In a striking move by Grayscale, Lido’s governance token was added to their DeFi fund’s portfolio. The digital asset management titan achieved this by proportionately selling quantities of the existing Fund Components and utilizing the cash yield for the purchase of Lido (LDO). Now, LDO has catapulted to the second position in the Grayscale DeFi fund, encompassing an impressive 19.04% of it.
Still holding firm at its place of prominence in the asset is Uniswap (UNI), representing a substantial 45.46% of the fund. The fund’s roster also boasts of other crypto assets, such as Aave (AAVE) at 11.53% and MakerDAO (MKR) at 10.82%. Curve DAO Token (CRV) and Synthetix (SNX) make up 7.03% and 6.12% of the DeFi fund respectively.
Gaining significant traction is Lido, the liquid staking solution for proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies. It has seen a considerable surge in its popularity since Etherem’s iteration to the PoS system. Lido’s protocol, which allows stakers to receive an alternate token in lieu of ETH or any chosen locked-up crypto in a staking pool, has emerged as a top choice for staking ETH.
Liquid staking has not only drawn in substantial individual investments, but has also garnered significant interest from institutional investors. As of July 8, more than 10 million ETH was staked through a liquid staking pool, with Lido accounting for nearly 80% of the volume. Lido staked Ether (stETH) now stands as the seventh largest cryptocurrency with a market cap exceeding $14.2 billion.
By securing a substantial chunk of LDO tokens, Grayscale has not only bolstered its position in the DeFi sector, but also obtained voting rights on Lido’s governance proposals, lending it considerable authority. Critically, this could enable the asset management firm to mold policies that serve its own interests, further influencing Lido’s future direction.
Lido DAO had in June endorsed to augment staking rewards for the largest contributors in its pool, a decision that may see increased deliberation now that Grayscale holds considerable sway.
While all these adjustments underscore the ascending recognition of Lido and liquid staking solution, long-term sustainability and implications continue to be a subject of speculation. While it is indeed a giant leap for DeFi markets, only time will reveal its overall ramifications.
Source: Cryptonews
