Lrt

Definition ∞ LRT, or Liquid Restaking Tokens, are derivative tokens representing staked assets in a restaking protocol. These tokens allow users who have committed their assets to a restaking mechanism to maintain liquidity, enabling them to use their staked capital in other decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. LRTs typically accrue rewards from the underlying restaked assets, providing a way to earn multiple layers of yield. They offer flexibility by permitting participation in restaking while simultaneously allowing the tokenized representation of those staked assets to be traded or used as collateral elsewhere.
Context ∞ The emergence of LRTs is a prominent development in the decentralized finance sector, aiming to address capital inefficiency associated with traditional staking. A key debate involves the potential for increased systemic risk within DeFi due to the composability of LRTs, where one underlying asset supports multiple layers of leverage. Regulators and market participants are closely observing the risk management frameworks and transparency surrounding LRT protocols to prevent cascading failures.