Asset managers project long-term valuations for DeFi tokens using fee-based frameworks and collateral premiums.
Grayscale and CoinShares have applied traditional finance valuation models to decentralized finance tokens, projecting Ether (ETH) at $4,935 and AAVE at $175 by 2031. The models incorporate protocol fees, buybacks, and token utility as key drivers, with ETH’s value largely tied to its collateral and monetary roles rather than cash flows alone.
CoinShares also valued Hyperliquid’s HYPE token at $147, citing its direct value accrual mechanism where 99% of fees fund buybacks. The firm used a sum-of-the-parts approach for ETH, blending cash flow projections with broader economic premiums. Standard Chartered forecasts DeFi assets could reach $2.7 trillion by 2030, driven by tokenization and traditional finance partnerships.
The reports highlight growing institutional interest in DeFi’s long-term potential, though valuations remain speculative and dependent on adoption trends.