Evernorth CEO Predicts Surge in Institutional DeFi Adoption by 2026
Written by Ohris M. Greyoon, Blockchain & Crypto Expert
Source: Coinmarketcap
Updated: Dec 25 2025- Market Trend Shift: Amid ongoing corrections in the crypto market, the total value locked (TVL) in DeFi has fallen to approximately $117.9 billion, reflecting a 1.9% decline over the past 24 hours, indicating reduced lending, staking, and trading activities, which highlights market weakness and investor caution.
- Borrowing Behavior Change: Against the backdrop of significant crypto price drops, borrowing on decentralized platform Aave plummeted 69% from $6.2 billion in August to $1.9 billion by November, demonstrating a marked decrease in leverage demand and risk appetite among investors.
- Centralized Platform Rebound: Despite the market downturn, centralized lending platform Nexo has seen a rebound in borrowing activity, with retail credit withdrawals spiking to $23 million in mid-November, a 155% week-over-week increase, indicating a shift in user behavior towards borrowing against crypto collateral rather than selling into weakness.
- Future Outlook: Evernorth CEO Asheesh Birla predicts that 2026 will mark the beginning of institutional DeFi, with more enterprises expected to leverage DeFi protocols combined with artificial intelligence to automate back-office operations, thereby enhancing payment and liquidity efficiency, which could drive the maturation and development of the crypto market.
About the author
Ohris M. Greyoon
Ohris M. Greyoon holds a Master’s in Computer Science from MIT and has 10 years of experience in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency markets. A pioneer in decentralized finance (DeFi) analysis, he leads Intellectia’s Crypto News, offering cutting-edge insights into digital assets.
