Thin Profit Business? No, DeFi Lending Protocols Are the Underestimated 'King of Value'
In the DeFi lending ecosystem, protocols like Aave and SparkLend capture more value than downstream vaults and even upstream asset issuers, challenging the notion that distribution is king. Despite perceptions of thin margins, lending protocols generate higher revenues than the vaults built on top of them. For example, Ether.fi’s vault pays Aave $4.5M in annual interest fees while earning only $1.07M in platform fees. Similarly, Fluid and Mellow vaults contribute significantly more value to lending protocols than they capture themselves. Even compared to asset issuers like Lido, lending protocols often yield greater economic benefits due to their central role in the credit stack. The true moat of lending protocols lies in their position as the highest value-capture layer in the on-chain credit value chain.
marsbit12/25 11:10
