Token Unlocks of the Week: Taiko (TAIKO), Immutable (IMX), and Mode (MODE) Prepare to Release Large Portions of Their Circulating Supplies

Token unlock involves releasing tokens that were previously blocked under fundraising terms. Projects carefully schedule these releases to avoid market pressure and prevent a drop in token prices.

Three major token unlocks to watch next week

DeFi tokenomics often include scheduled periods where a portion of previously locked tokens are released. These unlocks can have a significant impact on an asset’s price dynamics, especially in the short term.

Projects typically try to carefully schedule these releases to avoid putting excessive pressure on the market and preventing a drop in token prices. However, factors like a lack of liquidity or early investors cashing out can still influence the market in a way that’s not fully anticipated.

Here are three major unlocks to watch next week.

Taiko (TAIKO)

Taiko is a decentralized Layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum that leverages ZK-Rollup technology. The protocol operates in a permissionless manner, allowing community members to participate in network operations and earn rewards for their contributions.

On September 5, Taiko will unlock a substantial portion of its TAIKO tokens, representing 19% of the current circulating supply. The project will distribute the newly released tokens to participants in the Trailblazer program, which launched in March 2023.

Participants in this program were able to purchase TAIKO tokens at a discounted rate during the network’s early development stages and helped to spread the word about the project within the crypto community. Now, their efforts will be rewarded with a significant batch of tokens.

Immutable (IMX)

Immutable is a Layer-2 solution for scaling NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain. In September 2021, the project raised $12.emp during the IMX token sale on the CoinList platform in just one hour. In March 2022, it closed a $60 million investment round and secured an additional $200 million from investors, including ParaFi Capital, Declaration Partners, and Tencent Holdings.

On September 6, the circulating supply of IMX will increase by 32.47 million tokens. These newly unlocked coins will be allocated to the development of the project and the broader Immutable ecosystem.

Mode (MODE)

Mode Network is a modular Layer-2 network for DeFi, built on Optimism’s Bedrock upgrade. The network features a unique contract revenue-sharing incentive at the protocol level, where both DApps and users that contribute to the Mode blockchain receive a portion of the network sequencer’s profits.

This current unlocking event involves 500 million tokens, nearly 40% of the circulating supply. Despite this, no additional unlocks are scheduled for more than six months. However, the community remains skeptical about this tokenomics design.

“For the coming week, there are 4 unlocks at more than 2% but we will especially have to watch $TAIKO which will unlock 19% of its supply on September 5 and $MODE on September 6 which will unlock 38.46% of its supply. Super tokenomics,” one X user commented.

Other next-week cliff unlocks include dYdX (DYDX), Liquity (LQTY), Hashflow (HFT), and Ethena (ENA), with a total value exceeding $77 million. Although many consider unlocks bearish, a well-planned schedule can strengthen a project’s long-term viability. Aligned with milestones and development progress, unlocks will motivate team members, boost community engagement, and promote ecosystem growth.