EigenLayer

EigenLayer offers a DeFi staking infrastructure platform that enables users to “restake” tokens that are already being used to validate Ethereum blockchain. Users can unlock natively staked ETH as well as liquid staked tokens, such as stETH and LsETH, and redelegate them across other blockchains in exchange for protocol fees and rewards. This allows for stakers to validate several blockchain modules including consensus protocols, data availability layers, virtual machines, keeper networks, oracle networks, and digital asset bridges, among others. The protocol also provides developers access to this staked capital base and decentralized validator set to enable new blockchain infrastructure designs.

In April 2024, EigenLayer launched its service on the Ethereum blockchain's mainnet, alongside its first actively validated service (AVS) named EigenDA. The solution will act as a decentralized transient data store for Ethereum rollups, enabling other blockchain protocols to store transaction data and other information.

Key customers and partnerships

As of March 2024, the company acts as an infrastructure layer for several ETH restaking platforms including Renzo, Puffer Finance, and Ether.fi. It also provides actively validated services to other blockchain protocols such as Celo, LayerN, Polymer Labs, and Near. It also had an ecosystem of operator partners that included Google Cloud, Coinbase Cloud, Deutsche Telekom, HashKey Cloud, Figment, and Nethermind.

In October 2024, the company partnered with LayerZero, a developer of an omnichain interoperability protocol, to develop and launch the CryptoEconomic Decentralized Verifier Networks (DVNs) Framework. This open-source framework allows users to bootstrap a DVN on EigenLayer using various tokens and operators. The CryptoEconomic DVN Framework introduces a system where verifiers stake assets like ZRO, EIGEN, and ETH to provide economic security for message verification across blockchains. It operates through a structured verification process, veto, and slashing, ensuring accountability and reliability in cross-chain communication.

Funding and financials

In February 2024, EigenLayer protocol raised USD 100 million in a series B funding round led by A16z Crypto, to support the continued development of the protocol.