Despite a downturn in the cryptocurrency market, staked Ether has reached a record high with over 35 million ETH locked, accounting for more than 28% of the token’s total supply. This increase reflects a growing confidence among investors who prefer holding their assets for passive income rather than selling at current prices. Concurrently, publicly-traded companies are expanding their cryptocurrency reserves, as institutional adoption of digital assets rises beyond Bitcoin. For instance, Nasdaq-listed Lion Group Holding plans to invest in the Hyperliquid token, backed by a substantial financing facility. Additionally, the emergence of 'crypto-native' asset managers has seen their on-chain capital quadruple since the beginning of the year, highlighting a trend of institutional investment in DeFi. However, challenges remain, including a recent hack of Iranian exchange Nobitex, which leaked user data. Overall, while the market grapples with regulatory uncertainties, DeFi continues to evolve, especially with innovations like Flare Network bridging XRP into DeFi ecosystems.

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