Unlock Tokens of 2025: EigenLayer,dYdX, Plume, Sui and Movement

Unlock Tokens of 2025: Impact of Major Token Releases Explained

The release of locked tokens and commonly referred to as a token unlocks which is one of the most influential events in the lifecycle of a crypto project. These scheduled releases affect circulating supply, investor sentiment and liquidity flows across the market. In 2025, several notable Web3 networks are now hitting important milestones in their vesting schedules which also includes EigenLayer (EIGEN), dYdX (DYDX), Plume (PLUME), Sui (SUI) and Movement (MOVE). 

After examining their unlock plans and recent events where we can better understand how these projects are handling supply emissions and how investors should approach them and what ripple effects they may create for their wider ecosystem. 

Why Token Unlocks Are Critical? 

When a project launches not all tokens  are immediately released into circulation instead many are locked and distributed gradually to developers, backers, early adopters and community programs through structured vesting. This prevents early dumping, aligns long term incentives and gives the network time to mature. 

Unlock Tokens are important for several reasons: 

• They reward contributors and investors for their early commitment, 

• They smoothen market impact by spacing out supply instead of releasing it all at once, 

• They influence market behaviour as new supply can weigh on prices if demand is week, and 

• They decentralize governance by spreading token ownership across a wider base. 

For traders and long term holders alike the unlock calendars often serve as a signal for volatility which also presents both risks and opportunities. 

EigenLayer (EIGEN): The Restaking Leader

EigenLayer the pioneer of Ethereum staking has one of the most talked about token releases where the first major unlock took place on September 30th, 2024 when 86 million tokens were distributed in the form of a stakedrop to early adopters. 

• Total Supply: 1.6 billion token 

• Unlocked so far: About 120 million 

• Market debut: Launched with a $6.88 which is fully diluted valuation 

• Distribution Plan: Initial airdrops followed by scheduled monthly releases

Around over $10 billion in total value locked (TVL), EigenLayer has quickly become a dominant force in Ethereum’s security market, however it brings added trading activity and speculative pressure. The investors are watching closely to EIGEN transitions from early hype to long term price discovery. 

Allocations: 

• Investors: 29.5%

• Early contributors: 25.5%

• Future community initiatives: 4.1%

• Future community initiatives (TBD): 10.9%

• Stakedrops: 11.9%

• Stakedrops (TBD): 3.1%

• R&D and ecosystem development: 15.0%

dYdX (DYDX): Gradual and Structured Emissions

dYdX is one of the largest decentralized derivatives platforms which follows a carefully staged vesting program where a key unlock is scheduled for December 1, 2024 and when 8.34million DYDX tokens will be released. 

Unlocked to date: Over 660m DYDX which is already more than half of the total supply

Recipients: Team members, investors where the community treasury, and liquidity providers, 

Vesting horizon: Unlocks continue until June 2026

The steady release of DYDX ensures that governance power gradually moves into the hands of a broader community, still each monthly release can trigger market swings particularly as institutional backers or insiders evaluate whether to hold or take profits. 

Total Unlock Progress 

• Total Locked: 5.52%

• TBD Locked: 22.77%

• Unlocked: 71.71%

• Untracked: 0.00%

Token Allocations 

• Community Treasury and Rewards Treasury: 8.5%

• Community Treasury and Rewards Treasury (TBD): 22.8%

• Investors: 27.7%

• Team: 15.3%

• Trading Rewards: 9.3%

• Future Employees: 7.0%

• Retroactive Mining Rewards: 5.0%

• Liquidity Provider Rewards: 3.3%

• Liquidity Module: 0.6%

• Safety Module: 0.5%

Plume (PLUME): Long-Term Vesting Discipline

Plume Network is building its presence as a next generation Layer-1 and its tokenomics reflect a strong emphasis on sustainability by which the project has adopted a seven year linear vesting plan with unlocks carefully spread out across multiple categories. 

• Next Major Unlock: October 1, 2025 which is around 100.94 million PLUME that represents 3.33% of circulating supply, 

• Current unlocked: 30.5% of the supply 

Allocations

• Community: 39%

• Backers: 21%

• Core Contributors: 20%

• Foundation: 13%

• Airdrop: 7%

The total half of Plume’s allocation is released over the first three years while the remaining half unlocks for the next four years. This is basically designed for early supporters without flooding the market and gives  the network breathing room to expand its adoption curve. 

Standard Allocations 

• Ecosystem: 46.0%

• Investors: 21.0%

• Core Contributors: 20.0%

• Foundation Treasury: 13.0%

Sui (SUI): Heavy Unlocks on the Horizon

Sui is a high performance Layer-1 token which was created by Mysten Labs and as of now it is heading into one of the most significant unlock cycles in the market.

• Recent unlock: 44 million SUI tokens 

• Unlocked to Date: About 34.5% of total tokens 

• Planned Releases: By December 2025 over 1.2 billion of SUI tokens are going to be released which are valued at more than $720 million at projected prices. 

• Recipients: Investors, core team, community reserves and ecosystem programs. 

These unlocks are spreading across both cliff  and linear schedules and will make Sui one of the most widely distributed tokens among new generation Layer-1 scales. However the sheer scale of new supply poses risks of heightened volatility unless it is matched by robust demand from developers and users. 

Total Unlock Progress 

• Total Locked: 12.51% 

• TBD Locked: 52.17% 

• Unlocked: 35.68%

• Untracked: NA 

 Standard Allocations 

• Allocation Released After 2030 (TBD): 52.2%

• Community Reserve: 10.6%

• Stoke Subsidies: 9.5%

• Series A: 7.1%

• Series B: 7.0%

• Early Contributors: 6.1%

• Community Access Program: 5.8%

• Master Labs Treasury: 1.6%

Movement (MOVE): Unlocking Alongside Growth

Movement Network is steadily releasing its MOVE token in sync with its ecosystem’s progress. 

Latest Unlock:  On September 9,2025 around 50 million tokens worth of $6 million entered circulation, 

Unlocked to Date: 2.71billions MOVE tokens which is equals to 27.1% of supply, 

Future Unlocks: Another 112 million tokens are scheduled with their linear vesting which is extending through 2029.

Allocations 

• Community/Ecosystem: 40%

• Backers: 22.5%

• Contributors: 17.5%

• Foundation: 8%

• Initial Claims: 10%

• HODLers: 2%

As token supply grows their short term selling pressure has now emerges with specially during active trading periods. On the flip side the network is rolling out upgrades and ecosystem partnerships which could counterbalance unlock driven dips with stronger adoption. 

Conclusion

The token unlocks are more than just supply events but they are windows into a project’s growth, governance model and market resilience. The upcoming schedules for EigenLayer, dYdX, Plume, Sui and Movement illustrate how diverse their vesting strategies can shape both short term volatility and long term volatility. 

As such for investors, builders and analysts the key lies in balancing the caution with opportunity which monitors the unlock calendars by understanding token allocation and aligning trades and holding with the fundamentals health of the protocol. As these projects move through 2025 their unlock milestones will play a decisive role in shaping not just token prices but also the broader Web3 narratives.