DeFi lending Total Value Locked (TVL) has surpassed $50B, approaching $60B, marking a 60% increase in a year driven by institutionalization.
The 'DeFi mullet' trend involves embedding DeFi infrastructure in user-facing applications for yield generation and loans, with examples like Coinbase-Morpho originating $300M in loans.
Tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAs) like US Treasuries are increasingly used as collateral and yield sources in DeFi, bridging traditional finance with the decentralized digital economy.
DeFi is evolving into a foundational financial layer for user-facing applications and experiencing institutional participation, reshaping the landscape of decentralized finance.
Top DeFi lending protocols such as Aave, Euler, Spark, and Morpho have seen their TVL surge past $50B, nearing $60B, indicating rapid institutionalization and advanced risk management tools.
The 'DeFi mullet' strategy involves integrating DeFi backend infrastructure in mainstream fintech applications, offering seamless access to DeFi services like borrowing against crypto holdings.
The integration of tokenized RWAs in DeFi allows for the use of traditional financial instruments as collateral for loans or investment strategies, fostering a connection between conventional finance and decentralized digital economy.
Protocols like Pendle and Ethena are facilitating tokenization of investment strategies and yield-bearing tokens within DeFi, simplifying complex financial operations for end-users.
Crypto-native asset managers, such as Gauntlet and Re7, are gaining prominence in DeFi, managing capital across ecosystems and participating in governance to fine-tune risk parameters and deploy capital efficiently.
On-chain asset managers are professionalizing DeFi investment strategies, with firms like Steakhouse Financial influencing the sector's growth by managing capital across structured yield products and tokenized RWAs.
The specialized sector of on-chain asset managers has witnessed significant growth, increasing from $1B to over $4B since January, demonstrating the rapid professionalization and institutionalization of DeFi investment strategies.