Restaking Protocol EigenLayer Sees TVL Surge to Nearly $6 Billion
Over the past few days, the restaking protocol EigenLayer has experienced a significant increase in its total value locked (TVL), reaching nearly $6 billion. This surge in assets deposited to EigenLayer represents a 170% rise from $2.15 billion since February 5. The TVL of EigenLayer now accounts for about 2% of ether’s total circulating supply. It ranks among the top five DeFi protocols by TVL, placing ahead of Uniswap and behind Lido, Maker, Aave, and JustLend.
Temporary Lifting of Deposit Caps
EigenLayer recently lifted its deposit caps temporarily, allowing users to deposit up to 200,000 ether ($500 million) for each liquid staking token. The project plans to permanently remove these caps in order to create a permissionless and decentralized environment. The temporary removal of caps aimed to boost organic demand and incentivize users to participate in the network.
What is EigenLayer?
EigenLayer’s protocol enables users to deposit and re-stake ether through liquid staking tokens. These funds are allocated to secure third-party networks while potentially earning additional rewards. Liquid staking solutions allow users to stake Ethereum while using the underlying assets as collateral in DeFi.
Expansion and Future Plans
The initial phase of EigenLayer’s protocol was launched on the Ethereum mainnet in June 2023, with support for LSTs from projects like Lido, Rocket Pool, and Coinbase. The protocol has since expanded to include additional LSTs from various projects. EigenLayer aims to become a major decentralized application platform and plans to adopt a shared security model.
Hot Take: EigenLayer’s TVL Surge Highlights Growing Interest in Liquid Staking
The recent surge in EigenLayer’s TVL underscores the increasing interest and demand for liquid staking solutions. As more users seek to participate in Ethereum staking while maintaining liquidity, protocols like EigenLayer provide a valuable solution. The temporary lifting of deposit caps has incentivized users to deposit funds and potentially earn rewards. With the planned permanent removal of caps, EigenLayer aims to create a decentralized and open environment for users to stake their assets and contribute to the network’s security.