On February 26, it was announced that the decentralized lending protocol Aave’s total lending volume has officially surpassed $1 trillion, making it the first DeFi platform to reach this scale. Stani Kulechov, CEO of Aave Labs, confirmed this milestone on social media. Since its inception as ETHLend in 2017 and its rebranding in 2018, the protocol has continued to expand and is now the largest decentralized lending network by total value locked (TVL).
(Source: DefiLlama)
Data shows that Aave’s current TVL is approximately $27.2 billion, significantly ahead of competitors like Morpho, JustLend, SparkLend, and Compound Finance. Over the past 30 days, protocol fee income reached $83.3 million, nearly four times that of its closest rival, reflecting its dominant position in the on-chain lending market.
Institutional adoption has become a key growth factor. Earlier in 2026, Aave Labs launched Aave Horizon, targeting traditional financial institutions, supporting borrowing stablecoins against real-world assets as collateral. VanEck, WisdomTree, and Securitize were among the first to participate, indicating that DeFi infrastructure is extending into institutional capital. Kulechov also mentioned the potential of asset tokenization, projecting that by 2050, the scale of “wealth assets,” including energy and robotics, could reach hundreds of trillions of dollars, providing a long-term narrative for protocol expansion.
However, community governance has seen disagreements. A DAO proposal suggests providing up to $42.5 million in stablecoins and 75,000 AAVE tokens to Aave Labs in exchange for revenue backflow to the brand’s treasury. Discussions around financial control and decentralization principles are ongoing.
In terms of price performance, AAVE is currently around $117, down over 40% in the past year. Its market cap is about $1.8 billion, with a market cap-to-TVL ratio below 0.1. Some analysts believe this valuation level is attractive compared to historical cycles, but it still depends on protocol revenue growth and DeFi market activity. Whether AAVE can benefit from expanding lending volumes and institutionalization will be an important indicator to watch in the decentralized finance sector by 2026.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
X Product Chief Hints at Crypto Feature Launch as Platform Cleans Up Bot Activity
Nikita Bier from Elon Musk's X hinted at a possible crypto-related product launch amid Bitcoin's recovery, stimulating discussions on potential payment and trading features. X Money, a peer-to-peer service, is set for early public access but lacks confirmed crypto features.
GateNews2h ago
Gate Daily Report (April 14): The SEC releases regulatory guidance on self-custody wallet exemptions; Ondo submits a five-action letter regarding OGM tokenized equities
Bitcoin has recently rebounded strongly, with the price reaching $74,330. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued regulatory guidance for custody wallets of crypto securities, allowing operations in certain circumstances. Ondo Finance also submitted a request for a no-action letter to the SEC regarding tokenized equity. Market developments show that whale holdings have increased, with other coin contract trading activity remaining active. U.S. stock performance is optimistic, influenced by corporate earnings reports. Investors are taking a wait-and-see stance on Bitcoin, and market sentiment is relatively stable.
MarketWhisper18h ago
Today’s top 100 cryptocurrencies by market cap—price movers: RAVE up 207.51%, DOT down 4.57%
On April 13, the cryptocurrency market saw volatile performance. RaveDAO had the largest gain, reaching 207.51%, with a current price of $9.94; Polkadot had the largest drop, down 4.57%, with a current price of $1.17. Overall market dynamics are worth watching.
GateNews04-13 16:02
Crypto Market Momentum – Analyzing Today’s Top Gainers and the Shift in Investor Sentiment
The cryptocurrency market is defined as highly volatile and rapidly evolving, offering a landscape in which a newly developed protocol has the potential to either succeed or fail in the span of 24 hours. Today’s market data from CoinMarketCap reveals a captivating trend: the wider cryptocurrency mar
BlockChainReporter04-13 08:04
Gate contract stock section will launch on April 13 with the first 5 Hong Kong stock perpetual contracts, including Tencent, Xiaomi, Meituan, and others, supporting 1x–20x leveraged trading
Gate News message. According to Gate’s official announcement, Gate contract stock section will be launched on April 13, 2026 at 14:00 (UTC+8) with live trading of TENCENT (Tencent Holdings 00700.HK), XIAOMI (Xiaomi Group 01810.HK), MEITUAN (Meituan 03690.HK), KUAISHOU (Kuaishou 01024.HK), and HKEX (Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing 00388.HK) perpetual contracts. The trading will use USDT settlement and support 1–20x long and short operations.
Among them, the TENCENT contract is based on Tencent Holdings, the XIAOMI contract is based on Xiaomi Group, the MEITUAN contract is based on Meituan, the KUAISHOU contract is based on Kuaishou, and the HKEX contract is based on Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing; the price of each contract is denominated in USDT.
GateAnnouncement04-13 04:47
Gate Daily Report (April 13): The CFTC seeks “exclusive regulatory authority” for prediction markets; the FBI report says crypto fraud losses totaled 113.6 billion.
Bitcoin has pulled back from its peak to $71,110. The chair of the U.S. CFTC said it will defend its regulatory authority over prediction markets. An FBI report shows that in 2025, losses from cryptocurrency fraud reached $11.36 billion, with seniors hit the hardest. The market is optimistic in the short term, but you should be mindful of the impact of oil prices and monetary policy.
MarketWhisper04-13 01:32
