Aster DEX is rolling out an upgraded Stage 5 buyback initiative come December 23, 2025. Here's what's happening: the platform is committing 80% of its daily fee revenue straight to $ASTER token buybacks. The structure breaks down into two tracks—40% runs on autopilot through automatic buyback mechanisms, while the remaining 20-40% gets deployed strategically based on market conditions. This kind of fee-to-buyback ratio reflects how DEX platforms are increasingly tying token value support directly to platform economics. Worth keeping an eye on how this plays out and whether it shapes the broader tokenomics discussion around decentralized exchanges.