Ever wondered why Avalanche (AVAX) is suddenly the talk of the town in DeFi circles? A recent tweet from Chris Kowalski, biz ops lead at Ava Labs, nails it perfectly: "Wonder where TVL growth is coming from on @avax? Short Answer: EVERYWHERE. AAVE, Circle, BENQI, Euler, Silo, and Blackrock BUIDL all up and to the right 🔺"
If you're new to the lingo, TVL stands for Total Value Locked—basically, the amount of crypto stashed in protocols on a blockchain, a key sign of real adoption and activity. And on Avalanche, that number isn't just ticking up; it's exploding.
This chart, courtesy of Token Terminal, tracks the weekly average TVL for Avalanche's top projects over nearly three years. What jumps out? A steady climb since early 2024, with peaks hitting around $6 billion. Green bars for AAVE (that lending giant) dominate the bottom, while purples and blues from BENQI Liquid Staking and Tether add serious heft. But the real eye-catcher? Those orange spikes from BlackRock's BUIDL—yep, the Wall Street behemoth's tokenized money market fund is pumping Avalanche's numbers like nobody's business.
Let's break it down project by project:
AAVE: The OG lending protocol, seeing consistent inflows as users chase yields on Avalanche's speedy subnets. It's the backbone here, holding steady even through market dips.
Circle: Home to USDC, the stablecoin king. More Circle action means more liquidity zipping around Avalanche, supercharging trades and staking.
BENQI: Liquid staking wizardry that lets you earn rewards without locking up your AVAX. No wonder it's stacking up—it's user-friendly DeFi at its finest.
Euler: A rising star in lending, rebuilt stronger after a 2023 hack. Its TVL rebound shows trust is back, drawing in risk-tolerant yield farmers.
Silo Finance: Niche but mighty, focusing on isolated lending markets to minimize risks. Steady growth signals smart money flowing into safer plays.
BlackRock BUIDL: The wildcard. BlackRock's entry via tokenized treasuries brings TradFi muscle to Avalanche, bridging billions from legacy finance. This isn't just hype—it's institutional cash validating the chain.
Why does this matter, especially if you're knee-deep in meme tokens or blockchain tinkering? Avalanche isn't just another L1; its subnet tech scales like wildfire, making it a playground for everything from DeFi to gaming and, yes, those viral meme launches. With TVL surging past $5B recently, it's a green light for builders. Want to deploy a meme coin with sub-second finality and dirt-cheap fees? Avalanche's ecosystem is primed.
Kowalski's tweet sparked quick nods from Token Terminal themselves ("👀✍️"), underscoring the data's freshness. As of September 18, 2025, this momentum feels unstoppable—especially with BlackRock's fingerprints all over it. If you're a practitioner hunting alpha, keep an eye on AVAX. The growth isn't coming from one hero; it's a full-team rally.
For more on Avalanche's DeFi edge or the latest meme token drops, stick around Meme Insider. What's your take—will BlackRock's push tip Avalanche into the big leagues? Drop a comment below.