DeFi lending protocols hold nearly $60B in assets amid new wave of adoption: report

  • DeFi lending TVL surged past $50B (approaching $60B), up 60% in a year, driven by institutionalization.
  • ‘DeFi mullet’ trend sees apps embed DeFi for yield/loans (e.g., Coinbase-Morpho originated $300M loans).
  • Tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAs) like US Treasuries are increasingly used as collateral and yield sources in DeFi.

A significant, albeit understated, transformation is reshaping the landscape of decentralized finance (DeFi).

Moving beyond the speculative frenzy and often dubious high yields that characterized its previous bull market, the current growth in DeFi is being fueled by its evolution into a foundational financial layer for user-facing applications and a notable increase in institutional participation.

This maturation is particularly evident in the DeFi lending sector, which has seen its total value locked (TVL) soar.

According to a Wednesday report by analytics firm Artemis and on-chain yield platform Vaults.fyi, the TVL across top DeFi lending protocols—including prominent names like Aave, Euler, Spark, and Morpho—has surged past the $50 billion mark and is now approaching $60 billion.

This represents a substantial 60% growth over the past year alone. The report attributes this impressive expansion to “rapid institutionalization and increasingly sophisticated risk management tools.”

“These are not merely yield platforms; they are evolving into modular financial networks undergoing rapid institutionalization,” the authors of the report stated, highlighting a fundamental shift in how these protocols are being utilized and perceived.

The ‘DeFi mullet’: seamless integration for mainstream users

One of the key trends identified in the report is the rise of the “DeFi mullet” – a strategy where user-facing applications quietly embed DeFi infrastructure on their backend to offer financial services like yield generation or loans.

These complex DeFi operations are abstracted away from the end-user, creating a more seamless and familiar experience, akin to traditional fintech applications.

The report describes this as: “fintech front-end, DeFi backend.”

A prime example of this is Coinbase, where users can borrow against their Bitcoin (BTC) holdings through a system powered by DeFi lender Morpho’s backend infrastructure.

This integration has already originated over $300 million in loans as of this month, the report pointed out.

Similarly, Bitget Wallet’s integration with lending protocol Aave offers users a 5% yield on their USDC and USDT stablecoin holdings across various chains, all without requiring them to leave the crypto wallet app.

While not strictly DeFi, PayPal is also employing a similar model with its PYUSD stablecoin, offering yields near 3.7% to PayPal and Venmo wallet users.

The report suggests that other crypto-friendly fintech firms boasting large user bases, such as Robinhood or Revolut, may soon adopt this strategy.

By offering services like stablecoin credit lines and asset-backed loans through DeFi markets, these firms could tap into new fee-based revenue streams while introducing DeFi’s benefits to a wider audience.

Bridging worlds: tokenized Real-World Assets (RWAs) enter DeFi

A significant development fueling DeFi’s growth is the increasing integration of tokenized versions of traditional financial instruments, commonly referred to as real-world assets (RWAs).

DeFi protocols are progressively introducing use cases for tokenized US Treasuries, credit funds, and other conventional assets.

These tokenized RWAs can serve as collateral for loans, earn yield directly within DeFi protocols, or be bundled into more complex investment strategies, thereby bridging the gap between traditional finance and the decentralized digital economy.

The tokenization of investment strategies is also gaining traction.

Pendle, a protocol that allows users to split yield streams from the principal of an asset, now manages over $4 billion in TVL, a significant portion of which is in tokenized stablecoin yield products.

Meanwhile, platforms like Ethena, with its sUSDe and similar yield-bearing tokens, have introduced products that deliver returns exceeding 8% through sophisticated strategies such as cash-and-carry trades, all while abstracting the operational complexities away from the end-user.

The rise of on-chain asset managers: professionalizing DeFi investment

A less visible but critically important trend highlighted in the report is the emergence of crypto-native asset managers.

Firms such as Gauntlet, Re7, and Steakhouse Financial are playing an increasingly influential role by allocating capital across DeFi ecosystems using professionally managed strategies.

Their function closely resembles that of traditional asset managers in conventional finance.

These on-chain asset managers are becoming deeply embedded in the governance of DeFi protocols.

They actively participate in fine-tuning risk parameters and strategically deploy capital across a diverse range of structured yield products, tokenized RWAs, and modular lending markets.

The report noted that the capital under management within this specialized sector has grown fourfold since January, ballooning from $1 billion to over $4 billion, underscoring the rapid professionalization and institutionalization of DeFi investment strategies.

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SUI price prediction amid fears of an extended correction

  • SUI has broken below a key support as bearish sentiment intensifies.
  • Derivatives data shows declining interest and rising short positions.
  • Network activity has dropped sharply, signalling weak fundamental support.

The price of Sui (SUI) has come under intense pressure in recent days, stirring concerns among traders and investors about the possibility of a deeper correction in the near term.

After what appeared to be a promising rally above the $4 mark, SUI has since reversed its gains and now flirts with a crucial support zone that could decide the token’s next major move.

Notably, SUI opened the week on a bearish note, and it has continued to drop, shedding over 5% in the last 24 hours to trade around $2.75. This marks a significant pullback from its recent high of $3.51.

Although the token still maintains an impressive 255% gain over the past year, its short-term momentum has notably weakened.

SUI price analysis signals caution

SUI recently broke down from a triangle pattern, triggering a wave of selling that has pulled the token back to a familiar support level at $2.78, which acted as a floor in late March.

SUI price analysis

A failure to hold this zone on a daily close could trigger a steep drop toward the $2.24 level, which aligns with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level from the all-time high of $5.35 and the year-to-date low of $1.71.

Adding to the concern, momentum indicators are flashing mixed but generally negative signals.

While the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is nearing oversold levels at 33.64, it has also formed a bullish divergence that some traders believe could signal a reversal.

However, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) remains in bearish territory, showing no clear sign of upward momentum just yet.

SUI derivatives market shows a bearish market sentiment

Data from Coinglass highlights a significant drop in Open Interest (OI) for SUI, which currently stands at $1.15 billion — the lowest in nearly two months.

Sui open interest

This marks a 43% decline from its peak of $2.05 billion recorded in May, indicating a clear outflow of capital from the derivatives market.

The declining OI is accompanied by a falling OI-weighted funding rate, currently at 0.0060%, further suggesting reduced bullish enthusiasm.

Additionally, the taker buy/sell volume reveals that short positions now dominate, accounting for 55% of volume, compared to 45% for longs.

These figures point to a decisive shift in trader sentiment, with the long/short ratio at 0.8195 indicating a prevailing bearish bias.

Unless sentiment improves, the pressure on spot prices is likely to persist.

Head-and-shoulders pattern points to a $2.20 target

Technical analysts have noted the emergence of a head-and-shoulders pattern on SUI’s daily chart, adding weight to the bearish narrative.

According to market analyst NebraskanGooner, this classic reversal setup could push SUI down to the $2.20 region by early July.

The breakdown from the right shoulder coincided with a rejection at the 99-day simple moving average, highlighting a failure to maintain key technical levels.

The $3.00–$3.10 region, which previously served as support, now acts as a significant resistance barrier.

If bulls fail to reclaim this area in the coming sessions, the bearish pattern may continue to play out, putting further pressure on price action in the short term.

Fading network activity fuels more doubt

On-chain metrics also paint a bleak picture for SUI’s near-term prospects.

Daily transaction volumes on the network have plummeted from over 19 million to just 9 million, while daily active accounts have dropped from 1.66 million to around 320,000 according to data from SuiVision.

This sharp decline in network activity reflects waning interest and suggests that the earlier rally may have been driven more by speculation than sustained demand.

The loss of momentum in both price and usage underscores the difficulty SUI may face in mounting a swift recovery.

Despite a slight rebound in futures market exposure, with open interest still hovering around $1.2 billion, the broader outlook remains cautious.

Market participants appear to be waiting for clearer signals before committing to new positions.

What to look out for going forward

All eyes are now on the $2.78 support level. A successful bounce from this area could open the door for a move back to the psychological $3 level and possibly toward the monthly high of $3.55.

However, a breakdown followed by a failed retest could pave the way for a drop to $2.20 or even lower.

Looking further ahead, analysts like CoinLore forecast a potential price range of $3.77 to $5.80 by the end of 2025.

However, while this suggests room for long-term growth, the near-term path remains clouded by technical weakness and shrinking on-chain activity.

For now, until bulls reclaim key resistance levels and network fundamentals stabilise, SUI’s short-term outlook will likely remain fragile.

Traders should closely monitor both technical support zones and broader market sentiment before making high-conviction moves.

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PEPE price prediction: can the memecoin break from the bear trend?

  • PEPE continues to trend downwards with a 21% price drop this week.
  • Key support at POC could decide short-term direction.
  • Geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran are driving risk-off sentiment in memecoins.

Pepe (PEPE), the wildly popular Ethereum memecoin, has once again found itself at the centre of market volatility as traders confront a renewed wave of bearish pressure.

Despite its meme status and vibrant community support, the token has entered a critical technical zone following a series of steep daily losses that raise pressing questions about its short-term prospects.

Selling pressure intensifies as technical structure weakens

PEPE has posted a sharp 21% weekly correction, confirming a lower low on the weekly chart and cementing its place in a broader bearish structure that has been developing over several weeks.

After failing to reclaim its value area high, the token faced an aggressive rejection at the key 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level, which triggered a swift sell-off that erased earlier gains and pushed price action further into negative territory.

With each failed attempt to recover key levels, the token has continued to print lower highs and lower lows, a pattern that strongly signals bearish continuation under current conditions.

This sequence of breakdowns reflects not only waning technical momentum but also growing risk aversion among traders, particularly in the high-beta memecoin segment.

All eyes are on the point of control

The market’s next focal point is the point of control (POC), a zone that combines the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement with historically high trading volume and a long-standing monthly support level.

As PEPE approaches this critical level, market watchers are keenly observing whether buyers will step in with enough conviction to halt the decline and engineer a bounce.

If price finds stability at the POC with sufficient volume support, a short-term reversal may emerge, offering the potential for a structural shift in the trend and a retest of prior resistance zones.

However, should this support fail, the door will open to further downside, possibly leading to a full rotation toward the value area low, a level that could mark a deeper correction phase.

The importance of the POC cannot be overstated, as it represents a decisive battleground between bulls and bears in the current cycle.

Geopolitical shocks compound PEPE’s weakness

Beyond technical indicators, recent geopolitical events have dramatically worsened the outlook for speculative assets like PEPE, as traders react sharply to escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The ongoing military escalation between Iran and Israel, including massive missile exchanges and direct assaults on key infrastructure, has shaken global markets and prompted a risk-off shift that has particularly impacted memecoins.

PEPE, along with other notable meme assets like FLOKI and WIF, has led the market losses, with PEPE alone plunging over 4% within 24 hours, according to Coingecko, as investor sentiment deteriorated.

Notably, memecoins are typically the first to suffer in such scenarios due to their highly speculative nature and the absence of strong fundamental backing.

Whale activity further illustrates this vulnerability, with PEPE’s whale netflow collapsing by a staggering 97%, indicating large holders are distributing rather than accumulating.

Even positive developments, such as FLOKI’s 15 billion token burn, failed to buoy sentiment as traders used the news as an opportunity to exit rather than buy.

PEPE price outlook remains cautious

While some market observers believe PEPE’s pullback remains within historical volatility norms, the ongoing risk-off environment and weak technical structure point to continued caution in the near term.

In addition, the broader macroeconomic triggers, such as the upcoming FOMC decision, could play a decisive role in shaping short-term price action across crypto markets, including memecoins.

Until then, the fate of PEPE hinges on whether the point of control can hold firm, allowing price action to stabilise and reverse the current trajectory.

If the POC fails, the memecoin’s bearish trend is likely to deepen, with heightened volatility and further losses remaining a strong possibility.

For traders, the coming days will be pivotal in determining whether PEPE can defy the odds and reclaim lost ground or continue spiralling toward lower support zones.

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Dogecoin price prediction as DOGE drops below $0.2

  • The price of Dogecoin (DOGE) has dropped below $0.20 amid rising bearish pressure.
  • Analysts warn of a possible slide to the $0.10 level.
  • Dogecoin whales are quietly offloading their holdings.

Dogecoin (DOGE), the internet’s favourite meme coin, is once again under pressure as it dips below the critical $0.20 level, raising concerns among traders about the sustainability of its recent uptrend.

Despite attempts at recovery in recent months, Dogecoin has fallen sharply in the past week, shedding over 15% of its value amid broader market uncertainty and waning investor confidence.

At press time on June 18, Dogecoin was trading between $0.16 and $0.17, having slipped from a short-lived high earlier this year, triggering a flurry of bearish predictions and renewed scrutiny from analysts.

Bears have gained the upper hand

Dogecoin’s recent price action has been dominated by bearish sentiment, amplified by geopolitical tensions and a shift in overall risk appetite among crypto investors.

Although meme coins are often volatile by nature, the rapid downturn has raised questions about the strength of DOGE’s long-term support levels, especially as it flirts dangerously with the $0.16–$0.17 range.

Technical indicators now reflect a market under pressure, with the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) flashing a sell signal and the token trading below its 50-day moving average.

Furthermore, the emergence of a bearish flag pattern on major charts has fueled speculation that the coin may revisit lows last seen before the 2024 rally.

Dogecoin price analysis

 

Whales are quietly cashing out

Amid the price slide, large holders of Dogecoin have begun moving capital into emerging alternatives, signalling a strategic exit from what some now consider a fading trend.

Blockchain analytics indicate that long-term wallets holding DOGE have reduced their balances by nearly 0.88% in just 24 hours, hinting at growing unease among so-called “diamond hands.”

Analysts are divided over what comes next

While the prevailing sentiment may lean bearish, not all experts agree that Dogecoin is on a path to oblivion just yet.

Popular chartist Javon Marks believes the token is still holding a bullish breakout pattern, maintaining higher lows that could set the stage for a powerful rally.

According to Marks, if this trend continues, Dogecoin could surge to $0.6533—a level representing a nearly 280% gain from current prices—and possibly reach $1.25 in an extended rally.

In support of this view, another trader known as Trader Tardigrade recently identified a falling wedge pattern on DOGE’s 4-hour chart, a structure often associated with bullish reversals.

Despite this optimism, the overwhelming mood in the broader crypto market remains cautious, with 87% of analysts currently bearish on Dogecoin’s short-term outlook.

Moreover, Elon Musk’s recent comments denying any government adoption of DOGE have deflated some of the speculative hope that previously buoyed the coin’s price.

Dogecoin price prediction: Is $0.10 now in sight?

Although Dogecoin is not yet in free fall, the pressure on support levels is intensifying, prompting many to question whether a drop to $0.10 is now a realistic scenario.

Should DOGE fail to hold the $0.16 threshold, analysts warn that a rapid descent toward $0.14 and possibly even $0.10 could be triggered by algorithmic trading and panic selling.

Such a move would mark a dramatic reversal from the coin’s November 2024 peak of $0.47, further solidifying fears that the meme coin era may be losing its charm.

Still, volatility is nothing new for Dogecoin, and past downturns have occasionally given way to surprising comebacks driven by viral support and sudden market swings.

For now, all eyes remain fixed on the charts as traders brace for what could be a defining moment in Dogecoin’s turbulent journey.

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New AI crypto Block3 looks to disrupt the multi billion dollar gaming industry

  • Block3, a new entrant in the gaming space, is proposing a radically different model for how games are built, distributed, and monetised.
  • At the core of this system is Trinity, a generative gaming model trained via a distributed network.
  • The project’s BL3 token presale will start on Thursday, June 26.

The gaming industry, often criticised for its lack of innovation and struggling with declining sales, may be approaching an inflection point.

Amid layoffs and consolidation, a new entrant—Block3—is proposing a radically different model for how games are built, distributed, and monetised.

While recent breakthroughs like Google’s Veo 3 have showcased the power of generative AI in video, Block3 brings similar capabilities to gaming.

Its platform allows users to create open-world video games using just a text prompt—no prior coding, design, or development experience required.

At the core of this system is Trinity, a generative gaming model trained via a distributed network.

Contributors to Trinity’s training process are compensated through blockchain-based incentives, making the platform both decentralised and community-driven.

Block3 also introduces a “Create2Earn” framework, where game creators earn crypto based on player engagement.

By combining elements of the $20 billion AI crypto sector and the $18 billion web3 gaming market, the platform aims to create a circular ecosystem that rewards participation on both the development and user sides.

The project’s native BL3 token will go on presale starting Thursday, June 26.

Block 3 plans to democratise gaming

Block3 positions itself as a next-generation platform designed to make game development accessible to anyone, regardless of technical background.

By combining generative AI with blockchain infrastructure, the platform allows users to create open-world video games using simple text prompts, potentially reducing development time from years to seconds.

At the center of the ecosystem is the BL3 token, which facilitates everything from creation fees to asset trading and revenue sharing.

The token offers exposure to the intersection of artificial intelligence and gaming. Where legacy studios operate on multi-year timelines with budgets in the hundreds of millions, Block3 offers a radically leaner approach to production.

As AI continues to reshape creative industries, Block3 represents a potential entry point into the upstream layer of game production and monetization.

With its tokenized model and community-first architecture, the platform aims to offer a new framework for content creation, ownership, and participation in gaming.

Block3’s path to success

The BL3 token offers investors a liquid, scalable entry point into the growing convergence of artificial intelligence and gaming, an industry projected to reach a market size of $665 billion by the end of the decade.

For retail participants, it represents the first opportunity to gain exposure to the upstream layers of game creation, monetization, and distribution in tokenized form.

Value in the Block3 ecosystem is designed to accrue across multiple channels, including creation fees, royalties, and in-game marketplace activity.

By aggregating these flows into a single asset, BL3 functions as a broad-based instrument tied to the future of synthetic game development—analogous, in concept, to an index-style exposure to AI-driven entertainment.

Block3’s architecture also plays a broader role in advancing AI capabilities. Each user-generated game becomes a training data point, contributing to a feedback loop of recursive AI improvement.

As gameplay generates data, that data informs better models, which in turn produce more engaging games, creating a continuous refinement cycle.

This structure positions Block3 not only as a platform for democratized game development but also as a potential engine for large-scale AI training.

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