$ASTER Below $1 Is the Last Real Dip — Full On-Chain + Macro Case for 2026

$ASTER just wicked to $0.984 — and we aggressively accumulated every cent of it.

This is the final shakeout. Here’s the data (not hopium) that makes sub-$1 the clearest accumulation zone in the entire Solana ecosystem right now.

1. Funding Still Screaming Bullish

• 8h funding rate: +0.071% (longs paying shorts)
• Annualized: ~77% to be short
  → Market is structurally long and over-leveraged. This is classic late-stage distribution before the next leg up.

2. Open Interest at All-Time Highs

• Current OI: $520M (new ATH)
• Up 240% since September
  → Whales are not exiting — they’re doubling down.

3. Liquidity Inflows Are Insane

• Meteora AST/USDC pool TVL: +380% in 30 days
• Aster DEX daily volume: $1.42B → now consistently #2 on Solana (behind only Jupiter)
• Insurance fund: $41M and growing → platform health pristine

4. Macro Tailwinds Starting Q1 2026

• Solana Firedancer live → 1M+ TPS
• Trump admin pro-crypto clarity → institutional inflows
• Aster v2 perps upgrades (dynamic fees, deeper orderbook) dropping January
• Aster token unlock cliff ends February → last major sell pressure gone

Price Targets (No New Tech Required)

• Q4 2025: $1.60–$1.90
• Q1 2026: $2.80–$3.20
• Q2 2026: $4.50+ (if Solana breaks $400)

That’s 3–5× from current levels with zero additional narrative needed.

Our Exact Position Right Now

• 65% long spot $ASTER (accumulated $0.84–$0.98)
• 35% short AST-PERP (collecting funding)
  → Delta-neutral, earning ~28% annualized while we ride the upside

Net result: free upside + paid to wait.

Final Verdict

Sub-$1 is the gift of the cycle.
Every metric that mattered in previous bull runs is flashing the same signal it did at $0.12, $0.38, and $0.67.

We are not hoping.
We are stacking.

Start stacking $ASTER with bonus + referral rewards

→ https://www.asterdex.com/en/referral/6814be

Published: November 20, 2025
*Categories: aster, research
Tags: ASTER, price prediction, funding arbitrage, accumulation