding rates also turned negative at -0.064%.

Whale opens massive $51M short position against Aster rally

A major whale initiated a $25 million short position on Hyperliquid at $1.18 just 36 minutes after CZ’s announcement at 15:09 UTC.

The trader later expanded the position to approximately $51 million using 3x leverage.

The short position currently sits at a floating loss of $3-4 million as Aster price maintains levels above the entry point. The liquidation price sits around $2.08, meaning the whale faces forced closure if the token appreciates another 70% from current levels.

Onchain analytics firm Onchain Lens identified additional whale short positions opening on Hyperliquid.

Wallet “0x9ee” deposited $13.3 million to open an Aster short position currently valued at approximately $52 million. Wallet “0xBAD” deposited $3.8 million for a short position valued at $18 million.

Liquidation clusters now sit between $1.21-$1.40 with more than $8 million in short positions waiting for forced closure. If Aster price breaks above $1.25, a full short squeeze toward $1.35-$1.40 looks possible, according to StarPlatinum’s analysis.

CZ emphasizes long-term investment approach for Aster

The Binance founder clarified that his purchase is just the third crypto asset he has publicly disclosed holding, alongside Bitcoin and BNB.

This exclusive list underscores the significance of the investment, surpassing its nominal $2 million value. CZ’s willingness to publicly associate with such a limited number of assets suggests strong conviction in their long-term prospects.

Aster is a decentralized exchange with features including hidden orders that prevent front-running attacks.

YZi Labs, CZ’s venture firm, backs the protocol with long-term development support. The connection between CZ’s personal investment and his firm’s institutional backing creates aligned incentives.

StarPlatinum noted “I guess this is what a real KOL is, CZ just moved millions with a simple post.” The 24-hour trading volume exploded by over 1,000%, jumping from $224 million to approximately $2.5 billion.

Market capitalization surged from $1.8 billion to roughly $2.5 billion during the initial surge. The sudden surge in ASTER price following CZ’s post demonstrates his influence over crypto markets through his personal investment decisions and public communications.