The team behind Vader AI abruptly unlocked all previously staked VADER tokens on 22 Aug 2025, returning the assets to holders and effectively ending its current staking programme. In a series of posts, the developers said the move is part of a strategy to pivot away from the project’s DeFAI product and to relaunch staking on a new platform tied to the Virtuals protocol. The sudden increase in circulating supply sent the price of VADER spiralling. Tracking site CoinGecko reported the token fell as much as 50%—about 38% within the first hour of the announcement—before stabilising at lower levels. VADER had been regarded as one of the larger projects building on Virtuals.io, a network that markets itself as a ‘Wall Street for AI agents’. Vader AI said it will distribute “Virgen Points” based on a snapshot taken the previous day and plans an airdrop within 14 days as it reconfigures its incentives. The project did not specify when the new staking mechanism will go live, leaving holders uncertain about the timeline for restoring yield options.