The DeFi ecosystem is undergoing a liquidity stress test triggered by the use of $116,500 rsETH stolen from the Kelp DAO bridge as collateral on $AAVE, escalating into a $200 million debt crisis. Amid this turbulent period, Aave’s TVL dropped sharply by 32% to $17 billion, and stablecoin pools became locked up. Lido’s $LDO, with a TVL of $21 billion and weekly growth nearing 4%, has reclaimed the top spot in TVL rankings. This shift clearly demonstrates the liquid staking model’s role as a safe haven during periods of rising systemic risk in the market, and underscores LDO’s position as a foundational pillar of the DeFi world.