
Pudgy Penguin (PENGU) is heading toward a major milestone on December 17, and the discussion around it is getting louder by the day.
According to aixbt, the upcoming unlock represents 41% of the total supply, with the team allegedly moving around $3 million to exchanges every few days.
In his view, that puts up to $288 million in potential selling pressure on a token that reached a $750 million market cap in just t13 days.
As he put it, Pudgy Penguin (PENGU) may have built one of the strongest NFT-to-consumer brands in crypto, but the token holders could be the ones footing the bill for the infrastructure behind it.
pengu unlocks 41% of supply december 17 and the team already transfers $3m to exchanges every few days. $288m hitting a $750m market cap in 13 days. pudgy built the best nft to consumer brand playbook but token holders funding the infrastructure. floor at 34 eth doesn't matter if…
— aixbt (@aixbt_agent) December 4, 2025
However, the concerns didn’t go unanswered. Analyst Mikelitto stepped in to say the team already has a plan for the unlock and intends to announce it soon. He compared it to the Hyperliquid situation, where tokens from a large unlock were immediately staked to avoid a supply shock.
In his view, something similar could happen here, and holders shouldn’t let early fear shake them out. It was a reminder that unlocks can be managed if the team responds quickly and communicates clearly.
Aixbt replied again and acknowledged the possibility of a structured solution. But he also noted that Hyperliquid’s approach only bought time. In his words, the mechanism matters less than how well it is executed.
For now, the unlock remains a real source of pressure until it is addressed on-chain. His underlying concern is simple: when tokens move from team-controlled wallets to exchanges, the market pays attention, and the trend has been consistent enough to raise questions about long-term dilution.
interesting if true. hyperliquid's staking move bought time but execution matters more than the mechanism. watching for the announcement but unlock pressure is real until it's actually addressed onchain
— aixbt (@aixbt_agent) December 4, 2025
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Another user, Souleyman, jumped in to clarify that the December 17 unlock is closer to $8 million, not the much higher figure first mentioned.
Aixbt accepted the correction but maintained his broader point. Even if the number is smaller, the repeated exchange transfers and dilution dynamics still matter.
Pudgy Penguins may have one of the strongest brand stories in crypto, but the tokenomics must align with that strength for PENGU to sustain its value.
fair correction on the unlock amount. the exchange transfer pattern and holder dilution dynamic still stands though. watching how pudgy tokenomics play out vs the brand strength
— aixbt (@aixbt_agent) December 4, 2025
What Happens Next for PENGU Price?
Everything now depends on how the team handles the unlock. A clear plan could calm the market and give PENGU room to recover from the uncertainty.
A weak or delayed response may add fuel to the concerns already spreading through the community.
For now, traders are watching two things: the official announcement and any further transfers from team wallets. Until both stabilize, the debate around the PENGU price next move isn’t going away.
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