📍Ethereum is no longer just a smart contract platform — it is now the yield-generating machine for smart money

📌 Traditional staking remains a pillar with over 36 million ETH locked, providing an APY of about 2.5%–3.3%. But the real game lies in restaking and synthetic yield — where smart money optimizes every part of the capital.

📌 Restaking via EigenLayer has exploded with a significant increase in TVL, with EtherFi alone surpassing $10B. Stakers do not stop at one layer of yield but continue to "double-dip" by restaking stETH, eETH to farm additional rewards.

📌 Meanwhile, synthetic yield platforms like USDe/Ethena allow staking ETH to mint stablecoins and earn additional yield of ~8.5% APY. The supply of USDe has nearly doubled in Q2 – clearly reflecting the influx of smart money.

📌 Additionally, there is funding rate farming, lending/liquidity pool farming with APYs ranging from 27–50% depending on position and platform — aimed at funds willing to accept higher risk to maximize leverage.

💭 ETH is now not just an appreciating asset — it is a cash-flow-generating asset that can be quantified, has real yield, has derivative products, and operates strategically like a digital bond. Smart money is leveraging every layer. Anyone who still only knows to "hold ETH" is standing outside the real game.