Aster S2 Airdrop Countdown: $700 Million Feast, Four Strategies Teach You How to "Score"

The Aster Season 2 Airdrop has only 11 days left. With an Airdrop pool value of up to 700 million USD, the platform's total Lock-up Position (TVL) has reached 1.744 billion USD, with a 24-hour income of 7.12 million USD, ranking just behind stablecoin giants Tether and Circle on the income leaderboard.

Beyond the question of "Can ASTER still be bought?", "Can Aster still be brushed?" has become a concern for more users. In the face of complex point rules and a competitive environment, mastering effective Airdrop strategies is crucial.

###01 Airdrop Feast: The Data Explosion Behind the $700 Million Incentive

The recent data growth of the Aster platform is remarkable. According to Dune data, the total number of users on the Aster platform has reached 2,034,399, with over 710,000 new users added in the past week.

In terms of trading volume, Aster's 24-hour perpetual contract trading volume reached $21.112 billion, directly exceeding that of the veteran DeFi derivatives platform Hyperliquid by more than double. This trading volume even once broke through $12.5 billion, ranking first among decentralized perpetual exchanges.

In terms of the specific details of the Airdrop, the S2 Airdrop pool accounts for 4% of the total supply of ASTER, which is approximately 320 million ASTER. Based on the current price of 2.3 USD, the Airdrop is valued at over 700 million USD. Such a high-value Airdrop incentive is undoubtedly the main driving force attracting users to flock in.

The Aster team has clearly stated that professional market makers will be excluded from the Rh point system and will not be eligible for ASTER token airdrop. This regulation provides a relatively fair competitive environment for retail investors.

###02 Hedging Arbitrage: Points Acquisition Strategy for Cross-Platform Operations

The most mainstream score brushing strategy currently is Aster × Backpack hedging arbitrage. The core of this strategy is to place opposite orders for the same asset on two trading platforms simultaneously, achieving "score brushing + fee difference capture."

In specific operations, users can short ASTER by placing a "limit order" under Backpack to earn hanging order points; at the same time, they can quickly execute a "market order" in Aster. The key is that Aster's market order can earn double points, while Backpack's limit order enjoys lower transaction fees.

Operational details are crucial. Market orders must be executed quickly; otherwise, unfilled orders may incur one-sided exposure risks. The longer the holding period, the higher the points earned, but the points cap is twice the weekly trading volume.

To prevent being classified as a witch attack by the system, users should regularly modify parameters such as opening amount, opening multiple, and opening direction, avoiding the use of the same set of parameters for high-frequency hedging. Beginners are advised to start with small amounts and gradually increase their investment as they become more proficient.

###03 Funding Rate Strategy: Dual Benefits of Arbitrage and Points

On top of basic hedging strategies, a more advanced approach is to utilize the funding rate mechanism to gain additional returns. The core of this strategy is to take advantage of the differences in funding rates between different platforms.

When the funding rate is positive, investors can short perpetual contracts on the corresponding platform to earn the funding rate; when the funding rate is negative, they can go long on perpetual contracts. For example, the funding rate for ASTER on mainstream CEXs has been maintained at around 0.1%~0.4%, with daily annualized returns reaching 0.6%~2.4%.

Users can continue to hedge spot positions by placing limit orders with Backpack and market orders with Aster, while earning the difference in funding rates. The net profit calculation formula is: point value + funding rate income - transaction fee cost - slippage loss.

This strategy requires real-time monitoring of market changes and is suitable for experienced traders or those using funding rate bots. Users should pay special attention to latency and reconciliation issues between multiple accounts and platforms, and should not overlook the importance of position management.

###04 Asset Optimization: The Double Points Advantage of USDF and asBNB

In addition to active trading strategies, Aster also offers relatively low-risk passive income options. USDF and asBNB are two interest-bearing assets on the Aster platform, with annualized yields of approximately 16.7% and 9.1%, respectively.

There are two ways for users to participate in USDF earnings: First, there is a deposit reward, where as long as the account holds more than 1 USDF, interest will automatically be generated; second, there is a trading reward, which requires users to be active for at least 2 days each week and have a cumulative trading volume of over 2000 USDT. Once the conditions are met, the system will distribute the rewards uniformly in the following week.

More importantly, using USDF or asBNB for margin trading can double the trading points earned, and the weekly trading volume points cap will also be increased to twice the amount. For users pursuing Airdrop points, using these two assets is almost a must.

In addition, holding ASTER tokens itself can enjoy a 5% fee discount. Therefore, holding a certain amount of ASTER tokens in each wallet is also an effective strategy to optimize trading costs.

###05 Team Operations: Invitation Mechanism and Fleet Bonus System

The earnings from personal point brushing are limited, while the "invitation + team" combat mode will be the key for players to close the gap later on. Aster's referral rewards are divided into two levels: Level 1 users contribute trading points, and the inviter can receive a 10% share; Level 2 users (the people invited by the lower-level users) contribute a 5% share.

In addition to direct invitation rewards, Aster has also introduced the concept of team points. The points for each team will be settled on T+1 day and compared horizontally with other teams. Before the final distribution of points, the system will conduct a "fairness adjustment", which includes restricting large holders from monopolizing and smoothing out abnormal fluctuations.

The team points system places more emphasis on a comprehensive evaluation of "team activity" and "overall contribution ratio", rather than just the size of the team. This means that a small team with high activity may receive more rewards than a large team with low activity.

Ultimately, these scores will be calculated on a weekly basis and converted into the user's share in the platform's points pool, directly determining how much reward can be obtained in the airdrop distribution.

###06 Risk Warning: Considerations in Airdrop Competition

Despite the enticing opportunities, participating in the Aster Airdrop event also comes with various risks. Firstly, there is a noticeable FOMO sentiment in the market right now, with various script tools flooding in, making competition exceptionally fierce.

The specific distribution time for the second quarter Airdrop has not yet been determined, increasing the uncertainty of participation. Users need to plan their funds and time investment reasonably to avoid unnecessary risks caused by over-investment.

Although the Aster team stated that professional market makers are excluded from the airdrop eligibility, the current calculation of Rh points does not include pure spot holdings and trading in the points system for now. However, the official hinted that the airdrop rules for the third quarter may re-include spot trading.

For users, the key is to balance risk and reward, and not to overlook market fluctuations and potential losses in pursuit of Airdrops. Starting with a small amount and gradually increasing the investment is a more prudent strategy.

###Conclusion

The Aster S2 Airdrop has undoubtedly become one of the most eye-catching airdrop events in the second half of 2025. With a massive incentive of $700 million, combined with explosive growth in platform trading volume, it has created a rare participation opportunity.

As competition intensifies in decentralized derivatives trading, Aster is challenging the position of established players like Hyperliquid with its innovative products and incentive mechanisms. Regardless of the final Airdrop results, this feast has profoundly impacted the landscape of the decentralized perpetual contract market.

For ordinary users, at this critical moment with 11 days left on the countdown, choosing the right strategy, controlling risks, and actively participating may yield considerable returns in this airdrop feast. However, remember not to forget the inherent volatility and risks of the cryptocurrency market while chasing airdrops.