Key Notes
- Over $657 million worth of altcoins are expected to enter circulation this week.
- HYPE leads in one-time unlocks with approximately $333 million worth of tokens available for trade.
- The unlock comes as the crypto market posted gains over the past day.
The first full trading week of 2026 opens with a big token supply unlock event. Data from Tokenomist shows that over $657 million worth of altcoins are expected to enter circulation between January 5 and 12.
Unlocking tokens increases the risk of short-term selling, as a new supply becomes available immediately. The impact depends on the size, timing, and how quickly the market can absorb the tokens. This comes amid a brief market rebound as Bitcoin and top altcoins posted gains over the past day.
These tokens face risk of supply shock
Over the next seven days, several one-time unlocks of tokens worth over $5 million are planned. These include hyperfluid
THRESHING
$26.45
24h volatility:
6.1%
Market capitalization:
$6.30 billion
Flight. 24h:
$242.37 million
Ethena
ENA
$0.25
24h volatility:
3.0%
Market capitalization:
$1.96 billion
Flight. 24h:
$251.68 million
Aptos (APT), Linea (LINEA) and Movement (MOVE).
According to Tokenomist, the top unique tokens unlocked over the next seven days (each worth over $5 million) include HYPE, ENA, APT, LINEA, and MOVE. Top linear unlocks during the same period (daily unlocks worth over $1 million) include RAIN, SOL, TRUMP, WLD, RIVER, DOGE, AVAX,… pic.twitter.com/dMIPC0rpqM
-Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 5, 2026
These tokens face higher near-term price risk as this supply hits the market at the same time. HYPE is leading these unlocks with approximately $333 million worth of tokens expected to enter circulation in a single release. This equates to approximately 3.25% of HYPE’s total supply becoming tradable at once.
Meanwhile, several large tokens are seeing daily releases worth over $1 million this week. These include Solana
GROUND
$135.7
24h volatility:
1.7%
Market capitalization:
$76.45 billion
Flight. 24h:
$3.76 billion
Official Trump (TRUMP), Worldcoin (WLD), River (RIVER), Dogecoin
DOGE
$0.15
24h volatility:
1.0%
Market capitalization:
$25.26 billion
Flight. 24h:
$1.76 billion
avalanches
AVAX
$14.33
24h volatility:
2.3%
Market capitalization:
$6.17 billion
Flight. 24h:
$371.96 million
and others.
Linear unlocking spreads supply over time, reducing immediate price pressure.
An Altcoin Rally Coming?
At the time of writing, many top altcoins remain well below their all-time highs. SOL is trading down 54% from its high of $294.3. XRP
XRP
$2.15
24h volatility:
3.5%
Market capitalization:
$130.39 billion
Flight. 24h:
$3.52 billion
is also 44% below its high of $3.84, currently trading around $2.13.
The total crypto market cap has fallen by $1.13 trillion since the beginning of October and now stands at almost $3.15 trillion.
However, many analysts are optimistic about an altcoin rally in the first quarter of 2026. Crypto expert Austin Hilton recently predicted that 2026 could see “one of the biggest altcoin seasons.”
If this trend continues…
We are heading into one of the biggest altcoin seasons – EVER! pic.twitter.com/4L9KVBwI8P
-Austin Hilton (@austinahilton) January 3, 2026
Interestingly, Binance flow data suggests that Enjin Coin (ENJ), Amp (AMP), and Smooth Love Potion (SLP) have the highest negative net flows this week. Tokens leaving exchanges reduce short-term selling supply and often lead to short bursts of upside.
Binance altcoin net flow | Source: CryptoQuant
Additionally, meme coins have also seen a surge of interest recently. According to data from CoinMarketCap, the meme sector’s market capitalization currently stands at around $47.04 billion, up 28% over the past week.
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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article is intended to provide accurate and current information, but should not be considered financial or investment advice. Because market conditions can change quickly, we encourage you to verify the information for yourself and consult a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
A crypto journalist with over 5 years of industry experience, Parth has worked with leading media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gaining experience and expertise in the field after surviving both bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also the author of 4 self-published books.
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