As the leading smart contract blockchain, Ethereum’s network activity forms a vital component of Web3, especially when it comes to decentralized finance (DeFi), smart contracts, decentralized applications (dapps), and more.
The execution layer within the Ethereum network architecture handles the execution of smart contracts and transactions. It takes instructions from transactions and smart contract interactions, processes them, and applies these changes to the state of the blockchain.
Ethereum was initially designed as a proof-of-work (PoW) network. However, this method of validating transactions carried several issues. Specifically, proof-of-work was energy intensive. Miners had to use lots of computing power to verify new transactions, causing congestion and a large carbon footprint.
As a result, Ethereum adopted a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus as the network merged to the beacon chain. This design allows anyone to participate in securing the network by locking up their ETH.
Users can stake 32 ETH to run a validator node, which confirms new transactions. Alternatively, users can deposit as little as 0.01 ETH to liquid staking services to participate. In exchange, stakers earn rewards from a share of network transaction fees.
Ethereum staking has seen tremendous demand since launching in late 2020. At present, the network boasts more than 34 million ETH staked across more than 1 million ethereum validators.
This is at least partly due to growing interest in decentralized finance (DeFi) as an alternative to centralized exchanges. While centralized exchanges can be more user friendly, DeFi offers more freedom and control over assets, which is an attractive prospect for many crypto users. Participants also witnessed several extremely popular centralized exchanges “blow up” during the last bear market, including FTX and BlockFi.
Impressively, liquid staking currently accounts for nearly half of the total amount of ETH staked. The rapidly growing sector commands 13+ million ETH in total value locked.
Total Value Locked in ETH liquid staking (DeFiLlama)
2023 marked another momentous year for Ethereum. April’s Shanghai upgrade allowed stakers and ETH holders to withdraw their ETH holdings for the first time.
Naturally, this raised concerns regarding outflows from staking. However, these concerns were quickly dispelled. Demand for ETH staking has only grown since the upgrade as more traders look to secure rewards.
In fact, over 13 million ETH has been staked since Shanghai went live in April.
ETH staking net flow since Shanghai (Dune)
At present, over 25% of ETH’s total supply is being staked to secure the network. While impressive, this is a far lower figure than other proof of stake networks. Competing chains generally see more than 40% of native digital assets staked.
As adoption increases and the network expands, it’s likely that the amount of ETH staked will increase considerably. This is important as a higher percentage of staked ETH translates to more robust network security.
While the network benefits from increased staking, this invariably reduces yield for stakers. As more ETH is staked, the same pool of rewards is split between more users.
Fortunately, a number of innovative platforms have emerged to generate higher staking rewards for users. Origin Ether (OETH) has disrupted ETH staking with a groundbreaking offering. Users can mint OETH by depositing ETH or wrapped ETH, enabling them to earn higher yield than what's offered from liquid staking alone.
OETH maintains a peg to ETH, meaning that stakers can use it freely in DeFi. At the same time, deposited collateral is deployed to Ethereum's beacon chain, as well as in liquidity provision strategies via its AMO. This yield is automatically distributed to holders’ wallets.
As a result, OETH users retain full control over their capital. At the same time, holders earn higher yield than simply holding other LSTs.
The amount of rewards earned by staking ETH vary according to the method of staking. In general, liquid staking platforms offer users APYs of 3-5%. While solo staking offers higher rewards, this approach requires a large investment and constant maintenance.
Thanks to Origin Ether’s incisive strategies, OETH is able to deliver better yield for holders. Despite scaling rapidly, OETH offers APYs significantly higher than other liquid staking tokens. For example, it currently offers a trailing 7-day APY of 3.52%. Additionally, users can look forward to a seamless experience and robust security.
Discover how OETH can help you stack ETH faster by clicking here.
Staking Ethereum is a great way to earn passive rewards and support the network, but it’s not without some risks. One big thing to watch out for is slashing. If you're running a validator and something goes wrong—like your node goes offline for too long, or you mess up the protocol's rules—you could lose part of the ETH you’ve staked. It’s kind of like getting fined for not doing your job right. While this doesn’t happen all the time, it’s a real risk for those managing their own staking setups. That’s why a lot of people leave the technical stuff to trusted staking services.
Another issue is liquidity. When you stake ETH, it’s locked up, meaning you can’t just pull it out whenever you feel like it. Even though services like liquid staking offer workarounds by giving you tokens you can trade while your ETH is locked, those tokens aren’t always guaranteed to hold their full value if the market gets shaky. Traditional staking is even stricter—you might have to wait for specific withdrawal windows to access your ETH, which could be inconvenient if you need cash quickly.
Finally, Ethereum is always changing. Upgrades like Shanghai are meant to improve the network, but they can also change how staking works. For example, new updates might affect how rewards are calculated or tweak the rules for validators. While these changes are usually for the better, they can make things unpredictable for stakers.
The good news is you can manage most of these risks by doing your homework. Stick with reputable staking platforms that prioritize security, and stay in the loop on Ethereum updates so you’re not caught off guard. As long as you’re careful, staking is a solid way to grow your ETH stack.
Ethereum staking is set to get even bigger as the network continues to evolve. One major change on the horizon is making staking more accessible to everyday users. Right now, solo staking requires 32 ETH, which is a pretty steep price tag for most people. But platforms like staking pools and liquid staking services are shaking things up. They let you stake smaller amounts, sometimes as little as 0.01 ETH, making it easier for more people to join in. This could bring millions of new users into Ethereum staking, making the network stronger and more decentralized.
Another exciting development is scalability. Ethereum is working on something called sharding, which splits the blockchain into smaller pieces to handle more transactions at once. This means the network could become faster and more efficient, attracting more activity and boosting the rewards stakers earn. Imagine staking ETH and seeing your rewards grow not just because of fees, but because the network itself is getting better at processing transactions.
DeFi is also playing a huge role in shaping the future of staking. With liquid staking tokens, you can earn staking rewards while still being able to use your ETH in DeFi apps. That means you can stake your ETH and, at the same time, lend it out, trade it, or use it for yield farming. It’s like having your cake and eating it too. This kind of flexibility makes staking way more appealing, especially for people who want to make the most of their crypto without locking it up.
Looking ahead, it’s clear that staking will be a cornerstone of Ethereum’s ecosystem. Lower barriers to entry, better scalability, and more integration with DeFi mean there are plenty of reasons to believe staking will keep growing.
The network currently boasts more than 33 million ETH staked. This figure accounts for over 26% of ETH’s total supply.
Ethereum staking can be a highly rewarding experience. Using a platform like Origin Ether empowers you to earn outsized rewards without dealing with high technical barriers.
Want to jump straight to the answer? You can stake Ethereum with Origin via the Origin Protocol Dapp!
Ethereum’s transition to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism has marked one of crypto’s most historic upgrades. More than 30 million ETH has been staked to secure the network since staking went live in late 2020.
As a result, users are now spoilt for choice when deciding how and where to stake your ETH.
Luckily, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about the world of ETH staking to inform your decision making. Read on to discover where to stake Ethereum to earn staking rewards, regardless of your technical proficiency.
Ethereum can be staked independently via the network’s smart contracts. This approach involves locking up 32 ETH to run a validator node, which validates transactions. On top of this, solo stakers must maintain 100% uptime and purchase specific hardware to run a node.
These high barriers to entry makes it difficult for ordinary users to participate. Fortunately, liquid staking solutions have emerged as a far more accessible alternative for users.
Despite the 32 ETH requirement, many power users choose to run their own nodes to earn increased rewards. Setting up your own node is highly resource intensive, and requires significant technical expertise.
Solo stakers should have dedicated PCs or servers to run their nodes. Although running a node does not require a lot of processing power, a robust machine helps to minimize downtime. Additionally, users should have a strong and stable internet connection. As nodes are penalized for downtime, subpar hardware can cost validators significant rewards.
To set up the node, users need to lock 32 ETH in the Ethereum 2.0 Deposit Contract. Finally, solo stakers install an Ethereum 2.0 client and register their node. Live nodes require constant maintenance to stay in sync with the rest of the network. However, this effort should yield larger rewards than pure liquid staking methods.
Liquid staking was first pioneered by Lido Finance in December 2020. This approach allows users to deposit as little as 0.01 ETH. Deposited ETH is sent to staking pools to generate yield for users.
Liquid staking is a fairly straightforward process with a host of benefits:
This design empowers anyone to participate in ETH staking by drastically lowering major barriers to entry. Origin, Lido, and Rocket Pool are some of the top choices in the realm of liquid staking.
At present, more than 25% of ETH’s supply has been staked to the network. This figure is far lower than other PoS blockchain networks, which often see more than 40% of native tokens staked. With demand for ETH staking growing rapidly, far more ETH is likely to be staked moving forward.
While this translates to increased network security, it also means that stakers receive lower yields. This is because the same pool of rewards is being shared between an increasing number of stakers.
Origin Ether (OETH) has emerged to solve the issue of yield compression. The protocol is backed 1:1 by ETH reserves, optimizing yield between Ethereum staking and audited DeFi strategies. Users can deposit ETH to mint OETH, which can be used freely in DeFi.
OETH earns enhanced yield through providing liquidity on Curve to farm rewards tokens, as well as through SSV token incentives from its integration with ssv.network's distributed validator technology (DVT).
This yield is automatically distributed to OETH holders’ wallets, saving users further time and gas costs. The novel platform offers a seamless, user friendly experience with robust security and constantly evolving mechanics.
Ethereum staking is a mechanism used to secure the blockchain. Ethereum initially used a proof-of-work (PoW) design to validate new transactions. With PoW, miners competed to solve complex algorithms and confirm new transaction blocks to earn ETH rewards. However, this approach was highly exclusive and required tremendous energy expenditure.
In 2020, ETH moved to proof-of-stake by merging to the Beacon Chain. Now, all users can participate in securing the network by staking ETH to validator nodes. This mechanism is inclusive, lightweight, and carries a low carbon footprint.
Staking Ethereum can be an incredibly rewarding experience. As the leading smart contract network, Ethereum is at the forefront of blockchain innovation. Staking ETH allows you to take part in securing the network’s future, while also enjoying robust passive returns.
While centralized exchanges offer their own liquid staking solutions, these entities are far less transparent than DeFi competitors. CeFi’s many failings were exposed in 2022, as users lost billions of dollars from fraudulent practices.
In contrast, DeFi allows users to retain full control over their capital and monitor exactly how funds are being managed. Platforms like OETH offer even greater autonomy by handing governance rights to users. Users who stake Origin DeFi Governance (OGV) receive voting rights in the form of veOGV, allowing them to create and vote on proposals. At the same time, stakers earn double-digit APYs from a share of OETH’s transaction fees and token emissions.
Just like any other investment, staking Ethereum carries risk. However, this shouldn’t dissuade new users from participating. Conducting thorough research and using trusted platforms minimizes potential risks for stakers.
Origin Ether has been rigorously audited by the likes of OpenZeppellin and TrailofBits to ensure protocol security.
Discover the OETH ecosystem:
Running a validator node on your own requires a 32 ETH deposit. However, using liquid staking services allows you to stake as little as 0.01 ETH.
You can redeem ETH staked to liquid staking platforms at any time. Additionally, these platforms issue LSTs, which allow you to retain full control over your capital.
Origin Ether (OETH) offers some of the highest ETH staking yields in the space, even at scale. The platform’s seamless usability, security, and transparency makes it a far better choice than cryptocurrency exchanges.
The Ethereum network’s transition to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism has ushered in a new era for DeFi. In its previous form, Ethereum utilized a proof-of-work (PoW) design to validate transactions on the leading smart contract blockchain.
Under PoW, miners would compete to solve new transaction blocks to receive rewards in ETH. This approach was highly exclusive and required massive energy consumption.
Proof-of-stake offers a far more accessible and lightweight alternative. Anyone can participate in securing the network by staking their ETH and earn staking rewards for doing so.
Staking involves locking up ETH to help secure the Ethereum blockchain. This mechanism was introduced in 2022 with Ethereum’s merge to the beacon chain. Batches of 32 ETH are used to run validator nodes, which confirm the validity of new transactions on the network.
Staking withdrawals went live in early 2023 following Ethereum’s Shanghai upgrade. Impressively, ETH staking has continued to increase following the upgrade, illustrating the massive demand to participate in the network.
Users can stake their ETH directly to the staking smart contract. However, this method carries a high barrier to entry. Solo stakers need to lock up a minimum of 32 ETH to run a full validator node. Additionally, maintaining the node requires significant technical knowledge and resources. Solo staking is best suited for experienced users with large capital and a strong commitment to the network’s long-term success.
Thankfully, users can also earn rewards via liquid staking, which breaks down these barriers to entry. In contrast to solo staking, liquid staking only requires a minimum deposit of 0.01 ETH. Furthermore, liquid staking services issue liquid staking tokens (LSTs), which allow you to retain full control of your capital.
While centralized crypto exchanges offer liquid staking services, these platforms offer far less autonomy than decentralized alternatives.
Launched in late 2020, Lido Finance is the most popular liquid staking platform in DeFi. More than 8.8 million ETH have been staked through Lido, accounting for nearly 33% of all ETH currently staked. Lido users receive the platform’s native LST, stETH, which offers 3.60% APY as of April 2024.
Rocket Pool is DeFi’s another top liquid staking protocol, with more than 1 million ETH staked via the platform. The protocol currently delivers 3.2% APR via its native LST, rETH.
Traders may also opt to stake assets via Origin Ether (OETH). Origin Ether offers higher APYs than Lido and Rocket Pool, as it optimizes yield through DeFi liquidity provision. Thanks to this innovative approach, OETH offers APYs around 4% at the time of writing.
The following steps detail how you can harness liquid staking platforms to earn yield on-chain.
Web3 wallets act as the gateway to participate in on-chain liquid staking. Metamask remains the most popular choice for DeFi users, with over 21 million active users.
Metamask’s portal provides clear instructions on how to set up a Web3 wallet. It’s vital to store the generated recovery phrase securely. Should you lose access to your account, your recovery phrase can recover your assets.
Once your Metamask has been set up, copy the account address. You can use this address to deposit ETH to your wallet.
Lido Finance, Rocketpool, and Origin Ether are top choices for Ethereum liquid staking. These platforms allow users to deposit as little as 0.01 ETH to staking pools to start earning ETH staking rewards.
Simply deposit ETH to your chosen platform to get started. Alternatively, you can swap for liquid staking tokens on DEXs, such as Uniswap and Curve. Liquid staking services issue liquid staking tokens (LSTs) representing your capital and accrued yield.
Liquid staking tokens maintain a peg to ETH and can be transacted freely across DeFi. This means that you do not need to lock up any capital to participate in liquid staking.
Liquid staking platforms deliver yield to users in the form of LSTs. In general, users can look forward to 3-5% APYs from these services. These rewards can be converted to other cryptocurrencies or used in DeFi to further compound passive returns.
At present, around 25% of ETH supply is staked to the network. While significant, this figure is far lower than other proof-of-stake blockchains, which regularly see >40% of supply staked. It’s important that as much ETH is staked as possible, as network security is bolstered by a higher number of validators.
As more investors adopt ETH staking to earn yield, staking rewards are bound to decrease. This is because the same pool of yield is being split between an increasing number of entities.
The novel sector of LSTFi has emerged to address the problem of yield compression. These platforms utilize various mechanics to compound yield and offer users far higher returns than from liquid staking alone.
Origin Ether (OETH) is among Ethereum’s largest LST protocols, with nearly 45,000 ETH in total value locked.
Despite its rapidly growing scale, OETH’s meticulous strategies deliver APYs that are higher than leading liquid staking tokens. The protocol deploys reserves to Ethereum's beacon chain to earn staking rewards, while enhancing yield through novel integrations with DVT and DeFi liquidity pools.
OETH is fully collateralized by ETH that is directly staked to the Beacon Chain using decentralized validator technology (DVT). Integrated with ssv.netork, OETH holders can look forward to additional yield from SSV token incentives.
OETH maintains a peg to ETH, empowering users to retain control of their capital while still earning ETH yield. This yield is distributed directly to holders’ wallets, thus reducing time and gas costs for stakers.
Using OETH also offers users the ability to have a direct say in how their funds are being managed. Users can stake Origin DeFi Governance (OGV) to receive voting rights in the form of veOGV. At the same time, stakers earn yield from token emissions and a share of fees generated across Origin's ecosystem.
In contrast to centralized platforms, OETH is built transparently with an open-source codebase. The protocol has been rigorously audited by the likes of OpenZeppelin and TrailofBits to ensure that users enjoy a seamless and secure investing experience.
As with any investment, staking ether carries risks. However, opting to use audited platforms like OETH helps reduce these risks, as users maintain control over their investments without needing to lock up funds.
Further, OETH’s innovative mechanics shield users from reduced yields as ETH staking adoption grows. By harnessing protocols like Curve and Convex, OETH is able to offer higher yields than underlying LSTs at scale.
Staking ETH offers investors the chance to help secure crypto’s leading smart contract blockchain, while being rewarded for their efforts. With OETH, users can participate in one of blockchain’s most innovative offerings with minimal risk.
Explore Origin DeFi’s ecosystem to discover how you can get involved.
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has emerged as a more transparent and autonomous alternative to traditional finance. The sector continues to see increased adoption as more investors choose to keep their funds onchain.
Automated market makers (AMMs) form the bedrock of the DeFi ecosystem, allowing users to swap tokens via smart contracts without centralized oversight or a traditional order book. While traditional crypto exchanges hire private market makers to maintain liquidity on token pairs, AMMs allow anyone to participate in this process through the power of liquidity pools.
Stablecoins are among the most popular digital assets used in DeFi. These tokens, such as USDT, USDC, and DAI, are pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar, unlocking vast opportunities for holders.
DeFi users can carve out fresh passive income streams by understanding how liquidity pools work. Let’s take a look at stablecoin liquidity pools, and how they earn yield for investors.
Liquidity pools play a vital role in DeFi platforms. AMMs provide platforms for users to trade specific token pairs, such as USDC-USDT. Liquidity pools are pools of tokens that help to ensure that there are tokens available for users to swap on a trading pair at any given time. The amount of assets available for trade is called liquidity.
In traditional finance, private firms supply this liquidity. In DeFi, however, individuals pool their assets into smart contracts to achieve this goal.
For example, a user may wish to purchase 100 USDC using USDT. In this case, the user would deposit USDT to the liquidity pool to withdraw 100 USDC from the same pool. If the pool does not contain 100 USDC, the user would not be able to complete their transaction.
Thus, it’s important for token pairs to have deep liquidity so that pairs can handle seamless swaps at scale. Users who provide liquidity to a pool are rewarded with a share of the token pair’s trading fees paid by buyers and sellers. AMMs may also add other incentives to increase liquidity on their platforms.
Providing liquidity to stablecoin pools can be a highly effective form of yield farming.
First, you’ll typically need to deposit equal amounts of both tokens in the trading pair. This can be done directly via AMMs. Once you’ve deposited your capital, you’ll receive LP tokens representing your position. These tokens accrue rewards from the staking pool’s trading fees.
It’s important to note that providing liquidity carries unique risks. Users need to supply equal proportions of both tokens in a pair when creating a position. This means that your initial capital fluctuates as the pool’s balance changes in real time.
Let’s explore an example:
If you had held both tokens instead of providing liquidity, you would have had 100 USDC ($100) and 100 UNI ($200) at current prices. Instead, you may only receive 150 USDC ($150) and 50 UNI ($100). In other words, your initial capital missed out on $50 in value. This risk is known as impermanent loss (IL).
Supplying liquidity to a stablecoin liquidity pool minimizes this risk as both assets in the pair are designed to maintain a dollar peg regardless of cryptocurrency market conditions. Thus, the risk of IL on stablecoin pairs is far lower compared to volatile crypto assets with lots of trading activity such as ETH.
Users can choose between hundreds of DeFi protocols to provide crypto liquidity. However, Curve and Uniswap offer a wide range of pools with deep liquidity thanks to their market dominance.
Here’s why we think these are the two best stablecoin liquidity pools and platforms.
Curve Finance launched in 2020 with a specific focus on stablecoin trading. The platform offers users deep liquidity on stablecoin trading pairs, boasting $2.5B in total value locked. Providing liquidity on Curve earns trading fee rewards, which can be boosted by staking the platform’s native token, CRV.
Curve’s USD 3pool allows users to swap between USDT, USDC, and DAI. The pool boasts a mammoth ~$47m in daily trading volume due its widespread use in DeFi.
Launched in 2018, Uniswap is DeFi’s most popular and established AMM. The leading decentralized exchange (DEX) holds more than $3.9B in total value locked, illustrating its dominance.
While Uniswap hosts thousands of token pairs, a few stablecoin pairs offer substantial liquidity for traders and liquidity providers.
The OUSD-USDT pair recently placed 39th in Uniswap V3’s latest liquidity rankings, out of over 10,000 analyzed pools. Providing liquidity to such a robust pair can further lower risks of impermanent loss, while also offering steady trading fee rewards.
Providing liquidity on your own can be a highly stressful and resource-intensive undertaking. Thankfully, platforms like Origin Dollar (OUSD) allow users to earn yield from mechanics like liquidity provision automatically.
OUSD is a novel stablecoin fully backed by reserves of USDT, USDC, and DAI. Users can mint OUSD by depositing any of the platform’s supported stablecoins, or swap for OUSD on the best stablecoin liquidity pools like Uniswap and Curve. As an ERC-20 token, you can use OUSD just like any other stablecoin. At the same time, deposited funds are put to work via a number of innovative yield generating strategies. This means that no capital has to be locked up to earn yield, freeing up investors to do other things with their capital in the meantime.
OUSD’s reserves are deployed to robust liquidity pools to earn yield for users. The protocol also deploys funds to DeFi lending platforms like Aave and Morpho to further boost yield. These returns are automatically distributed to users’ wallets, empowering users to enjoy high APYs while taking on minimal risk.
Harnessing stablecoin liquidity pools to earn passive returns can be highly lucrative when done effectively. However, liquidity provision mechanics can still be technical and fraught with risk for many users.
Choosing a more seamless alternative like OUSD allows you to benefit from such mechanics without carrying the same risks or requiring extensive resources. As of March 2025, OUSD currently offers over 6% 30-day trailing APYs, delivering some of the highest risk-adjusted stablecoin yields in the crypto and DeFi space.
Built on a foundation of transparency and security, OUSD works by automatically accruing yield directly to your wallet, eliminating the need for active management or technical expertise. So whether you’re a seasoned DeFi user or just getting started, OUSD provides a hassle-free way to grow your stablecoin holdings.
Enjoying passive returns in DeFi should be accessible and seamless. Explore the benefits of OUSD today and take the first step toward smarter, simpler crypto earning and staking rewards.
Click here to discover how you can stack USD faster with OUSD.
We’re excited to announce that our community rewards program, Origin Points, has a new home on Wonder.
Since Origin Points went live in July, loyal community members have been racking up points for their participation in Origin’s ecosystem to unlock exclusive perks.
Origin Points have moved from Carma to community rewards platform Wonder. Users can sign up for Wonder via the questing channel on Origin’s Discord server by connecting their web3 wallet, Twitter, or Telegram account. Simply use the /onboard-me command, and the Wonder bot will walk you through the onboarding process.
Importantly, users will maintain the discord roles they’ve earned for their existing contributions.
A snapshot of points was taken on September 29th. These points have been automatically migrated to Wonder. However, any points accrued after the snapshot will not be transferred to Wonder.
Origin Points can be earned via many avenues across our ecosystem.
Engaging with Origin’s Twitter account and Discord channels generates points for active community members. Telegram support will be added soon, which you’ll be able to view under Wonder quests.
Additionally, holding any of Origin’s on-chain assets (OUSD, OETH, OGN, OGV) or partner assets accrues points. Users can consistently stack points by completing daily tasks. These tasks reset every 24 hours following completion.
To check what quests are available now, enter the /quests command in the questing discord channel. From there, you’ll be greeted with opportunities to earn points that can be redeemed for exciting rewards. Feeling competitive? Use the /leaderboard command to check where you rank among other community members.
Stacking Points unlocks an array of incentives for participants. Users are awarded new roles in Discord as they earn points to showcase their commitment to the community. These roles may unlock special privileges and access as the program develops.
Also, users can also redeem points for Shopify codes to receive free official Origin merch:
We’ve been thrilled by the support for Origin Points since its initial launch. The program has been designed to offer all community members the opportunity to be rewarded for their commitment to Origin, regardless of experience or technical expertise.
As the program develops, you can look forward to even more rewards for your continued support.
Stay tuned!
Every month, the Origin team publishes an update to our token holders and the broader community. We hope you enjoy our September 2023 edition.
Origin Ether’s circulating supply hit an all-time high, Origin Story facilitated another NFT home sale, and Origin DeFi expanded into new ecosystems – all in the month of September!
Here we are again, ready to unpack another month of developments at Origin Protocol. In September, OETH reached an all-time high circulating supply, Origin Story sold another home on its NFT marketplace, and new integrations were made to expand Origin’s yield offerings. Before we dig deep, here's a quick look at some of the topics we'll be covering this month:
Buckle up as we explore these updates and more, underlining Origin's continuous push to innovate across Ethereum’s DeFi and NFT ecosystems.
The OGV DAO has been busy upgrading OETH. Check out what’s new!
Origin Ether’s Convex AMO strategy has been its most lucrative strategy to date. The strategy has yielded over 10% APY, thanks to the efficiency enabled by Origin’s AMO. In September, the OGV DAO approved AMO upgrades, allowing for the protocol to more efficiently manage OETH liquidity on Curve. Not only do these upgrades allow for better peg keeping, but OETH collateral can now be used more efficiently than ever before.
While Convex has been the primary DeFi strategy for Origin Ether, the protocol expanded into new DeFi ecosystems in September. Origin Ether’s yield strategy portfolio now supports Balancer, one of the leading liquidity protocols in the crypto industry.
Pursuant to the OGV governance proposal, OETH has entered Balancer’s rETH/WETH MetaStable pool with an initial allocation of up to $14M. This multi-faceted approach not only diversifies OETH yield sources but significantly boosts them. The strategy earns from Balancer, Aura, and importantly, continues to earn liquid staking rewards on Origin’s rETH collateral. Audited by OpenZeppelin, this upgrade elevates OETH's commitment to offering the best risk-adjusted yield on ether, reinforcing our leadership in the ever-evolving world of LSTFi.
Balancer leads the way for many LST pools, and we anticipate more Balancer strategies will pass through the OGV DAO in the coming months.
Deepening Origin’s ties to Frax Finance, we recently launched a frxETH/OETH liquidity pool on Curve. Our alliance with Frax goes far beyond the liquidity pool launch – both projects are some of the most influential CRV voters in the Curve DAO. Together, we aim to supercharge the frxETH/OETH Curve pool by leveraging our collective voting power to prioritize it in CRV gauge voting.
A proposal to make the pool eligible for CRV gauge voting passed through Curve DAO governance, so veCRV holders will now be able to vote on pool incentives.
What does this mean for our community of OETH holders? A potential surge in CRV rewards and, consequently, more robust yield. As we continue to focus on providing the best risk-adjusted yield, this alliance with Frax reaffirms our commitment to collaboration, community influence, and yield optimization—all while strengthening our foothold in Ethereum’s ecosystem.
Lastly, Origin Ether’s analytics dashboard was overhauled in September. The dashboard now distinguishes between circulating OETH supply and TVL, allowing holders to view how much OETH is currently in circulation. Circulating supply now sits at an all-time high of nearly 28,000 OETH, while the remaining 16,500 OETH is protocol-owned supply.
The analytics dashboard also supports new data, including information about The Dripper’s holdings, the OETH-ETH peg, and a dedicated page for protocol revenue. To dive into the data, check out the dashboard at www.oeth.com/analytics.
Check out how Pendle users are earning over 60% yield on OETH, thanks to our recent integration!
Origin Ether achieved a new integration with Pendle, a yield trading protocol that enables locking in yield and longing liquid staking rewards. Listed for less than a month, OETH already boasts over $2 million in TVL on Pendle.
The integration presents new optionality for OETH holders, and many are already taking advantage of these double-digit yield opportunities. Those looking to reduce yield volatility can lock in over 5.7% APY on OETH until December 2024, while those looking to long OETH yield can earn via OETH-YT.
Those that lock in yield on Pendle forgo the difference between the locked-in APY and the actual yield on OETH. Right now, the spread is significant: underlying APY sits above 8%, marking a 250+ basis point difference in yield. If OETH maintains its current yield until maturity, then OETH-YT holders will earn over 60% APY on their ETH!
Also in September, the Nouns DAO received a proposal to swap into OETH to earn yield on their treasury assets. Nouns is a leading NFT DAO, and the treasury currently sits on over 13,500 ETH. If the proposal passes, the DAO will begin earning yield via OETH, testing out Origin Ether before accumulating a more significant allocation to OETH.
At Origin Story, we're proud to be part of some of the most significant events in the NFT ecosystem. Through our continued collaboration with NFT creators like 0n1 Force and Pudgy Penguins, we're reshaping how value is perceived and exchanged. We're especially thrilled about our continued work with Roofstock onChain, which recently marked its third successful home sale on Origin Story’s NFT marketplace. This milestone is a testament to the boundless possibilities NFTs can offer beyond digital art, and we're eager to unlock more such opportunities.
Our partnerships continue to expand. With the recent integration of Spottie Wifi's exclusive marketplace and our support for beloved collections such as Roo Troop, Chubbiverse, and The Alien Boy, it's evident that the potential of NFTs is only beginning to be realized.
Our most recent endeavors, including delving into redeemable NFT infrastructure, underscore our belief in the transformative trajectory of this domain. As we pave the path forward, we invite you to journey with us. Stay connected and informed about the latest advancements and milestones within the Origin ecosystem.
Check out the latest yield opportunities, staking updates, and tokenomics data for Origin’s tokens.
The fourth season of OGN staking is in full swing and is set to conclude next month on November 3rd, 2023. In the previous month, the Origin Foundation bolstered the OGN staking pool with a subsidy of 500,000 OGN. For OGN holders, it's important to note that the staking lock-up period begins shortly on October 4th, 2023.
To reap the maximum rewards, ensure you stake your OGN prior to this cutoff. This action ensures continued point accumulation until the end of the season. Demonstrating strong confidence in the protocol's potential, an impressive 69.6 million OGN has been committed by stakers at the time of writing.
Due to increased OETH adoption, the OGV DAO continues to grow its revenue. Origin Ether’s performance fee accrues to the OGV DAO, helping boost rewards earned by veOGV holders. The OGV DAO has earned over 1.25 ETH per day in September from Origin Ether alone. Including fees from OUSD, the DAO accrued over $69,000 in value last month.
OGV DAO revenue from OETH is highlighted in pink below, showcasing the revenue growth since launching in May.
A couple weeks back, a snapshot proposal was voted on to swap the majority of Origin Ether’s ETH collateral into LSTs. This reallocation will allow the protocol to start earning a higher percentage of its yield from native staking rewards instead of OGV incentives. OGV incentives help enhance yield from Origin Ether’s Convex AMO strategy, but these incentives also cause sell pressure on OGV. Signaling the community’s desire to reduce this sell pressure, the snapshot vote passed by a large margin.
OGV stakers can earn up to 56% vAPY, varying based on the length of time they stake their tokens. Over the trailing 30-days, OETH and OUSD holders have earned 7.6% and 4.7%, respectively. For a more detailed overview of Origin DeFi’s performance, check out the summary below.
We’re ramping up Origin’s presence in Asia. Meet our new Senior Community Manager for China!
This September has been another stellar month for the Origin community as our reach and influence continued to expand in multiple dimensions.
Origin’s Head of Sales, Andra Nicolau, spoke at this year’s LSTfi Summit to discuss the transformative potential of liquid staking and OETH. This momentum was sustained with a collaborative Twitter spaces session with TokenPad, emphasizing the intricacies of DeFi Analytics. The spotlight on knowledge-sharing was further intensified when Rafael Ugolini, Origin's Head of Engineering, addressed Web3FC, sharing his expertise on building efficient teams in DeFi.
Our devoted community managers, Moises Sosa and Ricardo Quintero, organized Twitter Spaces throughout September. Their primary mission was clear: to foster deeper connections with our Spanish community members, reiterating our unwavering commitment to a globally inclusive outreach. This month also marked the end of our Zealy campaign sprint, resulting in the final top 10 on the leaderboard reigning victorious and receiving some epic rewards.
Moreover, the induction of Brighton To as our China Community Manager marked a new chapter in our global aspirations. With Brighton's rich experiences in community growth and a passion for crypto, especially within DAOs and DeFi, we’re excited about the potential avenues he will open for us to magnify our community presence and footprint in China.
A lot went on last month, especially in regards to Origin Ether. If you missed any of our announcements, we encourage you to check out some of our favorite blog posts below. Interested in getting updated in real time? The best way to do so is in our Discord and on Twitter. Otherwise, we’ll see you back here next month for October’s token holder update.
Maverick Protocol is a novel DeFi ecosystem designed to facilitate deep liquidity, offering users a range of tools to LP more efficiently.
The platform’s unique Dynamic Distribution AMM arm LPs with the ability to specify ranges for liquidity provision as well as how this liquidity is distributed.
Follow the instructions below to harness Maverick’s toolset and provide liquidity to both OETH and OUSD.
Maverick boasts two Origin DeFi pools: OETH-ETH and OUSD-USDT. In order to provide liquidity to a pool, you’ll need at least one of a pair’s tokens.
Deposit the necessary funds to a Web3 wallet such as Metamask, and head over to the Pools page.
Select “Connect Wallet” in the top right corner in order to get going.
Search for either OETH or OUSD to bring up the pool of your choice. Once you’ve chosen a pair, the site will display initial details.
The fee rate displays the trading fees paid by users conducting swaps via the pool.
Additionally, the width specifies the price range for liquidity distribution.
Select “Next” in order to proceed.
Maverick offers four modes for distributing your supplied liquidity. Users can also choose to define their own custom liquidity distribution. These modes offer far more flexibility than traditional LP, where providers suffer Impermanent Loss (IL) if price is volatile.
Each of Maverick’s native modes are suited for varying liquidity strategies that bet on price movements to earn rewards.
Let’s take a look at how these work on the OETH-ETH pool.
Mode Right assumes that the price of ETH will increase relative to OETH. In this case, the pool becomes imbalanced as traders buy more ETH. Using this mode allows you to supply OETH to rebalance the pool, thus earning trading fees.
Mode Left essentially offers the same strategy, but in reverse:
Mode Both moves your position according to price movement in both directions:
This strategy is designed to maximize trading fee rewards by keeping your position as close as possible to current prices. However, it’s important to note that this mode also carries increased risk of Impermanent Loss, as well as the risk of Permanent Loss.
Mode Static works like traditional Range AMMs, in that your liquidity position will not follow price in either direction.
Once you’ve selected your desired mode, click “Next” to proceed.
The next page displays required assets depending on your chosen Mode.
Input your desired amount, hit “Confirm”, and follow the prompts to provide liquidity.
Done! Your liquidity has now been added, earning you trading fees from swaps on the pool while also supporting the pegs for OETH and/or OUSD.
Origin DeFi’s ecosystem is growing rapidly, empowering you to put your OTokens to work through powerful integrations like Maverick. Explore the cutting-edge yield products on offer to harness some of DeFi’s most innovative yield mechanics.
Stack ETH faster with OETH: app.oeth.com
Stack USD faster with OUSD: app.ousd.com
The Ethereum network’s transition to proof-of-stake has ushered in a new wave of opportunity for investors. Liquid staking offers far more accessible mechanics than traditional staking, which forces users to deposit a minimum of 32 ETH to earn staking yield.
In contrast, liquid staking protocols allow users to deposit as little as 0.01 ETH to staking pools in order to earn rewards. These platforms issue users liquid staking tokens (LSTs) representing their staked assets. This design enables users to retain full control of their capital while earning yield from staked Ethereum.
Origin Ether (OETH) has been developed to maximize yield for stakers as the sector scales. Users enjoy the benefits of liquid staking while still earning outsized returns. OETH’s strategies harness Curve and Convex to achieve higher yields than base ETH staking.
The protocol’s unerring commitment to transparency means that users can track the platform’s analytics via DeFi’s most powerful data services. Let’s take a deeper look into Origin, highlighting some analytics platforms to streamline your journey.
Launched in 2018, Origin Protocol has cemented its positioning as a leader in Ethereum dapps through disruptive innovations. The project’s flagship DeFi ecosystem, Origin DeFi, offers users some of the highest on-chain yield. Users can stack USD faster via Origin Dollar (OUSD) and earn outsized yields from ETH staking via Origin Ether (OETH).
Origin Ether is proudly built publicly, allowing anyone to easily monitor the protocol’s metrics and performance. OETH boasts a native analytics platform that arms users with vital insights into how collateral is being used.
Users can also track metrics via crypto’s most popular DeFi analytics platforms, making it easier than ever to keep track of OETH and beyond.
Launched in 2018, Dune’s dashboards monitor protocols and DeFi applications (dApps) across the space. The platform empowers users to build their own dashboards using Dune’s rich toolset, giving rise to a thriving community of budding data scientists.
Dune dashboards leverage live data sources to provide vital insights into the metrics they monitor. Users can view these metrics in the form of well-packaged data visualizations to inform their research.
Dune’s dedicated OETH dashboard provides deep insights into OETH’s collateral, strategies, revenue, and more.
Launched in 2019, LunarCrush is a leader in crypto social analytics. The platform uses APIs and machine learning to gauge social sentiment for thousands of blockchain projects.
The site ranks projects according to social presence and sentiment. This allows users to gain unique insights into projects’ popularity and traction on social media.
Users can view OETH’s metrics on LunarCrush to gain increased insights into Origin Ether’s social presence.
DeFiLlama has become the platform of choice for many traders looking to gain insights into DeFi protocols.
The site pulls robust data on thousands of projects across more than 200 blockchains. These metrics are packaged into convenient dashboards covering specific aspects and use cases.
This means that in addition to viewing Origin Ether’s metrics in isolation, users can also monitor OETH’s performance in relation to competitors. With DeFiLlama, users are empowered to monitor the space as a whole.
Liquid staking tokens continue to grow as more users seek to participate in ETH staking. While more than 23% of ETH’s supply has already been staked to the network, this figure is dwarfed by other proof-of-stake blockchains, which regularly see more than 40% of supply staked.
Given Ethereum’s positioning as the leading smart contract blockchain, it’s likely that the share of supply staked to the network will continue to grow in coming years. Origin Ether’s groundbreaking mechanics are primed to cater to this next wave of adoption, allowing users to partake in ETH staking while also earning heightened rewards.
Start stacking ETH faster with Origin Ether: app.oeth.com
Stablecoins are one of crypto’s most versatile asset classes. So it’s no wonder they make up well over $100 billion of investment in the sector. Their unique utility offers users many use cases across crypto.
One of these use cases is staking, where users can earn passive income and interest on their stablecoins. We’ll discuss how to stake USDT, DAI, and other stablecoins below.
Plus, we’ll share how stablecoin holders can generate yield with Origin’s OUSD. OUSD’s cutting-edge strategies utilize blue chip DeFi protocols to generate yield, offering some of the highest risk-adjusted stablecoin yields in the space. At the time of writing, OUSD holders enjoy 3.18% trailing 14-day APYs on their staked holdings. Click here to explore OUSD.
Let’s get started by making sure we’re on the same page about what stablecoins are and how they work.
At a high level, stablecoins are digital assets that represent a variety of more stable assets. The space is dominated by stables pegged to the US dollar, a fiat currency.
Circle’s USDC, Tether’s USDT, and MakerDAO’s DAI are considered crypto’s most robust stablecoins. All three of these tokens are fully backed by reserves so the price stays pegged to the dollar. USDC and USDT achieve this by holding reserves of fiat to get their tokens to the US dollar. Meanwhile, DAI is backed by a basket of real world assets and crypto.
Crypto investors use stablecoins in a number of ways. For instance, traders may keep assets in stablecoins to shield their capital against market volatility. Stablecoins also act as a robust medium of exchange.
For the first time, anyone around the world can gain access to USD by accessing stablecoins on Ethereum and beyond. This is especially important for those in countries with high inflation, as stablecoins can be a safe haven for wealth storage.
In addition, stablecoins also provide lucrative opportunities to earn passive income via staking. Stablecoins are widely used in decentralized finance (DeFi) lending platforms to generate yield for users.
Stablecoins can generate yield or an interest rate via a number of mechanics. For example, holders can supply stablecoins to liquidity pools to earn a share of trading fees through liquidity mining. Alternatively, stablecoins can be lent out on DeFi platforms like Aave to generate interest.
Staking platforms offer users the opportunity to take advantage of these mechanics seamlessly. These platforms put stablecoin deposits to work via liquidity mining, lending, and other strategies to generate staking rewards for users.
While centralized crypto exchanges offer stablecoin staking, users need to surrender control of their funds to participate. Most centralized platforms lack transparency regarding user funds, presenting risks for users.
Fortunately, users planning to stake their stablecoins can choose from a wide range of DeFi protocols, which offer greater transparency and capital control. It’s important to choose platforms for staking that have solid track records in the crypto market, so let’s explore a few of those.
Users can stake their USDC to a number of protocols to earn yield. As an early DeFi pioneer, Yearn Finance is a popular choice for investors. Yearn’s USDC vault boasts $7.37M in total value locked (TVL), and currently offers 2.59% APY as of writing.
Other blockchain networks and options include LP'ing on Uniswap, lending stablecoins via Aave, and depositing USDC for OUSD via Origin Protocol's dapp.
Users wondering how to stake USDT will be glad to learn that Yearn also supports staking for USDT. Yearn’s USDT vault delivers ~2.7% APYs at present. Yearn also offers vaults on Arbitrum and Optimism, helping you avoid high transaction costs while offering higher APYs.
Investors looking for other options can explore alternatives like Beefy Finance, which allows users to stake their USDT to pools on Ethereum and a variety of other proof-of-stake blockchains.
In contrast to USDC and USDT, MakerDAO’s DAI is a decentralized stablecoin. Maker has become a mainstay in DeFi, offering users a number of avenues to earn yield on their DAI. But many users still wonder how to stake DAI, and where.
In addition to protocols like Yearn and Beefy, DAI can be staked to Maker’s native lending protocol, Spark. Users can lock up their DAI via the DAI Savings Rate (DSR) smart contract to earn staking rewards. While these rewards vary, it’s often higher yield than popular USDT and USDC staking options.
USDS is the next-generation version of DAI, built on the decentralized Sky Protocol. It combines familiar decentralization with real-time passive income, thanks to two integrated yield streams.
The first is the Sky Savings Rate (SSR)—just deposit USDS and receive sUSDS in return. As long as sUSDS stays in your wallet, it auto-compounds at a protocol-defined APY (currently 4.5% at time of writing). The second is Sky Token Rewards, which accrue SKY tokens to the same USDS balance—adding governance upside without additional effort.
Everything runs fully on-chain. You keep control of your wallet at all times, without needing to manually stake, lock funds, or chase down multiple protocols. Combined, the dual rewards make USDS one of the most attractive self-custody yield options in DeFi.
Origin Dollar (OUSD) offers arguably the most seamless avenue to stake stablecoins. Origin Dollar earns competitive yield, offering APYs commonly ranging between 3% to 6%. OUSD’s mechanics address the pain points involved in traditional staking to deliver a best-in-class user experience.
Most staking platforms force users to manually lock up their funds and regularly un-stake to compound their holdings, which is time and fee-intensive. OUSD automates these processes to make staking more rewarding than ever. Users deposit USDT, USDS, USDC, or DAI to mint an equivalent amount of OUSD.
OUSD can be transacted like any other stablecoin. This means users retain full control of their funds while the protocol puts deposited reserves to work. Yield is automatically distributed to holders’ wallets, resulting in substantial savings for holders.
OUSD’s cutting-edge strategies utilize blue chip DeFi protocols to generate yield, allowing users to enjoy some of the highest risk-adjusted stablecoin yields in the space. At the time of writing, OUSD holders enjoy 3.18% trailing 14-day APYs on their staked holdings.
Users looking to earn ETH yield on Ethereum can also explore Origin DeFi’s liquid staking product, Origin Ether.
Stablecoin staking offers investors a unique opportunity to earn passive returns in crypto. Using stablecoins to earn yield allows investors to secure rewards without dealing with volatile assets.
However, it’s still important to be mindful of the risks involved in lending and borrowing. Security is crucial in DeFi, given the prevalence of exploits and fraudulent actors. Doing thorough research on cryptocurrency exchanges and best practices equips you with tools to start earnings from stablecoin staking.
Discover how the Origin DeFi ecosystem can generate superior returns without compromise.
As the most widely used stables in crypto, USDC, USDT, and DAI are the best stablecoins to stake, and also the best for lending and borrowing. OUSD automatically stakes and compounds these stablecoins to offer competitive APYs.
USDC and USDT are the most popular stablecoins in crypto. Cryptocurrency exchanges denominate many trading pairs in USDT and USDC. Some exchanges and lending platforms also allow users to enter the space by purchasing stablecoins using a credit card.
While there are many options for stablecoin staking, Origin Dollar’s OUSD offers the most seamless way to stake your stablecoins and start earning generous APYs.
