Which Tokens Are Unlocking in the Third Week of December 2025?
LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Sei tokens are scheduled for unlock events in the third week of December 2025, marking a significant increase in circulating supply for these projects. Understanding the implications of these unlocks is important as they can affect market liquidity, investor behavior, and potentially the valuation and adoption trajectories of these blockchain networks.
What happened
According to BeinCrypto, the third week of December 2025 will see token unlocks for LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Sei. These unlocks involve the release of previously locked or vested tokens into circulation, a common mechanism in crypto projects to phase token supply over time.
LayerZero’s tokenomics, as outlined in its official documentation, tie token unlocks to project milestones, with vesting schedules designed to align incentives among investors and developers. Arbitrum’s token unlocks are linked to ecosystem growth incentives and validator rewards, with allocations reserved for community and developer grants, as detailed in Offchain Labs’ tokenomics whitepaper. Sei’s token unlock schedule is structured to support network security and liquidity provision over time, according to the Sei Network’s disclosures.
Historical analysis from Delphi Digital indicates that large token unlocks can temporarily increase market liquidity but also risk downward price pressure if holders sell tokens immediately upon unlock. Token unlocks generally expand the circulating supply, which can facilitate more trading volume and easier market entry or exit.
Why this matters
The scheduled unlocks for LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Sei in December 2025 matter because they will likely increase the circulating supply of these tokens, which can have direct and indirect effects on market dynamics. Increased liquidity may enable higher trading volumes and reduce slippage, potentially benefiting market participants who seek to enter or exit positions.
Investor behavior following unlocks is a critical factor. Some token holders may choose to sell unlocked tokens, which could exert downward price pressure in the short term. Others may retain tokens for staking, governance participation, or ecosystem use cases, which could support price stability or growth. The balance between these behaviors influences how the unlocks affect market valuations.
Additionally, the structural design of each project’s tokenomics plays a role. LayerZero’s milestone-linked vesting schedules aim to align incentives with long-term development goals, potentially mitigating immediate sell pressure. Arbitrum’s allocation for ecosystem incentives may channel unlocked tokens into growth initiatives rather than secondary market sales. Sei’s approach to supporting network security and liquidity through token release suggests a strategic deployment of unlocked tokens.
These unlock events occur within the broader context of evolving blockchain ecosystems: LayerZero’s cross-chain messaging, Arbitrum’s Layer 2 scaling solutions, and Sei’s focus on DeFi infrastructure. The interaction between tokenomics, ecosystem utility, and investor confidence will shape the longer-term impact of these unlocks on adoption and valuation.
What remains unclear
Several important questions remain unanswered based on the available research:
- The precise proportion of unlocked tokens that will be sold immediately versus retained or staked is not disclosed by any official sources.
- A detailed breakdown of the categories of token holders releasing tokens in December 2025—such as insiders, team members, early investors, or community incentives—is not available.
- There is no consensus or explicit analysis on whether these unlock events have been anticipated and fully priced into current market valuations.
- The impact of macroeconomic and broader crypto market conditions in late 2025 on investor response to these unlocks is uncertain and not addressed in the sources.
- Specific mechanisms that might mitigate sell pressure at unlock time—such as vesting cliffs or lockup extensions—are not fully detailed in public documentation.
- There is a lack of official statements outlining strategic plans for the deployment or use of unlocked tokens post-event.
- Data linking these specific December 2025 unlocks directly to adoption metrics or ecosystem growth projections is absent.
What to watch next
- Monitor changes in circulating supply and trading volumes for LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Sei tokens during and after the third week of December 2025 to assess immediate market liquidity effects.
- Track price volatility and on-chain token movements, particularly transfers to exchanges, which may indicate selling pressure or accumulation.
- Observe staking participation rates and governance activity, which can signal whether unlocked tokens are being retained for network support rather than sold.
- Look for official disclosures or community updates from the projects on how unlocked tokens will be utilized, especially for ecosystem development or liquidity provision.
- Analyze broader market conditions and macroeconomic factors that could influence investor sentiment and behavior around the unlock period.
The upcoming token unlocks for LayerZero, Arbitrum, and Sei represent a structurally important event for these projects and their markets. While the increase in circulating supply is confirmed, the ultimate impact on price, liquidity, and ecosystem growth remains uncertain due to gaps in publicly available data and the complexity of investor behavior. Careful observation of market indicators and project communications will be necessary to understand how these unlocks influence the evolving blockchain landscape.
Source: https://beincrypto.com/crypto-token-unlocks-in-the-third-week-of-december/. This article is based on verified research material available at the time of writing. Where information is limited or unavailable, this is stated explicitly.