TVL Total Value Locked Indicator Analysis And Applications

11/26/2025, 7:58:15 AM
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the definition, calculation methods, and core role of TVL in the DeFi space, exploring how it influences investment decisions, market sentiment, and protocol security, as well as analyzing the factors affecting TVL and its application scenarios.

The basic concept of TVL

TVL refers to the total value of crypto assets locked in decentralized finance smart contracts, covering various scenarios such as liquidity mining, lending collateral, and staking, reflecting the scale of funds in the protocol and user activity.

The calculation method of TVL

The total is obtained by counting the number of assets within the protocol and converting them to market value (mainly in USD). This value will fluctuate in real-time with the price changes of cryptocurrencies and user capital flows.

The Importance of TVL

As a measure of the scale of a protocol and market trust, a higher TVL indicates more user participation and financial support, providing a reference for investors to select high liquidity and secure protocols.

Factors Affecting TVL

Market price fluctuations, user capital inflows and outflows, protocol incentive policies, and security incidents can all lead to fluctuations in TVL, and these factors collectively determine the trend of TVL changes.

TVL in DeFi Applications

TVL is a key indicator of the security and activity level of decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, yield farms, and cross-chain bridges, helping to assess the protocol’s risk resistance and market acceptance.

Summary

TVL is an indicator for quickly understanding the scale and market status of DeFi protocols. Although it has limitations, it still holds significant reference value for investment and research.

* The information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice or any other recommendation of any sort offered or endorsed by Gate.