What’s Driving the 10% Drop in AAVE Price?

AAVE has plunged more than 10% in the past 24 hours amid renewed governance controversy, with accusations that Aave Labs secretly redirected significant swap fee revenue away from the Aave DAO treasury.

Key Highlights

• AAVE price dropped 10.5% to around $152, while 24-hour trading volume exploded 235% to over $611 million.
• The dispute revolves around a frontend integration switch from ParaSwap to CowSwap, potentially costing the DAO up to $10 million in annual revenue.
• Founder Stani Kulechov is actively engaging the community to address concerns and restore trust.

Governance Dispute Triggers Sharp Sell-Off

While the broader cryptocurrency market remains in a consolidation phase, AAVE experienced intense selling pressure during Asian trading hours on December 22, falling from $178 to as low as $159.

The sudden decline interrupted a recent whale-accumulation rally and was accompanied by a massive spike in trading activity, signaling heightened market reaction to emerging governance issues.

At the heart of the controversy is the claim that Aave Labs—led by founder Stani Kulechov—altered the protocol’s frontend to integrate CowSwap in place of the previous ParaSwap aggregator. Critics allege this change, implemented after Aave Labs reportedly received a grant from CowSwap, redirected swap fees that previously flowed to the DAO treasury.

According to an open letter from an Orbit delegate, the prior ParaSwap setup generated approximately $200,000 per week for the DAO—equating to over $10 million annually. Community members argue that rerouting these funds without explicit DAO approval undermines the platform’s decentralized governance principles.

Community Concerns and Founder Response

The allegations have sparked widespread debate about founder influence and potential conflicts of interest, given Kulechov’s dual role as protocol creator and head of Aave Labs.

In response, Kulechov and Aave Labs have clarified that frontend-generated revenue has historically been considered separate from core protocol income and was shared voluntarily rather than as an obligation.

To address the backlash, Kulechov has advanced a governance proposal to Snapshot for community voting. The measure aims to transfer control of critical brand assets—including domains and official social media accounts—from Aave Labs to the Aave DAO, signaling an effort to strengthen decentralization.

Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) Presale Approaches $30M Milestone

In other news, Bitcoin Hyper—a promising Layer-2 scaling solution for Bitcoin—is gaining significant traction. The project has raised $29.6 million in its ongoing presale as excitement builds around its potential to enhance Bitcoin’s scalability and enable native DeFi applications.

HYPER focuses on delivering faster, lower-cost transactions with near real-time settlement directly on the Bitcoin network, positioning it as a leading contender among current crypto presales.

Bitcoin Hyper Tokenomics at a Glance

• Token: HYPER
• Current Presale Price: $0.013465
• Total Raised: $29.6 million
• Staking APY: 39%

The project aims to unlock complex DeFi functionality on Bitcoin while maintaining full compatibility and security inheritance from the base layer.

Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) FAQ

What is Bitcoin Hyper? Bitcoin Hyper is a next-generation Layer-2 network built on Bitcoin, designed to solve scalability issues by enabling faster and cheaper transactions while preserving Bitcoin’s security and near real-time settlement.

What problem does HYPER solve? It addresses Bitcoin’s limitations in transaction speed and cost, making it suitable for everyday payments and advanced DeFi applications directly on the Bitcoin ecosystem.

How much has the presale raised so far? As of December 23, 2025, the presale has raised $29.6 million and is rapidly approaching the $30 million mark.

What is the current presale price and staking reward? The HYPER token is currently priced at $0.013465 during the presale, with an attractive staking APY of 39%.

Is Bitcoin Hyper compatible with Bitcoin DeFi? Yes—HYPER is specifically engineered to power a native Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem, allowing complex financial applications to run efficiently on Bitcoin.

Why is it considered one of the best crypto presales right now? Strong fundraising momentum, high staking yields, and its focus on unlocking real utility for Bitcoin have generated significant investor interest and community buzz.