Author

Oliver Benjamin

@oliver-benjamin · 663 live articles · Page 9

Oliver Benjamin is a DeFi research writer at DefiLiban, specializing in decentralized finance systems, token economics, liquidity design, and blockchain market structure. His work focuses on analyzing how DeFi protocols function beneath surface-level narratives, with particular attention to incentives, on-chain behavior, yield systems, and emerging crypto infrastructure. He is known for producing research-driven content that explains complex decentralized systems in a structured and accessible way. Before joining DefiLiban, Oliver worked across quantitative finance, blockchain research, and digital asset analysis roles involving DeFi strategy evaluation, smart contract ecosystems, and market data interpretation. He holds an M.Sc. in Quantitative Finance from Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and has completed additional certifications in blockchain architecture, machine learning, and DeFi research. Oliver’s writing combines analytical depth with practical market insight, focusing on system design, protocol mechanics, and long-term developments within decentralized finance.

Protocols

Ethena Foundation Proposes Fee Switch for ENA Token Buybacks

The Ethena Foundation has proposed a fee switch that would route protocol revenue toward ENA token buybacks, a governance-level change to how the protocol allocates its fee flow. The measure is a proposal, not an active mechanism, and would require governance approval before any buyback program begins.

Aug 27·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

US-Government Alameda Bitcoin Move Sparks Sell-Off Fears, but the Signal Is Murkier

A US-government wallet moved Bitcoin tied to Alameda Research, reviving fears of a federal sell-off, but the catch is that an on-chain transfer alone does not confirm the coins were sold, keeping the US government Alameda Bitcoin transfer firmly in the "watch, do not panic" column.

Aug 27·2 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

Bitcoin Below $79,000 as XRP Leads Crypto Losses on Fed Hike Bets

Bitcoin slipped below $79,000 on August 27, 2026, with XRP leading losses across major tokens as traders repriced the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike, turning the macro backdrop hostile for risk assets that had been probing resistance just days earlier.

Aug 27·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

3 New ETFs Target Small-Caps, Bitcoin, and a Cathie Wood Buffer

Three new exchange-traded funds are drawing attention for packaging very different risk profiles under one launch cycle: a small-cap equity vehicle, a Bitcoin-linked product, and a Cathie Wood buffer strategy.

Aug 27·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

Bitcoin Price Pauses as ETF Inflows Stay Positive

Bitcoin cooled off on August 26, 2026, slipping under $79,000 after a rapid run higher, yet the pause looks like consolidation rather than a breakdown as U. S.

Aug 26·4 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

Infrastructure

Ethereum Developers Propose First Step to Protect ETH Staking From Quantum Attacks

Ethereum core developers have opened a draft Ethereum Improvement Proposal to shield ETH staking from future quantum attacks, introducing a post-quantum-ready validator deposit contract as the first concrete protocol-level step toward retiring the network's current BLS signature scheme.

Aug 26·5 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

BlackRock Cuts Bitcoin ETF Swap Minimum to $1 Million: Report

BlackRock has reportedly lowered the minimum size for swap transactions in its spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund to $1 million, a change that would widen access to the in-kind creation and redemption workflow behind the largest US bitcoin ETF.

Aug 26·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

Infrastructure

LayerZero Unveils Trading Infrastructure for Crypto and Tokenized Markets

On August 25, 2026, LayerZero introduced ATLAS, short for Aggregated Trading Liquidity and Settlement, describing it as a universal backend built to power global markets, according to the launch post . The design targets both open, permissionless venues and institutional trading desks from a single stack.

Aug 25·4 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

Protocols

LayerZero Unveils ATLAS Exchange Engine: What the Launch Signals

LayerZero has unveiled ATLAS, an exchange engine positioned as infrastructure for global markets, marking the interoperability protocol's push beyond cross-chain messaging and into the matching-and-settlement layer of the DeFi stack.

Aug 25·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

Risk

3% Token Move Triggers $36M in Ethereum DeFi Liquidations

A token move of roughly 3% cascaded into about $36 million in Ethereum DeFi liquidations, a reminder that in leveraged onchain markets the size of a price swing matters far less than where collateral thresholds sit.

Aug 25·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

News

Solana Overtakes XRP on ETF Buzz as $20M Upside Claim Gains Attention

Solana (SOL) is being framed as pulling ahead of XRP in an ETF-driven market narrative, with a reported $20 million upside figure anchoring the discussion. The claim centers on relative attention between the two assets rather than any confirmed shift in protocol fundamentals or on-chain liquidity.

Aug 25·2 min read·By Oliver Benjamin

Liquidity

Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs Added $23B Last Week but Only $2.6B Was New Money

Assets under management for a spot ETF move for two reasons: investors subscribe or redeem shares, and the underlying spot price of BTC or ETH re-marks the existing holdings. The weekly $23 billion figure blends both effects into one number, which is why it overstates how much conviction actually showed up.

Aug 25·3 min read·By Oliver Benjamin