Vesting (Token Unlocks)
Scheduled release of locked team/investor tokens — the supply calendar that quietly prices many charts.
Vesting releases allocated tokens over time — typically a cliff (nothing for 6–12 months) then linear monthly unlocks over 2–4 years — aligning teams and investors with a project’s longer arc instead of a listing-day dump.
Unlocks are tradable calendar events: large tranches hitting thin markets create predictable sell pressure, and tokens with low floats routinely bleed for months as insider supply arrives (the FDV problem). Trackers publish unlock schedules; checking them before buying is basic due diligence. Nuance: a well-telegraphed unlock is often front-run and partially priced — the pattern is real, the trade is crowded.