Share this article
Ether's Freefall Below $1.9K Roils DeFi, Jeopardizes Crypto Loan Backed by $130M in ETH
Falling ETH prices also threaten other DeFi loans, with potential liquidations that could further impact the token's price.
Updated Mar 10, 2025, 7:58 p.m. Published Mar 10, 2025, 7:35 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
What to know:
- Ethereum's ETH price nosedived nearly 10% on Monday, roiling DeFi markets where the token is a key collateral asset.
- A large DeFi loan on Sky (formerly Maker) backed by $130 million worth of ETH is currently in danger of being liquidated despite the borrower pledging another 2,000 ETH as additional collateral.
- There are some $336 million worth of assets subject to liquidation on DeFi protocols within 20% ETH price range, DefiLlama shows.
Ethereum's ETH has been spiraling on Monday, jeopardizing a large decentralized finance (DeFi) loan on lending platform Sky (formerly Maker) of being liquidated.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
The borrower in danger took out a $74 million loan in DAI stablecoin by pledging 65,680 ETH as collateral, worth nearly $130 million earlier today, per a Sky vault data dashboard.
On an already weak day for crypto markets, ETH plunged nearly 10% to $1,820, below the loan's liquidation level slightly above $1,900.
Blockchain data by Debank shows that the borrower withdrew 2,000 ETH, worth nearly $4 million at current prices, from crypto exchange Bitfinex earlier Monday and deposited the assets to the Maker vault, propping up the loan's collateral to avoid liquidation. As ETH prices continued to fall, the borrower withdrew $1.6 million of USDT stablecoin from Binance, exchanged it to DAI and deposited to Maker to reduce the debt to $73.1 million.
Following the transactions, the liquidation level for the loan stood at $1,836 price of ETH, still dangerously close as ETH traded at around $1,870 recently.
Read more: Ether Came Dangerously Close to Massive Liquidation. Here Are Some Levels to Watch
It's not the only DeFi loan in danger of rapidly falling ETH prices. There are some $13.6 million worth of loans at a liquidation level $1,857 ETH, and another $117 million of loans being liquidated at $1,780, DefiLlama data shows. There are some $366 million of debt to be liquidated if ETH falls another 20%, per DefiLlama data.
Liquidations in DeFi may have a significant impact on a collateral asset's price, as the protocol sells or actions off the collateral of a liquidated loan, exacerbating the selling pressure.
UPDATE (March 10, 19:58 UTC): Added the borrower's latest blockchain transaction to reduce debt.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold
Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.
What to know:
- During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
- Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
- Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.
Top Stories
