Cliff vs linear vesting: what's the difference for the price?
Cliff means a date when a large batch unlocks at once, often after months of nothing. Linear means coins are released every day or every block in small amounts. On our site the linear rows show the month's total, so a 'monthly' row is the sum of many tiny releases.
For price the difference is timing. A cliff is a known day when sellers can act together, so traders position for it. A linear schedule is a steady drip; the market absorbs it like inflation, and no single day stands out.
That is why we mark the type on every row and why our history figures are driven by one-day unlocks. A strong linear month is still worth knowing about, because supply grows fast, but don't expect a sharp move on any particular day.
Terms are explained in the glossary.
Updated 2026-10-27 with the current archive. Not financial advice.
More questions
- Do token unlocks crash prices?
- When does the price react to a token unlock: before or after?
- Why compare an unlock with circulating supply, not total supply?
- Who receives unlocked tokens, and do they sell?
- Where do token unlock dates come from, and how reliable are they?
- What counts as a strong token unlock, and why 10.4%?
- Can you trade a token unlock?
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