Productive TVL

Definition ∞ Productive TVL, or Productive Total Value Locked, refers to the digital assets deposited in decentralized finance protocols that are actively generating economic returns. This metric differentiates between capital simply held within a protocol and capital that is actively utilized in lending, trading, or yield farming strategies to produce yield. It highlights the efficiency with which a protocol employs its locked assets to create value for participants. Productive TVL offers a more nuanced view of a protocol’s utility and economic activity compared to raw TVL figures.
Context ∞ The analysis of productive TVL is becoming increasingly important for evaluating the true health and economic contribution of decentralized finance protocols. Investors and users consider this metric to assess the capital efficiency and sustainable yield generation capabilities of various platforms. The focus is shifting towards protocols that demonstrate a high ratio of productive to total locked value.