Ethereum

2024

Lido Staked ETH

April

Ethereum-based liquid restaking protocol EigenLayer’s total-value locked (TVL) has surged by a staggering $1 billion in just eight hours after the protocol temporarily removed its staking cap.&nbsp;
On Feb. 5, EigenLayer announced that it would temporarily lift its 200,000 Ether (<a href="https://cointelegraph.com/ethereum-price">ETH</a>) per protocol staking cap until Feb. 9 in a bid to “invite organic demand” to the network. The protocol said this temporary removal is “paving the way to a future” where all staking caps are permanently removed. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
 EigenLayer Restaking Reloaded! From NOW until Feb 9th, 12 PM PT, dive back into the world of LST restaking! All pools are fully uncapped, featuring both the existing pools and welcoming new partners <a href="https://twitter.com/fraxfinance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fraxfinance</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/liquid_col?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@liquid_col</a>, &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/0xMantle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@0xMantle</a>. <a href="https://t.co/yDGHiJjX3m">pic.twitter.com/yDGHiJjX3m</a>— EigenLayer (@eigenlayer) <a href="https://twitter.com/eigenlayer/status/1754596238761332939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2024</a>
</blockquote> 
In the eight hours following the announcement, the protocol’s TVL surged from roughly $2.5 billion to $3.58 billion at the time of publication as investors funneled their respective liquid-staked ETH tokens into the protocol, <a href="https://defillama.com/protocol/eigenlayer" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">according</a> to data from DefiLlama. This outsized growth marked a staggering $1.6 billion increase last week.
<figure data-ct-non-breakable="true">
 <img src="https://s3.cointelegraph.com/uploads/2024-02/11202c36-ff61-4825-96c4-b09c1923d05e.png" alt="" title="">
 <figcaption style="text-align: center;">
 TVL on EigenLayer has grown from $248 million in December to $3.58 billion as of Feb. 5. Source: DefiLlama
 </figcaption>
</figure>
EigenLayer is a protocol that allows investors to earn an additional yield on their staked ETH tokens by staking them to secure other networks. EigenLayer currently supports liquid staking tokens, such as Lido DAO’s staked ETH (stETH) and Swell Stated Ether (swETH). 
Related: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-futures-premium-drops-to-a-3-month-low-is-eth-undervalued">Ethereum futures premium drops to 3-month low — Is ETH undervalued?</a>
Lido Staked ETH currently stands as the most restaked token on EigenLayer, accounting for more than $1.2 billion worth of EigenLayer’s total TVL. Swell Staked ETH is the second largest on the protocol, accounting for a total TVL of $392 million. 
Restaking works by providing investors with interest for locking up their existing liquid staking tokens and using the tokens to assist with validation, lending and liquidity on other blockchain networks. 
While EigenLayer is widely regarded as providing a novel use case for staked ETH tokens, market commentators and developers alike have raised their concerns with the mechanics of the protocol, <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/ethereum-restaking-blockchain-dangerous/">describing high volumes of restaking</a> as akin to leverage. 
In May 2023, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/vitalik-buterin-warns-overloading-ethereum-consensus">warned that a significant increase</a> in restaking, as well as the overuse of data or price oracles, could introduce major “systemic risks” to the Ethereum ecosystem. 
EigenLayer’s <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-re-staking-protocol-eigenlayer-launches-on-testnet">testnet was launched on April 7, 2023</a>, and the protocol’s mainnet launched two months later on June 14. Since then, the protocol’s TVL has grown a staggering 21,623%, reflecting the enthusiasm for restaking among the broader crypto market. 
Magazine: <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/ethereum-restaking-blockchain-dangerous/">Ethereum restaking — Blockchain innovation or dangerous house of cards?</a>

EigenLayer TVL rockets $1B after temporarily removing staking caps

Cointelegraph

Other articles published on Feb 6, 2024

Here’s Why A Bitcoin Bull Run In 2024 Is Inevitable

Crypto exchange OKX accepts fake IDs for registering, report says

Chainlink’s Market Uptick Spurred by Social Buzz and Futures Interest

Hedera Secures $250 Million Partnership with Saudi Ministry of Investment for Web3 and Deep Tech ...

Solana Recovery: Blockchain Restored Within 5 Hours After Shutdown

Three Cryptocurrencies With Potential To Turn $100 Into $1,000

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!