New DeFi trend: which projects could generate real value in 2026? 😏

Grayscale highlighted DeFi projects with strong fundamentals, saying that market leaders will likely be the protocols generating real cash flow, using buybacks and token burns - not just issuing “empty governance tokens” with abstract voting rights.

For us, this is a clear trend to watch: projects where tokens are backed by real platform revenue, not just hype.

A few names that could benefit from this narrative:

🟠 HYPE - one of the leaders by market cap and volume. Hyperliquid directs a large share of fees into token buybacks through the Assistance Fund. One of the strongest business models in crypto right now.
🟠 AAVE - the largest DeFi lending protocol, with over $30B in TVL. It recently launched a buyback program funded by platform revenue.
🟠 UNI - after years of debate, Uniswap finally activated the fee switch. Part of the protocol fees can now potentially work in favor of token holders.
🟠 SKY - the new version of MakerDAO. Its Smart Burn Engine automatically converts excess stablecoin profits into open-market SKY buybacks and burns.
🟠$PENDLE - one of the main beneficiaries of the restaking market. The project is moving toward a model where platform revenue is converted into buybacks for users who lock their tokens in staking.
🟠 $ASTER - a DEX with one of the strongest tokenomics models, distributing fees to investors and directing 99% of daily platform revenue toward token buybacks.

If the previous cycle was mostly about TVL, this one looks much closer to traditional equities - where profit and capital return matter most.

This is not about quick 10x moves. It looks more like a long-term trend. And during the next bull market, these DeFi projects could become some of the strongest leaders.#MyGateTradeStory