DefiLlama Discreetly Relists Aster Following Data Integrity Controversy

Decentralized finance (DeFi) data aggregator DefiLlama has quietly reinstated decentralized exchange (DEX) Aster to its analytics platform, following its delisting weeks earlier due to disputed trading data.

Dragonfly managing partner Haseeb Qureshi highlighted the situation on X, noting the absence of any public discussion or announcement from either Aster or DefiLlama. He pointed out “significant gaps” in the historical data and inquired with the pseudonymous DefiLlama founder 0xngmi about the legitimacy of the numbers now presented.

In response, 0xngmi stated that the team still could not verify the data, referring to it as a “black box.” He indicated that although DefiLlama is working on a new system to incorporate additional metrics, Aster’s team requested to be relisted in the interim.

“We’re developing a solution that will include more metrics to improve this situation, but since that may take some time, the Aster team asked us to relist them for now,” 0xngmi wrote.

Aster Data Dispute Ignites Transparency Discussion

Aster was initially delisted two weeks ago after inconsistencies were found in its on-chain trading data, raising alarms regarding the verification of part of its reported activity.

On Oct. 6, 0xngmi noted that the platform was unable to track who was making and filling orders, rendering it incapable of distinguishing between wash trading and legitimate transactions.

The delisting of Aster from the data platform ignited broader discussions about the influence of data providers. Supporters of Aster accused DefiLlama of being centralized, while critics questioned whether Aster’s rise to prominence was authentic or orchestrated.

This delisting incident highlighted the ongoing challenges in ascertaining the truth in decentralized markets. Disputes of this nature illustrate how swiftly data-related inquiries can undermine trust.

Related: DeFi TVL Hits Record $237B as Daily Active Wallets Fall 22% in Q3: DappRadar

Aster Relisting Leaves Data Shortfalls

Although Aster’s metrics are once again available on DefiLlama, the absence of historical data has resulted in gaps.

This fragmentation affects longitudinal analyses, such as market-share trends, fee leaderboards, or cumulative revenue charts. For traders and model builders relying on these metrics, the gaps effectively reset Aster’s historical presence.

After its reinstatement, Aster still led the charts in both 24-hour perpetual volume and seven-day perpetual volume, followed by its main competitors Hyperliquid and Lighter.