Astar (ASTR) Price Rally: On-Chain Usage Growth and DeFi Cross-Chain Innovations Fuel Upward Trend

The (ASTR) witnessed a significant rally in late 2025, surging from $0.91 to a high of $1.26 after Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) purchased $2 million worth of tokens, according to . Although CZ’s public disclosure sparked speculative interest, a closer look shows that the main catalysts for this are Astar’s ecosystem progress—especially in terms of on-chain growth and DeFi connectivity.

On-Chain Adoption: Building Blocks for Lasting Expansion

Astar’s third-quarter 2025 results highlight strong on-chain adoption. The number of active wallets rose by 20%, as detailed in a Bitget analysis, bolstered by upgrades like Agile Coretime and Asynchronous Backing that improve scalability and security. Institutional interest has also grown, with a $3.16 million accumulation of

by a large holder in October 2025, as referenced in a Bitget report. Metrics such as On-Balance-Volume (OBV) and Accumulation/Distribution (A/D) point to robust buying activity, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) briefly entered overbought levels, indicating increased speculative trading, as mentioned in a Financial Content report.

Importantly, Astar’s Total Value Locked (TVL) reached $2.38 million in Q3 2025, bucking the broader DeFi trend, which saw TVL fall by $11.96 billion, according to Bitget. This performance demonstrates Astar’s ability to draw liquidity even amid challenging macroeconomic conditions.

DeFi Interoperability: Connecting Networks for Greater Scale

With the rollout of Astar 2.0 in September 2023, the network has become a cross-chain center. By incorporating Ethereum’s zkEVM and Polkadot’s JAM protocol, Astar now supports 150,000 TPS, with plans to double that to 300,000 TPS, enabling smooth operations across

, , and Binance Smart Chain, as outlined in a Bitget report. This cross-chain capability is further strengthened by collaborations with major Japanese Web2 companies such as Casio, Mazda, and Japan Airlines, which are helping to integrate traditional sectors with blockchain, as noted in a Bitget report.

The dApp Staking v3 initiative on the platform has also encouraged more governance involvement, aligning interests among developers, validators, and users. Partnerships with Animoca Brands and Sony Soneium are drawing Web2 audiences into Web3 through anime intellectual property and decentralized identity projects, as highlighted in a Bitget report. These efforts reinforce Astar’s position as a scalable, Ethereum-compatible smart contract platform.

Whale Movements and Market Trends

Large holders have played a key role in Astar’s price trajectory. For example, wallet 0xfE5A acquired 1.69 million ASTR tokens (worth $3.16 million) using USDT, signaling optimism, according to a Financial Content report. On the other hand, whales such as 0x9eec9 and 0xbadb, who earned $5.9 million and $1.4 million respectively from short positions, illustrate the market’s volatility, as reported by Cryptonews. Despite these fluctuations, Astar’s targeted upgrades and alliances have helped reduce risks seen in the wider DeFi space, sustaining investor trust.

Strategic Perspective and Investment Considerations

Experts anticipate ASTR could trade between $0.80 and $1.20 by 2030, provided ongoing innovation and ecosystem expansion continue, as stated in a Bitget report. Although ASTR’s 24-hour trading volume of $5.6 million indicates some liquidity constraints, its TVL and active wallet growth provide a solid base for future value. Investors are advised to watch cross-chain transaction activity and TVL patterns as important signals of Astar’s market durability.

Conclusion

Astar’s recent price rally is

just a result of short-term speculation; it reflects the project’s strategic progress in on-chain adoption and DeFi interoperability. By linking the Polkadot, Ethereum, and Binance Smart Chain ecosystems, Astar is establishing a distinctive position in the blockchain sector. As both institutional and retail interest align with technical improvements, ASTR’s outlook presents strong investment opportunities for those ready to benefit from cross-chain innovation.