Gold's meteoric rise in 2025 is closely tied to broader macroeconomic factors, particularly the performance of the US dollar and global stock markets. 

Gold's meteoric rise in 2025 is closely tied to broader macroeconomic factors, particularly the performance of the US dollar and global stock markets. A weakening dollar, combined with disappointing equity returns, has created a fertile environment for gold to thrive. With gold priced in dollars, any depreciation in the US currency enhances gold's relative value, attracting both domestic and international investors.

Year-to-date, gold has gained 26%, while the S&P 500 has declined by 11%. This inverse relationship underscores gold's role as a traditional 

 during periods of economic uncertainty and market volatility.

Adding to the bullish momentum, inflationary pressures are remaining persistent, further eroding the purchasing power of fiat currencies and boosting gold's appeal as a hedge against currency devaluation.

Geopolitical uncertainty and tariff risks

Trade policies under U.S. president Trump have reignited fears of global tariff wars. The uncertainty surrounding tariffs has prompted investors to seek refuge in gold, considered the "global currency" during times of economic disruption. Concerns about tariffs on key commodities, including gold itself, have added another layer of complexity to market dynamics.

Potential tariffs on gold could mirror the recent surge in copper prices, as supply constraints and increased demand drive costs higher. Exporters and importers, wary of volatile exchange rates, are increasingly opting to hold gold instead of more vulnerable currencies like the Canadian dollar (CAD), Japanese yen (JPY), euro (EUR), Chinese yuan (CNY) and Mexican peso (MXN).

By serving as a neutral reserve asset, gold provides much-needed stability amid shifting trade patterns and geopolitical tensions. As global commerce adapts to new tariff structures, the demand for gold as a "store of value" is likely to intensify.

Interestingly, the ongoing trade war dynamics suggest that for the first time in decades, gold may be emerging as the 

. As U.S. imports become more expensive due to tariffs, exporting countries earn less revenue and, consequently, reduce their investments in US Treasuries. This dynamic has led to selling pressure on Treasuries, weakening their traditional role as a safe-haven asset — and with Treasuries losing their appeal, investors are increasingly parking their capital in gold, reinforcing its unique position during this period of heightened trade tensions.

From a technical standpoint, gold's rally appears robust. The 

 (MACD) indicator remains positive, signaling that bullish momentum is intact. Notably, the 12-day moving average is above the 26-day moving average, confirming that short-term price action is outpacing longer-term trends.

 (RSI) stands at 60, indicating that while gold is nearing overbought territory, momentum hasn’t yet faded. This technical setup suggests that gold could continue its upward trajectory in the near term, especially if macroeconomic and geopolitical factors remain supportive.

The next upside technical target is pegged at $3,500, with analysts projecting a potential move toward $4,000 by year end if current momentum holds.

China's role in supporting gold prices cannot be overstated. Amid a deepening economic slowdown and strict capital controls, Chinese investors are increasingly turning to gold to preserve their wealth. With over 1.4 billion citizens seeking alternatives to a weakening yuan, demand for gold within China has surged.

This trend is reflective of a broader shift in emerging markets, whereby gold is viewed not just as an investment but as a critical safeguard against economic instability and currency depreciation. Intensifying Chinese demand provides an additional tailwind to global gold prices.

While gold commands the spotlight, silver presents an intriguing complementary opportunity. Historically correlated with gold, silver remains significantly below its ATH of $50, which was set in 2011. Given the momentum in precious metals, silver's relative undervaluation offers considerable upside potential for investors seeking diversification.

With industrial demand also supporting silver prices, silver could benefit from both safe-haven inflows and economic recovery scenarios, making it a compelling addition to a diversified precious metals portfolio.

In conclusion, gold's impressive surge to record highs is being driven by a combination of macroeconomic headwinds, geopolitical uncertainty and strong technical indicators. Trade policy risks, the weakening dollar and growing demand from China reinforce gold's role as a premier safe-haven asset.

Because technical momentum remains positive and investor sentiment strong, gold appears well positioned to continue its ascent toward the $3,500 mark by year end. Investors seeking to hedge against economic instability and currency volatility will likely find gold — and potentially silver — to be attractive additions to their portfolios in 2025.

Advanced

Fx Street report.png

Bybit x FxStreet FX Report: Gold could reach US$4,000 per ounce by 2025

USD1 is a stablecoin developed by WLFI that’s fully backed by short-term US government treasuries, US dollar deposits and other cash equivalents. Learn more.

, it seems that everyone is getting involved with creating and launching their own 

 these days. As something that is the lifeblood of every crypto ecosystem today, stablecoins are essential for crypto traders because they provide a stable asset for use as a 

 against the high volatility that’s inherent in other crypto assets like 

. This stability allows traders to protect their assets, particularly during market downturns when the value of more volatile cryptocurrencies can decrease rapidly. This is one reason among many why entities like 

 (WLFI) are stepping up to launch their very own USD1 stablecoins. 

Curious as to what makes USD1 different from the rest of the stablecoins? From understanding why WLFI is joining the stablecoin race to digging into what makes USD1 unique, our USD1 stablecoin guide will help you understand the impact of WLFI’s stablecoin efforts in the grand scheme of things.

 is a stablecoin developed by World Liberty Financial that’s fully backed by short-term US government treasuries, US dollar deposits and other cash equivalents. Designed (among other reasons) to provide stability in an otherwise inherently volatile market, USD1 offers users a reliable digital asset that maintains a 1:1 peg with the US dollar. This means that for every USD1 token in circulation, there is an equivalent amount of reserves held securely.

One of USD1’s standout features is its custodial arrangement with BitGo, a leading provider of institutional-grade security for digital assets. With BitGo managing its reserves, USD1 aims to promote transparency and trustworthiness. These are two critical factors for retail traders and beginners entering the crypto space.

Additionally, USD1 is compatible with major blockchain networks, such as Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain (BSC), making it versatile and accessible for a wide range of use cases. Whether you’re looking to trade cryptocurrencies, participate in 

 (DeFi) or make cross-border payments, USD1 provides a seamless solution.

Why is World Liberty Financial launching a stablecoin?

The decision to launch USD1 stems from World Liberty Financial’s vision to empower individuals and institutions with secure and accessible financial tools. Here are some key reasons behind this strategic move.

Addressing the demand for stablecoin alternatives

The crypto market has seen exponential growth in recent years, with stablecoins playing an increasingly prominent role because of their innate stability. Retail traders are seeking alternatives to traditional banking systems that offer faster transactions and lower fees. That's where USD1 comes in, as it caters to this demand by providing a stable digital asset that’s fully backed by short-term US treasuries, US dollar deposits and other cash equivalents. Additionally, USD1 eliminates transaction fees on minting and redemption, making it even more accessible for users in the market for stablecoins.

 face criticism over their lack of transparency regarding reserve management and overall transparency. To combat this, WLFI aims to set a new standard for trustworthiness in the stablecoin industry with transparent backing. Also, by partnering with BitGo and delegating it to hold its reserves, WLFI aims to ensure a high standard of transparency and security for users and institutions alike as USD1 reserves are subject to quarterly independent audits and real-time on-chain verification.

DeFi has revolutionized the way people access financial services, but it relies heavily on stablecoins for liquidity and transactions. USD1’s compatibility with multiple blockchains like Ethereum and BSC ensures seamless integration into DeFi protocols. This multichain approach supports a wide range of use cases, from retail payments to institutional liquidity management and cross-border settlements.

USD1 would operate as a fully-backed stablecoin that maintains its peg to the US dollar through meticulous reserve management and blockchain technology integration. Here’s a deeper look at its inner workings.

As previously mentioned, each USD1 stablecoin is backed by an equivalent amount of reserves held in US dollars or highly liquid US Treasury securities that are held in custody by BitGo. Thanks to this institutional-grade security and transparency designed to verify reserve holdings, users will be inclined to have more confidence in the stability of their assets.

USD1 is designed to function on leading blockchain networks, such as Ethereum and BSC. Its smart contracts have undergone independent security audits, and utilize multi-signature approvals for transactions, ensuring robust operational security. This interoperability allows users to transact across multiple platforms while benefiting from low fees and high-speed transfers.

WLFI prioritizes compliance with global regulations to ensure that USD1 remains a trusted asset for users worldwide. The platform incorporates 

 protocols, making it suitable for both retail and institutional users who require compliance with international financial standards. By adhering to strict guidelines and conducting regular audits, the company minimizes risks associated with regulatory scrutiny.

How will this impact the current crypto landscape?

The introduction of USD1 has significant implications for the broader crypto ecosystem.

USD1 enters a market dominated by established players like 

. By placing an even greater emphasis on transparency, security and compliance, USD1 adds to the ongoing evolution of industry standards. Its approach may encourage further improvements across the stablecoin ecosystem as the market continues to mature.

Empowering retail traders and driving institutional adoption

For retail traders, USD1 effectively offers an accessible way to engage with crypto without worrying about volatility. Its user-friendly design could encourage more individuals to explore digital assets.

On the institutional side of things, USD1’s regulatory-first design and institutional-grade infrastructure are likely to attract greater institutional participation, providing reliable liquidity for trading, settlement and DeFi applications.

USD1’s transparent reserve management and compliance features may set new industry benchmarks, pressuring other stablecoin issuers to adopt similar practices and potentially shaping future regulatory frameworks.

Stablecoins are integral to DeFi protocols as they provide liquidity for lending, borrowing and trading activities. With its compatibility across major blockchains, USD1 could become a preferred choice for DeFi participants seeking reliable assets.

USD1’s stability makes it an ideal tool for cross-border payments and remittances. By eliminating currency conversion fees and delays associated with traditional banking systems, this stablecoin could revolutionize international commerce.

However, USD1’s launch has also raised concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest, regulatory arbitrage and political influence, highlighting the need for ongoing oversight as stablecoins gain prominence. These risks and criticisms extend beyond the typical scrutiny faced by stablecoins, touching on issues of governance, constitutional law, financial stability and the integrity of US political institutions.

Conflicts of interest and political influence

USD1 stands apart from other stablecoins due to its direct association with a sitting or former US president and his family, who reportedly control 60% of World Liberty Financial’s equity. This unprecedented overlap between private financial interests and public regulatory power raises the specter of significant conflicts of interest. Critics argue that a major political figure issuing a stablecoin could shape regulations to benefit their own financial product, or monetize public policy for personal gain. Such actions could ultimately blur the line between state and personal interests and undermine democratic safeguards.

The introduction of USD1 raises concerns about regulatory arbitrage, whereby gaps in regulations could be exploited. Thus, there are understandably fears that political influence could compromise the impartiality of regulatory agencies, undermining oversight. 

Furthermore, if USD1 gains widespread use without strong federal oversight, it could pose a systemic risk to financial stability, potentially opening it to use for political leverage. Questions also persist regarding the transparency and real-time verification of USD1's reserves, despite claims of full backing by US Treasuries managed by BitGo.

Due to the global and open nature of stablecoins, USD1 could potentially be acquired by anyone, including sanctioned individuals or foreign governments, raising concerns about foreign influence. Observers worry that foreign entities might use USD1 to gain favor or leverage over US policy, bypassing traditional safeguards. Additionally, reported investments from controversial figures under investigation are fueling concerns about the potential for illicit funds entering the DeFi system through USD1.

The potential for those controlling USD1 to influence its regulation creates a conflict of interest, opening doors for market manipulation. Access to regulatory levers and inside information could allow them to unfairly advantage USD1, damaging market competition and investor trust. This situation could also set a dangerous precedent, encouraging other political figures to launch similar ventures — and further blurring the lines between public service and private financial gain.

Calls for oversight and legislative action

In response to these multifaceted risks, prominent lawmakers are demanding ethical investigations and the implementation of stronger regulatory frameworks specifically designed to address the challenges posed by “politically connected” stablecoins such as USD1. Ongoing congressional debate surrounding stablecoin legislation highlights the urgent need to establish clear rules to ensure transparency, compliance and the protection of both the financial system and democratic processes as these digital assets become more globally integrated.

World Liberty Financial’s launch of USD1 marks an important milestone in the evolution of stablecoins. By emphasizing trustworthiness, transparency, usability and regulatory compliance, USD1 addresses key concerns faced by retail traders and institutions alike. Whether you’re new to crypto or an experienced trader looking for reliable assets, USD1 offers a secure gateway into the digital economy. As stablecoins continue to play an essential role in driving global crypto adoption, innovations like USD1 pave the way for a more inclusive financial future.

Intermediate

world liberty financial stablecoin.png

USD1: World Liberty Financial's solution to stablecoin demand

Explore how Enzyme (MLN) empowers decentralized, tokenized fund creation and management, revolutionizing DeFi investment for all users.

 (DeFi) protocols have been around since 2015, when the 

 (ETH) blockchain was born. For the past decade, DeFi has been a major driving force in the crypto industry. As it often happens, things that worked perfectly in the early years of the DeFi revolution no longer adequately meet the needs of today’s users.

In order to stay competitive and relevant, DeFi protocols need to adapt to the evolving nature of the industry. New features that are quickly becoming must-haves include cross-chain functionality, architectural modularity, 

 (AI) and, importantly, user empowerment. This last point is probably the most important one — DeFi solutions today need to support decentralized protocol management, and allow their end-users to be the real driving force behind the platforms' value-generating activities.

Enzyme Finance, formerly known as Melon Protocol, is a DeFi platform that allows users to create and manage tokenized funds and strategies that other users can invest in. Enzyme aims to empower DeFi users by allowing anyone to become an investment manager or crypto investor — or both. Enzyme fund managers generate value for themselves, other users and the protocol, while fund investors support value-generating activity with their liquidity contributions.

 (MLN) is an Ethereum-based DeFi protocol that allows users to create tokenized investment products on-chain. 

Other platform users can invest in these funds to earn returns. These tokenized products, created as vaults, follow various trading strategies set by the vault creator. Additionally, creators can assign delegated traders to their vaults who can optimize the strategies followed by the vault. As such, Enzyme acts as a decentralized noncustodial solution that serves the needs of skilled crypto fund managers, traders and ordinary investors who would like to see their investments grow.

Enzyme’s protocol empowers the various groups of DeFi users and breaks down the barriers to entry to investment management, active trading and investing. In the world of traditional asset management, creating and launching an investment fund product is an extremely costly and time-consuming procedure. It could take aspiring institutional entities months, if not years, to get their fund vehicles approved, and the financial requirements for a successful asset management product are often staggeringly high, sometimes running into millions of dollars.

In stark contrast to the onerous requirements of traditional funds, launching your tokenized fund product on Enzyme Finance can take from minutes to a few hours at most. There are no significant capital requirements for a vault, either, and fund creators can assign a variety of fees and rules for joining their investment vehicle. Therefore, investors might need to meet certain requirements, depending upon the settings defined by the vault creator.

Enzyme Finance is among the oldest surviving DeFi protocols on the market. The project was initially conceptualized and founded in 2017 under the name Melon Protocol by mathematician Rito Tinkler and former vice president of Goldman Sachs, Mona El Isa, who also acted as the CEO of Melonport, the now-defunct private company behind the Melon Protocol project.

In 2019, Melon was launched on the Ethereum 

. The following year, Melon rebranded to Enzyme. Over the years, the platform underwent multiple version upgrades, culminating in the latest version, Enzyme v5. The latest version of the protocol has implemented (or aspires to implement within 2025) several innovations and improvements, including more cross-chain product options, better architectural modularity, simplified protocol fees, 

 as its infrastructure layer to support vault creation, depositing, trading strategy execution, cross-chain transfers and other key functions required for tokenized fund management and investing.

Vault creators are provided with easy-to-use tools to launch their tokenized asset management funds and execute fund operations — without any programming skills required. These tools help creators automate strategies to do the following:

Creators can also assign the role of Delegated Trader to users who are ready to help optimize the vault's yield using their own strategies.

Another key user group is the depositors, who invest their funds in the vaults to earn returns.

The platform also welcomes builders — developers who can contribute their own third-party solutions to improve the Enzyme ecosystem. Typical contributions by builders include the functionality to bridge Enzyme vault strategies with off-platform (and often, off-chain) financial vehicles. Builders also help develop specialized products for additional functions on Enzyme — such as an app to attract early liquidity, users and investors for projects at a pre-launch stage.

Enzyme.Blue is a specialized solution for institutional entities. It acts as an all-in-one platform for tokenized asset management, trading, analysis and valuation. While anyone can use the core Enzyme protocol, Enzyme.Blue provides all the necessary tools for complex fund management that addresses the needs of the most sophisticated enterprise users.

Using Enzyme.Blue, institutional digital asset managers can access over 30 DeFi protocols for features like 

Enzyme.Onyx is another enterprise-grade, packaged solution offered by Enzyme Finance. To be launched in the summer of 2025, Onyx offers institutional asset managers an advanced wallet tokenization layer. Wallets linked to Enzyme.Onyx can be used to seamlessly collect deposits from multiple participants and allocate the funds to a virtually unlimited variety of protocols and strategies.

Onyx is envisioned as a tokenization and asset management solution with more options in terms of assets and accessible blockchains than Blue. Per the project’s website, Onyx will boast network compatibility with any blockchain, whereas Enzyme.Blue is compatible with Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum (ARB) and Polygon (POL). Unlike Blue, Onyx will boast ultimate cross-chain accessibility. The number of cryptocurrencies supported by Onyx will be “unlimited,” while Blue features support for over 200 crypto assets.

Enzyme.Myso is a secure platform for creating, managing and trading on-chain options strategies. For options traders, Myso provides a rich set of customizable features. It also boasts wide token support, deep liquidity and on-chain, noncustodial settlement.

Enzyme.Myso may be an ideal product for options-based strategies for a wide variety of 

 entities. A typical user of Myso could be a digital asset management firm, a crypto whale or a 

MLN is Enzyme Finance’s native cryptocurrency. An ERC-20 asset on Ethereum, the MLN token has a number of key functions within the protocol. To begin with, users pay fees on Enzyme with MLN to utilize the services offered by the platform, including launching vaults and investing in them. MLN that’s collected from the protocol’s fees is automatically 

 in order to maintain supply scarcity for the asset.

The Enzyme network has also committed to minting 300,600 MLN each year to fund its ecosystem development. The Enzyme Council DAO can then allocate these MLN funds as grants to promising initiatives. Any unused MLN from these yearly allocations is burned at the end of the year.

Additionally, going forward, the token is envisioned to be used for governance as well, so MLN token holders will have the right to vote on the direction of/changes to the protocol.

MLN has a total and circulating supply of 3,001,195, with no specified supply cap.

 in Bybit's Innovation Zone as a Perpetual contract based on USDT. The contract allows you to trade with up to 50x leverage.

As of Apr 29, 2025, the MLN token is trading at $9.51, which is 96.3% lower than its ATH of $258.26 on Jan 4, 2018, and 430.5% higher than its ATL of $1.79 on Mar 13, 2020.

Long-term price forecasts for MLN are mostly bullish. DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $32.15 in 2027 and $48.73 in 2030, respectively, whilePricePrediction 

Enzyme Finance helps fund managers decentralize traditional asset management and apply diverse investment strategies. Its technology is among the leading solutions for institutional entities to launch completely customizable, own investment funds in the area of on-chain asset management. For individual users, the protocol can also be a great source of cost-effective investments, thanks to the variety of vault strategies it offers.

Additionally, the platform's enterprise-focused products enhance user experience by providing a unified asset management environment with a rich tool set to manage the most complex strategies. 

Thanks to Enzyme, cryptocurrency portfolio management has never been easier, both for fund managers and investors.

enzyme crypto.png

Enzyme (MLN): The backbone of tokenization finance

In this article, we’ll explore Zora’s decentralized social network, the ZORA token launch, and how Bybit users can trade ZORA on Bybit.

The social media landscape is currently flawed. Its challenges for creators range from opaque monetization policies to platforms that take a big cut of creators’ earnings. Zora, a decentralized social media protocol, aims to fundamentally change this paradigm, giving creators control over their content and introducing novel monetization techniques through tokenization. 

In this article, we’ll explore Zora’s decentralized social network, its key features and the ZORA token, and learn how Bybit users can participate in the Zora launchpool event.

Zora is a new decentralized social media protocol with a unique approach to content monetization. It allows creators to tokenize every post (text, image or video) by allowing each post to be minted as an 

 (termed a “Content Coin”). Zora is built on the 

 incubated by Coinbase. On Apr 17, 2025, the official Base X account 

 the “Base is for everyone” content coined on Zora. Following that post, user activity on the platform spiked.

Zora was co-founded by Jacob Horne and Dee Goens. Horne, a former product manager at Coinbase, is recognized for his advocacy of open-source 

 infrastructure, and Goens contributes his expertise in community development.

The project has successfully completed several funding rounds. In 2020, Zora secured $2 million in seed funding with participation from firms including Kindred Ventures and Coinbase Ventures. This was followed by a $10 million raise in 2021. The project's growth continued with a Series B round on May 5, 2022, expected to raise $50 million at a valuation of $600 million.

Zora launched its Ethereum-based NFT marketplace, known as “Auction House,” in January 2021. This was designed as a decentralized, permissionless platform to empower creators to mint, list and auction their NFTs. One key innovation introduced by Auction House was the concept of the 

 to improve NFT liquidity. Over time, Zora expanded beyond Auction House and Ethereum, transforming into a comprehensive decentralized social media platform. It uses the same ERC-20z standard to create a tradeable coin from each piece of published content. 

Each of these coins has a total supply of 1 billion units, with 10 million automatically allocated to each coin’s creator. These tokens are instantly tradable on 

 (DEXs) such as Uniswap via the Base network, providing liquidity and enabling creators to monetize their work. Additionally, creators earn a 0.5% fee from each transaction involving their tokens, offering a new avenue for content monetization.

ZORA tokenomics and token unlock schedule

Zora announced the launch of ZORA community coin — along with its airdrop details and tokenomics — on Apr 21, 2025. The coin went live on Base two days later (April 23). 

The total supply of ZORA is 10 billion, with initial allocation as follows:

According to the project’s official docs, the ZORA token was launched “for fun only.” ZORA token holders have neither governance rights, nor a stake in the Zora protocol.

The tokens will be unlocked linearly as follows:

 on Apr 23, 2025. Users can stake ZORA, MNT or USDT to earn a share from a substantial prize pool of 100,000,000 ZORA tokens. 

The event runs through April 30, 2025, 1PM UTC. Staking requirements are as follows:

If you're interested in the ZORA token, don't miss this opportunity! Visit the 

 (FDV) of ZORA stands at $187 million. ZORA gained 11.3% over the past week, with a 24-hour trading volume of $42.6 million.

Bybit has recently listed the ZORA token on Bybit Spot 

To trade ZORA on Bybit Spot, log in or create a Bybit account 

 (UTA) with crypto transfers or fiat deposits. Then, head to the 

 Spot trading page to start trading. In addition, Bybit users can also trade the 

 with up to 25x leverage with Bybit Futures.

zora.png

Zora (ZORA): Creator-focused on-chain social network

Altcoins

Blockchain

Stader Labs is a noncustodial, multichain staking platform designed to provide middleware staking infrastructure for PoS networks.

stader-defi.png

stader-smart-contracts.png

ETH_staking_balances.png

ETHx_value_proposition.png

stader-price-chart.png

 (PoS) narrative in the crypto space has been phenomenal. As a result, 

, which is a critical aspect of PoS blockchains, has also experienced explosive growth since it provides a direct way to secure networks against attacks by involving the masses.

 of PoS networks, a multitude of challenges remain, such as the centralization of staking and the complexity of stake management for delegators.

It’s in the backdrop of these challenges that Stader Labs is building an end-to-end staking management platform that will simplify delegating tokens across multiple blockchains. Further, its architecture will provide a simplified layer to allow anyone to build staking 

Stader Labs is a noncustodial, multichain staking platform designed to provide middleware staking infrastructure that will help solve challenges facing stakeholders on PoS networks.

Its modular approach allows third-party apps to leverage its architecture and interact with its smart contracts to build simple-to-use staking solutions.

Initially, Stader started out by offering a liquid staking solution on the Terra blockchain, where users could stake LUNA to get LunaX which could be used to earn yields from different 

 in 2022 following the de-pegging of UST against the U.S. dollar, Stader has expanded to other platforms. It’s currently live on 

Strategically positioned to make a name in the rapidly growing DeFi niche, Stader Labs has built two notable products; staking pools and liquid staking. In the larger crypto market outlook, the liquid staking narrative has become quite popular due to its ability to let people maximize yields from their locked tokens.

Further, retail and institutional investors can lock funds in staking pools on Stader to increase their staking power and computational resources which boosts performance.

Ultimately, Stader Labs aims to provide a platform where 

 and developers can create customized staking solutions and staking-based cross-asset ETFs in a similar way as the S&P 500 Index in the stock market that pays out additional interest.

Though relatively new in the market, the concept of 

 (also known as soft staking) has caught the attention of investors. In traditional staking, you can’t access your funds once you have staked them until the lock period is over – early redemption may lead to penalties. 

However, with liquid staking, you can access your funds freely without a waiting period, being penalized or going through a lengthy unstaking process. It provides a unique value proposition to DeFi where token holders can earn staking rewards without locking away their capital.

Stader’s liquid staking solutions have made staking more rewarding. Case in point; Let’s say you stake BNB on Stader. You’ll receive liquid tokens (BNBx) to represent your amount of staked assets. Stader will then spread your staked BNB optimally across multiple validators on its network. Consequently, the validators generate rewards that are channeled back into the BNB staking pool, which in turn raises the value of BNBx in circulation. Hence the value of 1 BNBx against 1 BNB will grow over time as your staking rewards accrue.

Meanwhile, you can use the BNBx that you’ve received for various DeFi opportunities. 

Through liquid staking, you can participate in 

 across various protocols by wrapping your tokens or using a tokenized version of your funds.

As one of the most popular DeFi strategies, yield farming through liquid staking allows you to earn additional rewards by locking up the tokenized assets simultaneously on multiple platforms.

You can also use your liquid staking tokens to access crypto-backed loans on 

. Tokenized assets can be used as collateral when borrowing funds on these platforms without selling off your assets.

At Stader, there are even more ways to earn with your liquid tokens through its partnerships with various DeFi platforms such as 

 on OpenLeverage, you can amplify your BNBx tokens with 10X leverage for instance, and go long or short on BNB to earn more returns. You can also try 

 on Delta Theta to maximize your profits with low risks via 

As a DeFi platform, Stader is using a flexible and innovative modular approach to open up staking to the masses where developers can plug into the network’s existing components to build customized staking solutions. Its technical blueprint consists of a system of highly interactive 

 that connect the entire Stader ecosystem.

These different contracts separate the base capital from the rewards, which ensures that the capital is isolated when interacting with other protocols. Some of the core smart contracts currently on Stader are: Delegator contract, Validator contract, Pools contract and Strategies contract.

Stader’s modular architecture of different smart contracts provides third parties the opportunity to build products that provide extra staking use cases. The flexibility of this structure allows for extensive staking services, from customized staking products for institutions to simple one-click staking services for apps and even a more decentralized staking infrastructure layer for blockchains.

, the SD token is used to power various operations on Stader. Its core utilities include:

Following the successful switch by Ethereum to a PoS consensus mechanism through 

, the dynamics of staking ETH have changed significantly. After The Merge, liquid staking has emerged as one of the preferred ways to stake ETH tokens.

As a result, quite a number of protocols offering liquid staking derivatives (LSDs) have cropped up. However, the market share is skewed where only a single protocol, 

 of the staked ETH on its liquid staking platform.  

ETHx is an LSD created to provide more diversity on Ethereum and reduce the concentration of staked ETH on a few entities. ETHx has a multi-pool architecture that allows the token’s node operations to be decentralized, scalable and resilient. The three pools are: 

Distributed Validator Technology (DVT) Pools

. DVT Pools distribute validator duties across multiple nodes to facilitate decentralization. Stader has collaborated with 

To empower home stakers (independent node operators), Stader allows anyone to operate a node in a permissionless way without having to go through a whitelist. Further, home stakers need to only bond 4 ETH to operate a node which is the lowest bond requirement in the Stader ecosystem.

This reduced amount is sufficient to protect staked funds on the network from risks such as poor validator performance and inactivity.

Further, the ETHx design allows home stakers to enjoy an improved yield since they receive a commission on a higher user deposit. The low bond requirement ensures that operators with less capital aren’t locked out and can also enjoy enhanced staking yields.

As Stader works on scaling ETHx to become fully permissionless, the network has created a stake pool for permissioned node operators. These operators are already established entities that have a reputable track record.

As such, they won’t need to bond any ETH to operate. Their main role is to supplement the ETHx home stakers. They earn a competitive commission of 5% from staking rewards, 

Stader ensures that there is high adoption of MEV to allow liquid staking users to earn the best possible yields. Through Stader’s strategic integration with 40+ DeFi platforms, ETHx users will get to experience a multichain DeFi experience at a competitive rate of 10% of the yield generated.

SD entered the crypto market in March 2022 at a price of $5.88. In the first week of trading, the SD token dipped to a price of $4.17 before rallying to its highest price to date of $30.17.

Thereafter, the price dropped sharply to a low of $3.09 at the end of April. SD token wasn’t spared from the price dump in May 2022 following the Luna crash where it dropped to $0.89.

SD's price didn’t recover for the rest of 2022 but began to rise at the beginning of 2023. SD token has been bullish in the first quarter where it has gained over 480% within the first six weeks of 2023.

You can buy SD tokens on leading crypto exchanges such as Bybit. To trade the SD token on Bybit, you’ll need to sign up and fund your account with USDT. You can then proceed to trade SD token as a Spot Trading pair (

) on the exchange’s easy-to-use interface.

Over the years, there’s been a significant increase in the demand for staking, and Stader provides a profitable and simplified way to maximize staking yields without locking your capital. Its ETHx product provides a robust alternative to spread out the current staking solutions that are concentrated by a few entities, such as Lido.

Further, Stader’s smart contract-based modular approach places the network in a strategic position in the DeFi niche where it can create multiple opportunities such as institutional-grade staking, a web3 API layer for building protocols, staking ETFs and DApps staking.

PoS blockchains are expected to proliferate the crypto market in a big way, and Stader is positioned to help its users reap this growth through efficient stake management.

Stader Labs (SD): Liquid Staking Across Chains

Compete for 2,500 USDT Every Week

Earn Points by Completing Tasks

Event Rules

Weekly Leaderboard