MakerDAO Injects $600M into USDe and sUSDe, Boosting Ethena's Growth

Maker DAO plans to invest $600 million DAI into USDe and sUSDe via Morpho Labs, boosting the growth of issuer Ethena and its TVL. The move is part of Maker DAO's strategy to invest in promising DeFi projects, and is expected to further enhance the popularity and utility of USDe and sUSDe, Ethena's synthetic dollar protocols on Ethereum.

MakerDAO to Inject $600 Million into USDe and sUSDe, Fueling Ethena's Growth

April 4, 2024

San Francisco, CA - MakerDAO, a decentralized blockchain protocol on the Ethereum network, has announced plans to invest $600 million in Dai (DAI) into USDe and staked USDe (sUSDe) through the DeFi lending protocol, Morpho Labs. This substantial investment is poised to significantly drive the growth of Ethena, the issuer of USDe and sUSDe.

Ethena, a synthetic dollar protocol built on Ethereum, has seen its total value locked (TVL) soar in recent months. The infusion of $600 million from MakerDAO is expected to further propel this growth, potentially pushing Ethena's TVL to record highs. Seraphim Czecker, Head of Growth at Ethena, expressed optimism about the impact of this investment.

"Ethena's TVL growth is on track with internal expectations," Czecker stated in a recent X post.

MakerDAO's investment will be allocated across two tranches: USDe and sUSDe. The exact ratio of each tranche is yet to be determined and will be based on factors such as user demand and market conditions.

"Using the lowest of the above thresholds yields 600 million maximum recommended exposure to USDe," stated the proposal shared by Morpho Spark DAI vault. "This will scale up gradually as Ethena grows, but for the time being, we believe it is prudent to cap total allocation at this level."

MakerDAO has expressed its commitment to supporting Ethena's growth and may consider increasing its investment over time. The investment is subject to a detailed due diligence process, which includes a thorough assessment of Ethena's operations, team, and technology.

In a separate development, Ethena's ENA token was recently introduced on Binance Launchpool, allowing users to earn ENA rewards by farming the token. Binance allocated 300 million ENA, constituting 2% of the maximum supply, as Launchpool rewards.

The $600 million investment from MakerDAO and the listing of ENA on Binance Launchpool are key developments that are expected to propel Ethena's growth and further establish its position in the DeFi ecosystem.

Background on MakerDAO and Morpho Labs

MakerDAO is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that governs the Dai stablecoin. Dai is an over-collateralized, stable cryptocurrency pegged to the value of the US dollar. MakerDAO's mission is to create a stable and accessible financial system that is not controlled by any central authority.

Morpho Labs is a DeFi lending protocol that allows users to borrow and lend crypto assets with variable interest rates. Morpho Labs provides users with access to a wide range of cryptocurrencies and offers a simple and user-friendly interface.

About Ethena

Ethena is a synthetic dollar protocol built on Ethereum. It allows users to mint and redeem synthetic dollars (USDe) at a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar. USDe can be used to trade, earn interest, or participate in other DeFi activities.