BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has invested approximately $2 million in leading DeFi tokens LDO and AAVE through an over-the-counter (OTC) transaction, according to on-chain data analyzed by @EmberCN. The transfer from institutional market maker Flowdesk included 1.125 million LDO tokens and 3,033.14 AAVE tokens, valued collectively at $2.05 million.
This strategic acquisition highlights Hayes' continued confidence in Ethereum's decentralized finance ecosystem, where LDO powers Lido DAO's liquid staking solutions, allowing ETH holders to earn yield while maintaining liquidity. Meanwhile, AAVE serves as the governance token for the Aave Protocol, a top-tier decentralized lending platform. Both are considered "blue-chip" DeFi assets due to their established utility and market positions.
The OTC nature of the transaction suggests Hayes aimed to avoid market slippage while making this substantial move. His investment follows a history of public endorsements for Ethereum and DeFi infrastructure, reinforcing the sector's growing institutional appeal. This comes amid ongoing industry focus on enhancing DeFi security, user experience, and regulatory clarity.
