Decentralized finance (DeFi) and liquid staking protocol Asymmetry Finance has recently raised $3 million in a seed funding round led by venture capital fund Ecco Capital, bringing the total valuation of the company to $20 million. Other participants in the funding round were Republic Capital, GMJP, and staking provider Ankr. The newly raised funds will reportedly be used to expand Asymmetry Finance’s offerings, hire new talent, and onboard more users and institutions to its platform which was also launched today.
The flagship product of Asymmetry Finance is Simple Asymmetry Finance Ethereum (safETH), a token issued to customers who stake their ETH on the platform. The protocol claims to be user-friendly and relies on a “fee-free decentralized asset basket” which aims to minimize risks such as central points of failure and possible regulation. By offering an alternative to established decentralized Ethereum staking services like Lido Finance and Rocket Pool, Asymmetry hopes to differentiate itself from competitors.
However, it is interesting to note that despite their decentralized nature, popular platforms like Lido Finance can potentially become vulnerable due to their extensive market share. According to Rated, a staking node operator data dashboard, Lido currently has more than 187,000 nodes staking ETH operated by merely 30 different node operators, making a significant portion of the network susceptible to attacks. In addition, Lido controls over 30% of the entire liquid staking market, with over 6.2 million ETH deposited on the platform.
Ethereum’s transition to a proof-of-stake consensus algorithm began in December 2020 with the launch of its Beacon Chain. As of September last year, the successful implementation of the merge has marked the end of Ethereum’s proof-of-work era. By using validators instead of mining machines to process transactions and secure the network, Ethereum attempts to create a more environmentally friendly and efficient system. However, the 32 ETH entry barrier, which amounts to approximately $60,000, is steep for many users.
The high entry barrier is one reason why liquid staking has gained popularity in recent times. These protocols allow individuals to deposit any amount and start earning rewards without the need for owning 32 ETH or managing the required hardware. On the other hand, there are concerns about a large portion of Ethereum nodes running on cloud services, with Amazon Web Services hosting the majority.
In conclusion, Asymmetry Finance’s recent funding round and its launch of safETH demonstrate the growing interest in decentralized staking alternatives. The current centralization concerns around platforms like Lido Finance underline the need for more innovative and secure solutions in the DeFi space. However, it remains to be seen how successful these new platforms will be in balancing security and decentralization while catering to the demand for more accessible staking options.
Source: Decrypt
