In an episode featuring a lineup of distinguished guests, Mark (@0xVEER) teams up with prominent figures from the Mantle Ecosystem to discuss the latest trends in the DeFi space. The conversation highlights Mantle's role and the significance of $mETH in shaping the future of decentralized finance.

Our guests within this AMA include the founder of EigenLayer Sreeram (@sreeramkannan), Head of Growth at Ethena Seraphim (@MacroMate8), CEO of Butter.xyz Baker Bagel (@butterbagel_), BD Lead at Merchant Moe Davide (@DavideFi_), Co-Founder of Pendle TN (@tn_pendle), Founder of INIT Capital Tascha (@tascha _panpan), and CTO of Circuit Protocol Fissure.

Who is EigenLayer's target audience?

Sreeram: EigenLayer is a multi-sided ecosystem aiming to engage various distinct audiences. For instance, we have stakers. So, anyone with Ether (ETH) or any ETH-related assets can stake on EigenLayer. Then, we have node operators on the other side of the market. We have an array of professional node operators on our testnet, including Blockdaemon, P2P, Google Cloud, and Coinbase Cloud. It's important to note that it's not just professional node operators that we are trying to attract — EigenLayer is also catered to home and solo stakers.

EigenLayer is actively seeking to draw in individuals who are developing and implementing new decentralized protocols on its platform. These are individuals involved in creating new crypto infrastructure protocols, such as bridges, oracles, and data availability solutions.

How do liquid staking tokens integrate with EigenLayer, and when can we expect $mETH to be integrated?

Sreeram: Regarding introducing LSP tokens on EigenLayer, the primary concept was to create a platform that isn't subject to permissions and extensive procedures. The idea was to make an incredibly neutral platform where anybody can bring any set of assets, and the Actively Validated Services (AVSs) may decide which asset to use to secure their protocol. When you couple that with the fact that we have an ongoing partnership with Mantle, you can expect to see $mETH on EigenLayer very soon.

What kind of user base is Ethena trying to serve?

Seraphim: Currently, our stablecoin is generating a yield of about 20%, sourced from staking rates that include both $mETH and perpetual futures basis. Our focus is on attracting those holding USDT, USDC, and other stablecoins, encouraging them to exchange them for yield-bearing assets.

Are there specific markets that you think using USDe would be a realistic and reasonable form of payment?

Seraphim: If you're operating in the FinTech sector, providing your users with yields while allowing them to transact is a practical approach. While integrating FinTech applications with our services is a possibility in the future, our current focus is primarily on the core market, which includes centralized exchanges and decentralized finance for the time being.

Who is Circuit Protocol trying to target?

Fissure: We aim to simplify concepts like yield farming, so that anyone can understand them without needing to grasp all the technical details. We want to make it extremely straightforward: deposit into a vault, watch the numbers grow, and we handle the rest. Ultimately, Circuit is designed for everyone, irrespective of their understanding of DeFi.

Who is INIT Capital's target audience?

Tascha: INIT Capital primarily focuses on two key audience groups. The first group includes individuals seeking to generate yield from their cryptocurrency assets, ranging from straightforward lending activities to more sophisticated strategies like engaging in options liquidity hooks on INIT. Then, the other group is DeFi protocols that can build liquidity hooks.

Who is Merchant Moe targeting with their platform?

Davide: The most obvious answer is the traders who wish to participate in the market. Our responsibility is to present a diverse range of tokens for them to trade, coupled with an exceptionally user-friendly interface, making DeFi approachable and accessible to the average user.

What kind of users are Pendle trying to target?

TN: For Pendle, we can split this up into the following three categories: Liquidity providers, individuals or institutions looking to obtain fixed rates, and lastly, the speculators of yield. Liquidity providers range from institutions possessing tens of billions of dollars, aiming to supply liquidity for yield generation, to individual investors with lesser funds who seek to achieve the same goal. The user profile for those looking to achieve fixed yield is similar because obtaining fixed yield on Pendle is very straightforward.

Next, there are the yield speculators. This group typically consists of more advanced users, as it demands a thorough understanding of the protocol's workings. Additionally, these users must actively trade and monitor their positions.

What are you most looking forward to in 2024?

Baker Bagel: 2024 is set to be a pivotal year for Mantle, and here's why: Liquid staking and staking on Ethereum represent one of the most genuine and fundamental sources of sustainable yield in the entire cryptocurrency ecosystem. This yield form is the most sustainable, because every validator agrees that this is the protocol we're going to abide by. This consensus is vital for Mantle.

By incorporating $mETH as a central component of Mantle Ecosystem, Mantle becomes more integrated into that yield than any other L2 platform. This integration is a key reason behind the decision to develop Butter on Mantle, and it's why 2024 is poised to be a significant year for Mantle, as this yield becomes accessible to users globally.

Bear in mind that these highlights represent just a fraction of what was covered in the AMA. To access the complete discussion, make your way to our X/Twitter. And don't forget to follow us there to keep abreast of the newest happenings in the Mantle Ecosystem.