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DAI Circulation Approaches 5 Billion As MakerDAO Unleashes Key Updates

In a recent announcement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), MakerDAO, the Ethereum-based protocol responsible for issuing the DAI algorithmic stablecoin, provided insights into the performance of the Maker Protocol following recent changes.

Over the past few weeks, MakerDAO has implemented significant updates to the protocol and the DAI stablecoin. 

Introducing the Accelerated Proposal and the direct deposit module (D3M) to Spark’s Metamorpho Vault has notably impacted the ecosystem.

Increased DAI Supply And Demand

Looking at key metrics that demonstrate the effects of these changes to the protocol, the DAI supply in circulation currently stands at nearly 5 billion, reflecting a growth of approximately 300 million over the past month. This growth indicates continued demand for the stablecoin. 

On the other hand, the Dai Savings Rate has significantly increased since implementing the Accelerated Proposal. 

Approximately 1.54 billion DAI are currently deposited in the Dai Savings Rate, of which approximately 976 million DAI are sDAI, representing an increase of roughly 400 million DAI in deposits.

The Maker Protocol’s total value locked (TVL) amounts to approximately $8.4 billion across various vault types. This TVL growth can be attributed to strategic deployments in D3M modules, significant contributions from Ethereum-based collaterals, and the integration of real-world assets. These developments have enhanced the protocol’s diversification and resilience.

MakerDAO Ethereum Vaults Thrive

A notable addition to the MakerDAO ecosystem is the Morpho DM3, which enables the Morpho Vault to mint DAI. Currently, the lending pool has deployed 200 million DAI.

According to the protocol’s post, this allocation is projected to generate approximately 50 million in annual income for the Maker Protocol, making it the second-largest core vault in terms of annualized fees. It will play a significant role in generating revenue and contributing to the Maker Protocol’s sustainability.

Among the Ethereum vault types within the MakerDAO ecosystem, the ETH-C vault stands out with the largest value locked in crypto collateral at approximately $1.88 billion. 

This vault generates approximately $43 million in annual fees, underscoring its importance within the Maker ecosystem and contribution to the protocol’s revenue streams.

Another important component is the Spark D3M, which is supplied with around 970 million DAI. This module is projected to generate an annual income of approximately 28 million. 

These recent changes have positively impacted the Maker Protocol. The increase in DAI supply, growth in the Dai Savings Rate, expansion of collaterals, and introduction of different vault types have contributed to the protocol’s growth and development. 

MakerDAO

Despite the growth in the MakerDAO ecosystem, the native token MKR has experienced a continuous 5.9% price decline over the past fourteen days. 

In the last seven days alone, the token has recorded a significant 17% price drop, resulting in its current trading price of $3,355.

However, despite the price decline, Token Terminal data reveals positive trends. The protocol’s market capitalization currently stands at $3.3 billion, reflecting a notable 28% increase over the past 30 days. 

Additionally, trading volume for the MKR token has experienced a substantial surge, reaching $5.9 billion, representing a 119% increase over the same time frame.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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MakerDAO Initiates Massive $600 Million DAI Investment In USDe And sUSDe

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocol MakerDAO is considering allocating 600 million DAI stablecoins to the USDe and staked USDe (sUSDe) protocols through the DeFi lending platform Morpho Labs. The proposed allocation aims to improve risk management and maximize user incentives in the DeFi landscape.

MakerDAO Sets Maximum 600 Million DAI Allocation

The Spark DAI Vault, launched in 2023 as a lending platform, experienced strong demand soon after its launch, according to MakerDAO’s announcement on the protocol’s governance forum. 

Given the desire to keep liquidity risk at an acceptable level, MakerDAO proposes a greater allocation of DAI to the USDe pools, which can be immediately redeemed via Ethena (ENA), a synthetic dollar protocol developed on the Ethereum blockchain. 

This reallocation also allows Ethena to retain a larger revenue share for their insurance fund, potentially improving the overall risk profile of MakerDAO’s Ethena allocation.

Furthermore, MakerDAO recommends focusing future allocations on the 86% and 91.5% Loan-To-Liquidity-Value (LLTV) pools, which have shown “higher efficiency” regarding borrow rates and user demand. While lower LLTV pools, such as the 77% and 94.5% pools, will continue to receive allocations, they will be proportionally lower than the two primary pools.

To mitigate potential insolvency risks and ensure a favorable risk-reward ratio, MakerDAO limits the total allocation to 600 million DAI. However, the Dividend Debt Mechanism (DDM) line parameter is set at 1 billion DAI to provide flexibility for future increases if constraints change.

In addition, MakerDAO recommends marginally increasing the funds deployed in the 77% and 94.5% pools to 10 million DAI each to ensure sufficient pool size for “efficient management of positions” and the calibration of interest rate models.

The recently unveiled Ethena points program for Season 2 introduces a $500 million cap on total eligible collateral for incentives on Morpho. If demand for DAI borrowing through the vault declines after this threshold is reached, the protocol states that Multisig can reduce allocations below $600 million to maintain a balanced supply/demand dynamic and align with expected collateral returns.

MKR Surges To Near Three-Year High

MakerDAO’s native token, MKR, hit a nearly three-year high of $4,074 on Sunday, which is 40% below its current all-time high (ATH) of $6,292 in May 2023. The token has pulled back nearly 2% and is currently trading at $3,717. It is consolidating above its next support level of $3,640.

Despite the retracement, MKR still boasts significant gains over longer time frames. It has posted a 25% gain over the past fourteen days and an impressive 80% gain over the past thirty days. 

Demand for MKR tokens is evident as trading volume has increased to $274,659,607 over the past 24 hours, a substantial 40% increase from just one day ago, according to CoinGecko data. In addition, MKR’s market capitalization has seen a remarkable increase of nearly 100% over the past month. 

Starting in March with a market cap of $1.8 billion, as of the most recent update on April 2nd, the market cap stands at $3.46 billion. This significant increase underscores the high level of interest in the MakerDAO protocol and its native token.

MakerDAO

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

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MakerDAO Stakeholder-Focused Updates Drive MKR Price Up By 10%

Blockchain protocol MakerDAO (MKR) continues to see significant gains, maintaining a strong upward trend throughout the year. MKR has seen significant growth of over 358%, accompanied by positive metrics reflecting increased adoption and usage of the protocol.

In addition, upcoming voting initiatives aim to further increase the platform’s benefits for its stakeholders.

MakerDAO Announces Plans For Rate System Changes

In a recent announcement, MakerDAO stated that it closely monitors developments in the cryptocurrency market and has gained a better understanding of the impact of recent proposals. 

As a result, the protocol is recommending the next set of changes to its rate system. MakerDAO emphasized that further adjustments will likely be introduced shortly, contingent upon market dynamics, such as prices, leverage demand, and the external rate environment encompassing centralized finance (CeFi) funding rates and decentralized (DeFi) effective borrowing rates. 

The protocol further noted that the Maker rate system will be adjusted accordingly if the external rate environment continues to exhibit signs of decline.

Efforts are underway to update the rate system language within the Stability Scope, including developing a new iteration of the Exposure model. These updates aim to ensure that the system can adjust rates more gradually and effectively in the future.

Based on recommendations from BA Labs, a blockchain infrastructure provider, the Stability Facilitator proposes various parameter changes to the Maker Rate system, which will be subject to an upcoming Executive vote. 

MakerDAO

As shown in the table above, the proposed changes include reducing the Stability Fee by 2 percentage points for various collateral types such as ETH-A, ETH-B, ETH-C, WSTETH-A, WSTETH-B, WBTC-A, WBTC-B, WBTC-C. In addition, the Dai Savings Rate (DSR) and the Effective DAI Borrowing Rate for Spark will also be reduced by 2 percentage points.

However, one active protocol user offered an alternative viewpoint, suggesting using the demand shock opportunity to expand the net interest margin. While agreeing with the proposed 2% interest rate reduction for borrowers, the user advocates for a larger 4% reduction in the DSR, which he believes will further benefit MakerDAO’s net interest margin.

Ultimately, the outcome of the voting process will determine whether these proposed changes are implemented and benefit the stakeholders of MakerDAO. Further decisions regarding rates and fees will be made based on the results. 

Market Cap Skyrockets

According to data from Token Terminal, MakerDAO has demonstrated significant growth and positive performance across various key metrics over the past 30 days. 

In terms of market capitalization, MakerDAO’s fully diluted market cap has reached approximately $3.07 billion, reflecting a notable increase of 40.9% over the past 30 days. The circulating market cap is around $2.82 billion, showing a similar growth rate of 41.1%.

MakerDAO

On another note, the total value locked (TVL) in MakerDAO has increased by 10.1% over the past 30 days to approximately $7.05 billion. 

The token trading volume for MakerDAO has surged 126.6% over the past month, reaching approximately $4.35 billion. This increase in trading volume suggests heightened market activity and interest in the protocol.

In terms of user activity, MakerDAO has seen an increase in daily active users, with an increase of 32.2% to 193 users. On the other hand, weekly active users decreased by 22.6% to 783 users. However, monthly active users have shown a positive growth rate of 10.0%, reaching 2.88k users.

Short-Term Outlook For MKR

Regarding price action, MKR is currently trading at $3,158, reflecting a 4.8% growth in the past 24 hours, 10% in the past seven days, and an impressive 49% increase in the past fourteen and thirty-day time frames.

The token has encountered a support wall for the short term at $3,048. This support level is significant for the token’s growth prospects. Another key support level is at $2,884, which further contributes to the token’s short-term stability and potential growth.

MakerDAO

On the other hand, the nearest resistance level is observed at its 28-month high of $3,321. This level represents the highest point reached by the token since November 2021. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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Maker Takes The Spotlight With 34% Gain – Can MKR Hold This Position? 

Maker is making waves as it enters Coingecko’s top gainers list this week with massive bullish pressure on the market. MKR is up nearly 34% in the bi-weekly timeframe, but long-term investors are enjoying bigger rewards as the token is up 205% year-to-date, and currently trading a little above $1,800.

The market started the year on a bullish note, with some altcoins leading the charge. The latest market data shows that the broader market is up nearly 6% in the past 24 hours.

The Spark

Spark, a DeFi infrastructure protocol on the MakerDAO, is breaking boundaries this year. According to their latest tweet, 2024 continues the bullishness it experienced last year.

In total, over $2.87 billion is supplied by the community as lenders. Total borrowing within the protocol now surpassed $1 billion, with available liquidity sitting safely at $1.81 billion. 

It is by far the biggest news for Spark this year. Last year, the protocol made progress in several other fields, like the deployment of the brand-new stablecoin, sDAI.

Market Enters Bullish Phase 

As 2023 ended, the broader market has entered into a bullish frenzy. CCData’s 2023 Digital Asset Market Review reveals that the market entered 2024 with a big jump in important metrics, like assets under management (AUM) which increased by nearly 15%. The growth observed was last seen in 2022. 

Digital asset management companies also benefited heavily from this bullishness, with AUMs on companies like Grayscale, Bitwise, and Van Eck growing steadily as the year ended.

This brings the focus to Maker. With the current bullishness observed in this market environment, the opportunity for growth is significant as new and seasoned investors enter the market. 

However, this phase of the market also has its nuances. 

Maker: Overhyped And Overconfident? 

As of now, MKR’s market is completely overtaken by the bulls, as they attempt to push the price toward the $2k mark. This is great news for investors in all time frames. However, the current situation demands caution. 

The majority of the top coins and tokens are experiencing meager gains, only being propped up by minor cryptocurrencies that started the year on the green.

This can lead to pain in the short to medium term depending on the circumstance. However, if the bullishness continues, MKR hitting above $2k is not far-fetched. 

Still, investors should exercise caution on this price level as the market will eventually correct itself toward a more manageable price range. 

Featured image from Shutterstock

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Maker Market Heats Up: Over 600 Addresses Complete MKR Trades In Single Day

The starting point of 2024 has a positive outlook for the Maker (MKR) coin, suggesting that the year may be productive. Activity has increased, according to on-chain data, indicating a potential positive trend.

Since the start of the year, the number of active addresses on a daily basis—a crucial indicator of user engagement—has increased significantly.

Presently, there are more than 600 addresses trading MKR, which is a 4% rise from the original 590. This increase in involvement suggests that there is increasing momentum and interest in the token.

Moreover, since the beginning of the year, there has been an over 5% increase in the establishment of new addresses only for MKR trading. This inflow of new players gives the ecosystem more room to flourish and more liquidity.

2024 is off to a good start for MakerDAO, the driving force behind the DAI stablecoin in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.

Analysts are upbeat, projecting steady returns and even calling it a safe pick given the volatile state of the cryptocurrency market. Still, let’s examine this more closely before jumping on the MKR bandwagon.

One of MakerDAO’s strongest points is its mature ecosystem. A key component of DeFi lending and borrowing is the MKR token, which controls the DAI stablecoin.

This mutually advantageous association has bestowed MakerDAO with considerable sway and a foothold in the market. However, to attribute its future exclusively to the Bitcoin ETF decision, as some contend, offers an inadequate perspective.

Although the crypto markets could benefit from an authorized Bitcoin ETF, it’s important to understand how complex and interwoven the sector is.

Regulations, the general use of DeFi, and even rivals’ actions impact MakerDAO’s trajectory. Ignoring these things could result in unrealistic expectations.

According to Coinglass data, there has been a notable spike in liquidations as a result of Maker’s hike from a minimum of $1,826 to a maximum of $1,928.

The sudden surge in MKR’s value has forced the liquidation of more than $500,000 worth of short bets, defying the sellers’ gloomy projections.

There could be both good and negative effects on Maker’s pricing if the number of profitable addresses rises. Some 74% of addresses, or 69,400 addresses, are in profit, which is a two-year high, according to IntoTheBlock data.

This increase could lift buying pressure for the cryptocurrency as hopeful Maker holders may want to stockpile more tokens in expectation of future price improvements.

As the Maker market witnesses a surge with over 600 addresses completing MKR trades in a single day, the momentum appears robust and promising. This heightened activity signifies growing interest and participation in the MKR ecosystem.

Featured image from Freepik

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Whale Alert: Big Players Scoop Up These 4 Altcoins, On-Chain Data Indicates

The transactions of ‘whales’ – large-scale investors – often set the tone for market trends. So far, recent on-chain data from Lookonchain, a renowned on-chain analytics platform, has unveiled a notable accumulation pattern in four specific altcoins.

Maker (MKR), ssv.network (SSV), Coin98 (C98), and RSS3 have emerged as the latest targets of these accumulative efforts. The data shows a series of substantial withdrawals of altcoins from Binance, a leading crypto exchange, hinting at a growing interest in these altcoins among heavyweight investors.

Notably, this trend of whale accumulation is not just a fleeting occurrence but a concerted effort that has been unfolding over recent months.

Diving Deep Into Whale Transactions: A Closer Look at the Accumulated Altcoins

The analysis by Lookonchain reveals intriguing details about the accumulated assets. A new wallet, identified as “0xB4aE”, mainly made waves by withdrawing 10 million RSS3 tokens, valued at approximately $1.44 million, from the OKX exchange.

This transaction underscores the growing interest in RSS3, a lesser-known crypto asset. In parallel, another prominent wallet, dubbed “0xb6a7”, substantially withdrew 114,227 SSV tokens from Binance, amounting to a value of about $1.93 million.

This same investor also transferred 2.77 million C98 tokens from Binance, signaling a bullish stance on these specific altcoins. It is worth noting that these transactions exemplify the strategic moves by whales, often aimed at leveraging market dynamics to their advantage.

The Maker (MKR) Movement: Whale “0x9e74 Leads the Charge

One of the most significant players in this scenario is the whale wallet “0x9e74”. Since July 2023, this investor has consistently withdrawn Maker (MKR) tokens from Binance, totaling roughly 4,776 MKR.

The most recent transaction involved moving $1.7 million worth of MKR from the exchange, bringing the total worth of MKR withdrawn by this investor to about $6.9 million. This consistent and targeted accumulation of MKR suggests a strong confidence in the future of this particular altcoin.

The Maker token, part of the MakerDAO ecosystem, has been a subject of interest, mainly due to its role in decentralized finance (DeFi) as a lender.

These large-scale movements by whales underscore a broader trend within the crypto world, where informed players are increasingly steering towards altcoins with strong fundamentals and potential for substantial growth.

Amid the accumulation of the altcoins above by whales, RSS3 and Maker are still the top gainers, with both altcoins seeing a surge in price by 34.8% and 10.7%, respectively, over the past two weeks.

Maker (MKR) price chart on TradingView amid whale altcoins accumulation

The remaining two altcoins, however, have seen slight gains and decline, with SSV seeing a mere 4.8% increase and C98 seeing an 8.6% plunge over the same period.

Featured image from iStock Chart from TradingView

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After A 170% Spike, Is The Maker (MKR) Dream Rally Over?

After rallying over 170% from June 2023 lows, there are signs that Maker (MKR) bulls are losing momentum, looking at price action and decisions by various whales acting via an intermediary. At spot rates, MKR is changing hands at near 2023 highs but is down 16% from October highs. 

Maker (MKR) Is Selling Off: The Bull Run Is Over?

MKR is dumping at an unexpectedly faster pace, reversing gains posted in early Q4 2023, a concern. According to The Data Nerd, Falcon X sent 5,690 MKR worth $8.52 million to multiple exchanges, mainly OKX and Binance, at an average price of $1,497. 

Falcon X deposits MKR to exchanges| Source: The Data Nerd on X

Typically, whenever crypto whales begin sending tokens to centralized ramps, as currently is the case, it can be interpreted as bearish. That whales are moving their coins to exchanges could indicate that they are planning to liquidate and exit their position. Subsequently, this can dent sentiment, forcing the token to dump.  

However, the timeliness of the transfer also matters. In some instances, tokens can be moved to exchanges and interpreted as bullish. This is because, depending on the situation, whales could move them to provide liquidity for other traders.

This can be the case with Falcon X. The platform provides institutional investors access to liquidity and execution services. Notably, Falcon X has, in the past, been used by other crypto exchanges and liquidity providers to offer other services. Since it acts on behalf of institutions and whales, it cannot be ascertained which of its clients is selling MKR. 

As of October 27, The Data Nerd statistics show that the platform holds 10,150 MKR worth $14.17 million at spot rates. Following the transfer, the tracker also shows that MKR is down 4%.

The “End Game” Pumps MKR To New Highs, A Pull Back Incoming?

Presently, MKR remains under pressure. As mentioned earlier, the token, though in an uptrend, rallying 170% in four months, is down 15% from October’s peaks. At the same time, there is a double top, a technical formation that may signal a local top.

Maker price on October 27| Source: MKRUSDT on Binance, TradingView

This pattern will only be invalidated if there is a sharp expansion above $1,650. Conversely, losses below $1,350 at the back of high participation levels could catalyze the sell-off.

In May 2023, MakerDAO, the issuer of MKR–the governance token of the underlying borrowing and lending protocol, announced the launch of the “End Game.” Herein, the protocol plans to deploy on its independent blockchain, introduce new features, and launch two tokens. 

In addition, Maker has introduced a smart burn mechanism that involves purchasing MKR tokens from the open market and burning them without needing to close any collateralized debt positions (CDPs).

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MakerDAO Secures $6 Billion For Treasury Bill Investments As MKR Dominates 2023

According to a Bloomberg report, MakerDAO, one of the prominent decentralized lenders in cryptocurrency, has reaffirmed its decision to invest billions of dollars in US government bonds.

This strategic move has propelled its governance coin, MKR, to reach its highest level since April 2022, outperforming other major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC).

MKR has experienced a remarkable surge of 77% this quarter, emerging as the best-performing cryptocurrency of the year. Despite a modest decline of 3.9% to $1,452 on Friday, the coin has nearly tripled in value. 

MakerDAO Doubles Down On Treasury Bonds

As per DefiLlama data, MakerDAO currently oversees $4.6 billion in assets. The rally of MKR can be attributed to MakerDAO’s 2022 decision to convert the backing funds of its stablecoin DAI into assets such as short-term US Treasuries and corporate bonds. 

This strategic shift aimed to seek more stable yields amid the downturn in the cryptocurrency markets. Subsequently, MakerDAO passed a proposal enabling the investment of up to $6 billion in short-term Treasuries, doubling the existing limit.

Simon Peters, an analyst at investment platform eToro, suggests that the recent gains in MKR can be attributed to rising treasury yields following the Federal Reserve’s indication of keeping rates higher for longer.

However, signs of a potential slowdown in the MKR rally have emerged. CryptoQuant data reveals a gradual increase in MKR tokens held on centralized exchanges (CEX), indicating that some traders are preparing to secure profits from the recent surge. 

Notably, the drop experienced on September 29 ahead of the monthly close marked the largest decline since mid-September.

According to Bloomberg, the trader enthusiasm for MKR has extended to DAI, MakerDAO’s stablecoin. DAI’s circulation has grown from a low of $3.9 billion on August 20 to $5.5 billion. 

Furthermore, MakerDAO introduced a limited-time offer of an 8% annual yield to DAI holders, which, combined with the approval of the investment proposal, could potentially trigger a fresh wave of buying in short-term Treasuries.

Allan Pedersen, the CEO of Monetalis, a firm assisting MakerDAO in its investments, expressed that if the supply of DAI continues to increase, it could lead to a significant expansion of MakerDAO’s T-bill investments in a short time frame.

The developments surrounding MakerDAO’s investment strategy in US government bonds, which have propelled MKR to new heights, signify a calculated move to achieve stability and sustainable yields by the decentralized protocol.

MKR Hits 18-Month High

MKR has declined over 4.5% in the past 24 hours, causing the token to retrace to its current trading price of $1,452. However, over the last month, MKR has exhibited consistent gains across various time frames, with notable increases of 12%, 19%, and nearly 40% over the seven, fourteen, and thirty-day periods, respectively.

Furthermore, MKR has reached an impressive 18-month high, surging by 101% year to date and briefly peaking at $1,590 earlier on Friday.

MakerDAO

In the short term, safeguarding against an extended decline, MKR has two crucial support levels that bulls must defend. The first immediate support rests at $1,430, while the second support level, spanning two months, is positioned at $1,341.

Meanwhile, MakerDAO and its ecosystem appear poised for further gains with their investment strategy. With a few months remaining in 2023, there is a potential for MKR to conclude the year as the top-performing asset if the ongoing rally continues.

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com

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MakerDAO Explores Tokenized T-Bills With $100 Million Allocation Plan

Steakhouse, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)-focused financial advisory firm, in collaboration with Phoenix Labs, a research and development company, has put forth a proposal urging the MakerDAO community to consider allocating up to $100 million from its reserves for investment in tokenized US Treasury Bill (T-Bill) products. 

The proposal, currently in the discussion phase, aims to explore new avenues for financial innovation within the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Unlocking Liquidity Efficiency for MakerDAO? 

MakerDAO, renowned as the issuer of the DAI decentralized stablecoin, has already made significant investments in US Treasuries through off-chain structures since 2022, amounting to over a billion dollars. 

By venturing into tokenized T-Bills, MakerDAO seeks to bolster its balance sheet by gaining exposure to low-risk, liquid traditional assets. This move aligns with their long-term strategy of strengthening the stability and sustainability of the protocol.

Tokenized T-Bills offer several potential benefits to MakerDAO and its community. Firstly, they provide higher transparency than off-chain structures, simplifying the auditing process and reducing the need for internal resources. 

With tokenized T-Bills, daily attestations can be streamlined, providing real-time visibility on investment performance. 

Additionally, tokenized products enable simpler accounting procedures by leveraging daily price feeds, eliminating manual profit returns associated with off-chain investments.

Furthermore, tokenized T-Bills offer the potential for increased automation. Asset-liability management, a manual and slow process for MakerDAO, can be automated through tokenized products. 

This automation would improve efficiency and reduce operational overhead, enabling MakerDAO to focus on other strategic initiatives.

In terms of liquidity, tokenized T-Bills present advantages over traditional off-chain investments. Redeeming stablecoins through on-chain tokenized products can be faster than selling off-chain and converting them back into stablecoins. This can provide MakerDAO with greater flexibility and responsiveness to market dynamics.

Maximizing Returns?

Despite the potential benefits, the adoption of tokenized T-Bills introduces certain considerations. One such consideration is the exposure to higher counterparty risk. However, a competitive market is expected to favor the more secure options, mitigating this risk to a certain extent.

Tokenized T-Bills also offer diverse liquidity and yield profiles, providing opportunities for MakerDAO to diversify its investment strategy. 

Products range from super liquid non-volatile options, which act more like lending protocols with collateralized T-Bills, to frictionless products that offer better rates but require longer subscription and redemption processes. 

According to the announcement, these options allow MakerDAO to leverage different trade-offs without reinventing the wheel and cater to varying needs within the DeFi ecosystem.

Steakhouse, Phoenix Labs, and BlockAnalitica will contribute their expertise in legal, financial, technical, and risk assessment domains to move forward with the proposal. 

Overall, the proposed allocation of up to $100 million for developing and experimenting with tokenized T-Bill products reflects MakerDAO’s commitment to continuous innovation and exploring new possibilities within the DeFi landscape. 

As the discussions progress, the community’s collective wisdom and insights will shape the future roadmap of MakerDAO’s investment strategy and contribute to the evolution of decentralized finance.

MakerDAO

As of the time of writing, the native token of MakerDAO, MKR, is currently trading at $1,113, reflecting a decrease of 0.7% over the past 24 hours. 

However, over the past seven and fourteen days, the token has demonstrated substantial performance, surpassing most cryptocurrency markets with gains of 2.5% and over 12%, respectively.

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com

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MakerDAO Explores Tokenized T-Bills With $100 Million Allocation Plan

Steakhouse, a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)-focused financial advisory firm, in collaboration with Phoenix Labs, a research and development company, has put forth a proposal urging the MakerDAO community to consider allocating up to $100 million from its reserves for investment in tokenized US Treasury Bill (T-Bill) products. 

The proposal, currently in the discussion phase, aims to explore new avenues for financial innovation within the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Unlocking Liquidity Efficiency for MakerDAO? 

MakerDAO, renowned as the issuer of the DAI decentralized stablecoin, has already made significant investments in US Treasuries through off-chain structures since 2022, amounting to over a billion dollars. 

By venturing into tokenized T-Bills, MakerDAO seeks to bolster its balance sheet by gaining exposure to low-risk, liquid traditional assets. This move aligns with their long-term strategy of strengthening the stability and sustainability of the protocol.

Tokenized T-Bills offer several potential benefits to MakerDAO and its community. Firstly, they provide higher transparency than off-chain structures, simplifying the auditing process and reducing the need for internal resources. 

With tokenized T-Bills, daily attestations can be streamlined, providing real-time visibility on investment performance. 

Additionally, tokenized products enable simpler accounting procedures by leveraging daily price feeds, eliminating manual profit returns associated with off-chain investments.

Furthermore, tokenized T-Bills offer the potential for increased automation. Asset-liability management, a manual and slow process for MakerDAO, can be automated through tokenized products. 

This automation would improve efficiency and reduce operational overhead, enabling MakerDAO to focus on other strategic initiatives.

In terms of liquidity, tokenized T-Bills present advantages over traditional off-chain investments. Redeeming stablecoins through on-chain tokenized products can be faster than selling off-chain and converting them back into stablecoins. This can provide MakerDAO with greater flexibility and responsiveness to market dynamics.

Maximizing Returns?

Despite the potential benefits, the adoption of tokenized T-Bills introduces certain considerations. One such consideration is the exposure to higher counterparty risk. However, a competitive market is expected to favor the more secure options, mitigating this risk to a certain extent.

Tokenized T-Bills also offer diverse liquidity and yield profiles, providing opportunities for MakerDAO to diversify its investment strategy. 

Products range from super liquid non-volatile options, which act more like lending protocols with collateralized T-Bills, to frictionless products that offer better rates but require longer subscription and redemption processes. 

According to the announcement, these options allow MakerDAO to leverage different trade-offs without reinventing the wheel and cater to varying needs within the DeFi ecosystem.

Steakhouse, Phoenix Labs, and BlockAnalitica will contribute their expertise in legal, financial, technical, and risk assessment domains to move forward with the proposal. 

Overall, the proposed allocation of up to $100 million for developing and experimenting with tokenized T-Bill products reflects MakerDAO’s commitment to continuous innovation and exploring new possibilities within the DeFi landscape. 

As the discussions progress, the community’s collective wisdom and insights will shape the future roadmap of MakerDAO’s investment strategy and contribute to the evolution of decentralized finance.

MakerDAO

As of the time of writing, the native token of MakerDAO, MKR, is currently trading at $1,113, reflecting a decrease of 0.7% over the past 24 hours. 

However, over the past seven and fourteen days, the token has demonstrated substantial performance, surpassing most cryptocurrency markets with gains of 2.5% and over 12%, respectively.

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com

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No Vitalik, No Problem: Whale Sells Ethereum (ETH) For Maker (MKR)

Less than a week after Vitalik Buterin, one of the co-founders of Ethereum, sold his Maker (MKR) stash for ETH, one crypto whale has done the opposite. On-chain data on September 4 shows that one Ethereum holder sold 694 ETH, worth roughly $1.13 million when writing, for 1,010 MKR. At the time of the swap, MKR was changing hands at $1,122. 

Whale Swaps ETH For MKR

As of September 4, the address, “0x3737,” had over $20.37 million worth of assets. While the whale trades against Vitalik and doubles down on MKR, zooming in on the address’s portfolio shows that the largest holding is ETH. 

Whale's portfolio: DeBank

The address holds 10,000 ETH worth $16.3 million at spot rates, representing over 75% of the total portfolio. Meanwhile, some of his other major holdings include Arbitrum (ARB), worth $2.9 million, and MKR, worth $1.1 million. 

MKR, the token issued by MakerDAO, the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that controls the minting of DAI, a stablecoin on Ethereum, has been ripping higher in the last few months. 

MKR plays a key role in stabilizing DAO and is used as a last resort. Holders participate in governance, voting on proposals that best stabilize the algorithmic stablecoin, deciding collateral types accepted, stability fee adjustments, and others.

From June, MKR has more than doubled, rising 125% to peak at around $1,300 in early August. It is now trading at over $1,100, up 13% from August lows.

Maker price on September 4: Source: MKRUSDT on Binance, TradingView

Maker Presents Endgame

The token’s surge has been attributed to multiple factors, specifically the release of the “Endgame” roadmap. Under this plan, MakerDAO plans to, among other things, release their blockchain, rebrand, and introduce two more tokens. 

This move is significant because MakerDAO is among the first decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols. According to DeFiLlama data, the protocol has a total value locked (TVL) of over $5 billion. It is the largest decentralized money market in the world. 

MakerDAO TVL: DeFiLlama

Meanwhile, DAI, its algorithmic yield-earning stablecoin, has been stable recently and is the largest in Ethereum. At press time, DAI had a market cap of $5.3 billion, perched at 12th on the leaderboard. At this pace, DAI is the third-largest stablecoin after USDT and USDC.

Vitalik Buterin, despite the stellar performance of MKR relative to the broader crypto market, liquidated $580,000 worth of MKR after MakerDAO’s co-founder, Rune Christensen, said it was considering launching a new blockchain bridging to Ethereum that’s based on Solana’s code. The new blockchain, dubbed NewChain, is part of MakerDAO’s roadmap, “Endgame”.

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Maker (MKR) Unleashed: Price Soars 12% In One Day – What’s Behind The Surge?

In anticipation of the announcements made by the Ethereum-based Decentralized Finance (DeFi) lending platform team, the price of Maker (MKR) has experienced a remarkable surge of over 12% within hours. Now, what do these developments entail, and how will they impact the future of Maker?

Maker Empowers SubDAOs?

On August 28th, the Maker team made a significant announcement regarding their plans to introduce SubDAOs in South Korea. This move represents a critical evolution for MakerDAO, marking the “final effort” to unlock the potential of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). 

According to the announcements made on August 28th, introducing SubDAOs is expected to streamline, innovate, and strengthen the Maker ecosystem, paving the way for increased opportunity and growth.

SubDAOs, which stands for Subsidiary Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, are expected to play a pivotal role in the next phase of MakerDAO’s development. These entities will leverage liquidity allocation from the Maker Protocol, exploring various yield opportunities across the financial landscape. 

From decentralized finance protocols to real-world asset solutions, SubDAOs aim to harness the potential of diversified investment strategies.

Per the announcement, this presents a unique opportunity for Korean crypto leaders to engage with the forefront of DeFi developments. Participants will have the chance to be part of forming their own SubDAO or contribute to existing ones. 

This involvement offers insights into the success story of Spark Protocol, the first yield product incubated by a future SubDAO. Spark Protocol has demonstrated significant achievements, such as boasting high liquidity, industry-leading borrowing fees, and managing hundreds of millions in liquidity.

Additionally, the event encourages forging connections between leaders in centralized finance (CeFi) and decentralized finance. These connections are expected to help bridge the South Korean community to SubDAO token acquisition and farming opportunities, fostering collaboration and growth within the ecosystem.

The move into SubDAOs signifies MakerDAO’s commitment to cultivating innovation across the industry. Participants can explore “cutting-edge” decentralized finance protocols and real-world asset solutions. 

The MRK Rally, How Close To A New Annual High?

The recent announcements have sparked a surge in MKR’s price, following a decline that began on August 2nd, which coincided with the token reaching its yearly high of $1,371. 

Subsequently, MKR experienced a drop, reaching a low of $984 and breaching the significant psychological level of $1,000 and its 50-day Moving Average (MA), which had previously provided substantial support for the token.

However, with the recent announcements and the excitement surrounding the protocol’s new phase and increased liquidity entering its ecosystem, MKR has surged by an impressive 12% within 24 hours. 

Currently, MKR is trading at $1,170, surpassing and regaining its 50-day MA, which has played a pivotal role in driving Maker’s rallies throughout the year. Moreover, according to Token Terminal data, MakerDAO’s Total Value Locked has reached $5.16 billion, indicating a 3.03% uptrend in recent days.

Considering these developments, the question arises: Is MKR poised to reach a new yearly high? 

During MRK’s rally, the token reached as high as $1,230 but encountered a strong resistance wall at that level. However, suppose the protocol’s developments continue to attract liquidity, and MKR bulls can defend its 50-day MA as support, while further consolidating above the $1,260 level.

In that case, there is a possibility that, in the coming months, MRK could achieve a new yearly high above $1,375 and even touch the $1,400 level, a threshold not reached since May 2022.

Maker

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com