The total value locked (TVL) across decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols has dropped sharply since the start of the year. According to CryptoRank data, the TVL in DeFi plunged from around $115 billion in January to $70 billion by the end of June. This represents a staggering $45 billion decline in just six months.
Decline persisted throughout the year
On-chain analyses show that DeFi TVL decreased every month throughout 2026. Among the top ten blockchain networks, only Tron and Hyperliquid managed to achieve positive growth this year. TVL on the Tron network rose by roughly 5%, while Hyperliquid saw an increase of about 7%.
Tron’s growth was attributed to the network’s dominant role in USDT transfers and stablecoin settlements. Meanwhile, Hyperliquid’s rise was linked to its prominence in on-chain perpetual futures trading.
Mini glossary: Perpetual futures are derivative products without a set expiration date. To keep prices close to the spot market, a funding mechanism is usually used.
Of the top ten blockchains, Arbitrum experienced the steepest drop. Its TVL sank 55.3% to $1.3 billion. While Ethereum’s TVL fell 43% since January, it still led the DeFi space with $38.9 billion locked. Solana also declined 40.5% to $4.93 billion over the same period.
According to CryptoRank, DeFi’s TVL declined every month in 2026. Among major chains, only Tron and Hyperliquid remained in positive territory for the year.
Falling market caps added to the pressure
DeFi outflows mirrored the broader cryptocurrency market’s correction. Data in the report shows bitcoin reached an all-time high above $122,000 in October 2025, with the total crypto market cap peaking at $4.21 trillion during the same period.
By the end of June, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.15 trillion, indicating a nearly 50% drop from last year’s peak. Bitcoin’s value is down more than 28% year-to-date. Ethereum has lost up to 43%, while BNB fell 33% and Solana tumbled 43.5% in the same timeframe.
Security breaches accelerated outflows
CryptoRank highlighted that this year’s high rate of security breaches contributed to the DeFi sector’s unraveling. Up to late June 2026, 121 attacks were recorded in the crypto industry, resulting in crypto losses totaling nearly $942 million. Of these, 85 incidents occurred in the second quarter alone, accounting for losses of around $775 million.
In the second quarter, KelpDAO lost $293 million after a vulnerability was exploited on a LayerZero-based cross-chain bridge. The Drift Protocol recorded $280 million in losses due to a separate security breach. Together, these two incidents made up about three-quarters of all recorded losses in the same period.
The KelpDAO attack also affected Aave. Hackers used stolen rsETH tokens with no underlying backing as collateral on Aave, borrowing funds and creating a gap in the protocol that proved difficult to recover. In the days following the incident, Aave’s TVL dropped from $26.4 billion to $14.3 billion—a 46% decline.
