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Analyzing Real-Yield DeFi Projects: Ethena, Pendle, and Hyperliquid

Wednesday Dec 3 2025 06:10

2 min

Table of Contents

1. Analyzing Real-Yield DeFi Projects: Ethena, Pendle, and Hyperliquid
1.1 Key Takeaways
1.2 Core Questions for Evaluating Real-Yield Projects
1.3 Ethena (ENA): High Fees, Meager Profits, Heavy Subsidies
1.4 Pendle (PENDLE): A Value Correction
1.5 Hyperliquid (HYPE): A $1 Billion+ Revenue Machine, Now Cutting Rates
1.6 Conclusion: What's Mispriced?

Analyzing Real-Yield DeFi Projects: Ethena, Pendle, and Hyperliquid

We examine DeFi projects boasting "real yields" – Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and Hyperliquid (HYPE). We pose a central question: do their fundamentals remain robust despite token price declines, or are the yields themselves under pressure?

Key Takeaways

* **Ethena (ENA):** High fees, meager earnings, and heavy subsidies. * **Pendle (PENDLE):** Value deterioration driven by declining fundamentals. * **Hyperliquid (HYPE):** A profit-printing machine, but growth relies on fee reductions.

Core Questions for Evaluating Real-Yield Projects

1. **Fees:** Are users still paying fees, or has activity peaked and declined? 2. **Protocol Revenue:** What percentage of these fees actually accrue to the protocol? 3. **Earnings vs. Incentives:** How much is left after subtracting token incentives and subsidies? 4. **Valuation:** What multiple of revenue/earnings are we paying at the current price?

Ethena (ENA): High Fees, Meager Profits, Heavy Subsidies

Ethena trades around $0.28–$0.29 with a market cap of $2.1 billion. However, the vast majority of these fees are recycled back into incentives to maintain high yields. Consequently, net earnings available to ENA holders are minimal.

Pendle (PENDLE): A Value Correction

Pendle trades around $2.7, down approximately 64% from its all-time high. While conversion rates remain strong, absolute numbers are shrinking. The massive decline in Total Value Locked (TVL) is the crucial data point for Pendle. This drop doesn't reflect a divergence between price and value, but rather a logical reflection of declining trading activity.

Hyperliquid (HYPE): A $1 Billion+ Revenue Machine, Now Cutting Rates

Hyperliquid trades around $35–$36 with a market cap of roughly $9-10 billion. However, the investment logic is shifting from "pure cash flow" to "aggressive growth" as the team cuts taker fees by up to 90% to capture market share in emerging markets. The future returns hinge on whether these fee cuts will drive significant expansion in trading volume.

Conclusion: What's Mispriced?

* **Real yield alone is not enough:** ENA demonstrates that fees do not equal earnings. * **PENDLE is a “value trap,” not a buy:** Data shows a clear deterioration in fundamentals. * **Even winners are feeling the pressure:** HYPE cutting fees for growth and ENA maintaining high subsidy levels suggests even dominant protocols are feeling pressure. In conclusion, while there are indeed divergences between price and value, they are not necessarily bullish. PENDLE looks like a rapidly shrinking project, validating the bearish price trend, while HYPE and ENA's decisions suggest the environment remains fragile.

Risk Warning: this article represents only the author’s views and is for reference only. It does not constitute investment advice or financial guidance, nor does it represent the stance of the Markets.com platform.When considering shares, indices, forex (foreign exchange) and commodities for trading and price predictions, remember that trading CFDs involves a significant degree of risk and could result in capital loss.Past performance is not indicative of any future results. This information is provided for informative purposes only and should not be construed to be investment advice. Trading cryptocurrency CFDs and spread bets is restricted for all UK retail clients. 

Written by:

Emma Rose

Analyzing Real-Yield DeFi Projects: Ethena, Pendle, and Hyperliquid

Analyzing Real-Yield DeFi Projects: Ethena, Pendle, and Hyperliquid

Key Takeaways

Core Questions for Evaluating Real-Yield Projects

Ethena (ENA): High Fees, Meager Profits, Heavy Subsidies

Pendle (PENDLE): A Value Correction

Hyperliquid (HYPE): A $1 Billion+ Revenue Machine, Now Cutting Rates

Conclusion: What's Mispriced?

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