Restaking yields come from token emissions and VC incentives, not productive activity. Complex models concentrate power among large operators, while compounding risk cascades.
Opinion by: Laura Wallendal, co-founder and CEO of Acre
Restaking is often heralded as the next big thing in decentralized finance (DeFi) yields, but behind the hype lies a precarious balancing act. Validators are stacking responsibilities and slashing risks, incentives are misaligned, and much of the $21 billion in total value locked (TVL) is held by a handful of whales and venture capitalists rather than the broader market.
Let’s break down why restaking lacks real product-market fit and how it compounds more risk than it yields. Most importantly, we need to confront the uncomfortable questions: Who profits when the system fails, and who is left holding the risk?