Optimism, a leading Ethereum Layer-2 scaling network, has a token unlock scheduled for January 31, 2026, at midnight UTC. On this date, approximately 31.3 million OP tokens will become newly available from previously locked allocations — an increase that amounts to around 1.62 % of its current released supply.
What This Means
A token unlock refers to a planned release of tokens that were previously restricted under the protocol’s distribution schedule. These are often allocated to team members, early investors, or strategic partners and are restricted from trading until a specific date. When they become unlocked, holders are free to transfer or sell them on the open market.
In the case of Optimism’s January 2026 unlock:
The newly unlocked tokens may be sold or traded.
This change increases the overall circulating supply available to the market.
Market & Community Impact
Token unlocks don’t always produce dramatic price changes, especially when markets are aware of them well ahead of time. However, adding even a modest amount of additional supply — such as 31.3 million OP — can create short-term pressure on price or liquidity, particularly in low-volume conditions. Traders and holders often monitor these events closely for signs of volatility.
Since much of this unlock is tied to contributors and early backers, the exact market reaction depends on whether holders choose to sell or retain their tokens. Even though the volume is a small slice of the total supply, it’s still something that active traders and community members typically track around the unlock date.
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