LAB Slips 13% as ZachXBT Ghosts Linger and 0.05% Daily Unlocks Keep Showing Up Uninvited 👻

LAB fell 13.41% over 24 hours to $14.71, while trading volume climbed 15.67% to $50.47 million, according to market data. The decline came amid renewed scrutiny over the project's token distribution and supply schedule, including renewed references to on-chain researcher ZachXBT's prior allegations of opaque OTC deals, unilateral vesting changes, and private loan arrangements. Blockchain analytics platform Arkham previously highlighted claims that a single entity could control a substantial portion of LAB's token supply, reigniting debate over ownership concentration within the ecosystem.

Tokenomics concerns resurfaced as LAB continued releasing tokens into circulation through scheduled unlocks. Market participants pointed to ongoing daily unlocks of roughly 0.05% of supply through June, with current projections indicating an additional 0.19% of supply worth approximately $16.98 million scheduled between July 15 and October 13, followed by another 0.18% tranche worth around $16.51 million extending into 2028.

Market positioning reflected growing caution among professional traders. Binance Top Trader data showed short accounts represented 69.23% of positions, while long accounts accounted for 30.77%. The imbalance emerged alongside concerns about LAB's daily unlock schedule, with traders viewing the steady flow of new supply as a potential headwind should demand slow. The concentration of bearish positioning suggested that market participants increasingly expected tokenomics concerns to influence price action in the near term, even as such crowded positioning can leave short sellers exposed to squeezes.

Price action showed buyers remained active despite the focus on unlock-related risks. LAB defended the $14.49 support level and recovered toward $16.15 after the recent decline, indicating that demand continued offsetting a portion of the supply entering circulation each day. Resistance remained positioned near $17.06, where sellers repeatedly limited advances during recent sessions.

Sentiment across the derivatives market weakened alongside the increase in bearish positioning. LAB's OI-Weighted Funding Rate dropped to -0.0291%, moving into negative territory after spending much of the previous period above zero, indicating traders had become willing to pay to maintain short exposure. The shift aligned with concerns surrounding token supply, leaving the market split between critics citing ownership concentration and ongoing unlocks as reasons for caution and buyers continuing to step in near established support zones.