★ Score sheet10 servicesLast updated · July 2026

Best Liquid Restaking Protocols (LRTs) — July 2026

Liquid restaking protocols (LRTs) build on EigenLayer to let users earn Ethereum staking rewards PLUS additional rewards from securing Actively Validated Services (AVSs). Leaders include ether.fi Stake (largest LRT by TVL), Kelp DAO, and Renzo.

Curated by Chelsea Crawford · Security & Self-Custody Correspondent

Services scored

ranked & reviewed

Average score

5.4

across all entries

Top contender

ether.fi Stake

8.2 / 10

Refreshed

July 2026

re-tested monthly

At a glance

The best liquid restaking protocols (lrts) — july 2026 compared

Side-by-side rankings of the top contenders. Tap any row to jump to the full breakdown below.

10 entries

#	Service	Best for	Score	TVL	Category rank	Review
🥇	ether.fi Stake	Users needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.	8.2	$3.20B	#1	Review →
🥈	Renzo	Cross-chain DeFi users who want the same protocol accessible from many networks.	7.8	$95.85M	#3	Review →
🥉	Kelp	Users needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.	6.5	$961.26M	#2	Review →
#4	Puffer Stake	Users with specific requirements Puffer Stake meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	5.7	$47.50M	#4	Review →
#5	Mantle Restaking	Users with specific requirements Mantle Restaking meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	5.3	$35.49M	#5	Review →
#6	Mellow Restaking	Users with specific requirements Mellow Restaking meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	5.0	$21.90M	#7	Review →
#7	Swell Liquid Restaking	Users with specific requirements Swell Liquid Restaking meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	4.6	$24.11M	#6	Review →
#8	Bedrock uniETH	Users with specific requirements Bedrock uniETH meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	3.9	$19.97M	#8	Review →
#9	Kyros	Users with specific requirements Kyros meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	3.5	$9.01M	#9	Review →
#10	InceptionLRT (Isolated Restaking)	Users with specific requirements InceptionLRT (Isolated Restaking) meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.	3.2	$5.33M	#10	Review →

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Deep dive

In-depth reviews

Full criteria breakdown for each service. Click through to the dedicated review for the long-form analysis.

ether.fi Stake

Best forUsers needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.

Overall

8.2

Score breakdown

TVL

10.0

Battle-tested

6.0

Chain coverage

6.0

Category leadership

10.0

Momentum

6.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 10.0/10: TVL of $3.20B — top-tier in the category. Institutional-grade capital depth.
Battle-tested · 6.0/10: Deployed 2 years ago — moderate track record without a full cycle test yet.
Chain coverage · 6.0/10: Deployed on 3 chains — meaningful cross-chain reach but not comprehensive.
Category leadership · 10.0/10: Ranked #1 in the category by TVL — market-leading position.
Momentum · 6.0/10: +2.9% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state.

▲ Pros

TVL (10/10): TVL of $3.20B — top-tier in the category
Category leadership (10/10): Ranked #1 in the category by TVL — market-leading position

▼ Cons

Battle-tested (6/10): Deployed 2 years ago — moderate track record without a full cycle test yet
Chain coverage (6/10): Deployed on 3 chains — meaningful cross-chain reach but not comprehensive
Momentum (6/10): +2.9% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state

TVL$3.20BCategory rank#1Chains37d TVL change+2.93%Age~2 yearsPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Renzo

Best forCross-chain DeFi users who want the same protocol accessible from many networks.

Overall

7.8

Score breakdown

TVL

8.0

Battle-tested

6.0

Chain coverage

10.0

Category leadership

9.0

Momentum

5.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 8.0/10: TVL of $95.85M — established scale within the top decile of DeFi protocols.
Battle-tested · 6.0/10: Deployed 2 years ago — moderate track record without a full cycle test yet.
Chain coverage · 10.0/10: Deployed on 13 chains — the widest coverage in the category, meaning users have access from nearly any network.
Category leadership · 9.0/10: Ranked #3 in the category by TVL — top-3 protocol.
Momentum · 5.0/10: -1.4% TVL over 7 days — mild outflows in line with sector movement.

▲ Pros

TVL (8/10): TVL of $95.85M — established scale within the top decile of DeFi protocols
Chain coverage (10/10): Deployed on 13 chains — the widest coverage in the category, meaning users have access from nearly any network
Category leadership (9/10): Ranked #3 in the category by TVL — top-3 protocol

▼ Cons

Battle-tested (6/10): Deployed 2 years ago — moderate track record without a full cycle test yet
Momentum (5/10): -1.4% TVL over 7 days — mild outflows in line with sector movement

TVL$95.85MCategory rank#3Chains137d TVL change-1.35%Age~2 yearsPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Kelp

Best forUsers needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.

Overall

6.5

Score breakdown

TVL

9.0

Battle-tested

3.0

Chain coverage

3.0

Category leadership

9.0

Momentum

5.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 9.0/10: TVL of $961.26M — top-tier in the category. Institutional-grade capital depth.
Battle-tested · 3.0/10: Launch date not clearly documented in public data.
Chain coverage · 3.0/10: Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol.
Category leadership · 9.0/10: Ranked #2 in the category by TVL — top-3 protocol.
Momentum · 5.0/10: -0.6% TVL over 7 days — mild outflows in line with sector movement.

▲ Pros

TVL (9/10): TVL of $961.26M — top-tier in the category
Category leadership (9/10): Ranked #2 in the category by TVL — top-3 protocol

▼ Cons

Battle-tested (3/10 — major concern): Launch date not clearly documented in public data
Chain coverage (3/10 — major concern): Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol
Momentum (5/10): -0.6% TVL over 7 days — mild outflows in line with sector movement

TVL$961.26MCategory rank#2Chains17d TVL change-0.60%Agenot documentedPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Puffer Stake

Best forUsers with specific requirements Puffer Stake meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.

Overall

5.7

Score breakdown

TVL

7.0

Battle-tested

3.0

Chain coverage

3.0

Category leadership

8.0

Momentum

6.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 7.0/10: TVL of $47.50M — established scale within the top decile of DeFi protocols.
Battle-tested · 3.0/10: Launch date not clearly documented in public data.
Chain coverage · 3.0/10: Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol.
Category leadership · 8.0/10: Ranked #4 in the category — top-5 by TVL, materially larger than the long tail.
Momentum · 6.0/10: +2.8% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state.

▲ Pros

Category leadership (8/10): Ranked #4 in the category — top-5 by TVL, materially larger than the long tail

▼ Cons

TVL (7/10 — noticeable weakness): TVL of $47.50M — established scale within the top decile of DeFi protocols
Battle-tested (3/10 — major concern): Launch date not clearly documented in public data
Chain coverage (3/10 — major concern): Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol
Momentum (6/10): +2.8% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state

TVL$47.50MCategory rank#4Chains17d TVL change+2.82%Agenot documentedPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Mantle Restaking

Best forUsers with specific requirements Mantle Restaking meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.

Overall

5.3

Score breakdown

TVL

6.0

Battle-tested

3.0

Chain coverage

3.0

Category leadership

8.0

Momentum

6.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 6.0/10: TVL of $35.49M — meaningful capital base, though not top-quartile.
Battle-tested · 3.0/10: Launch date not clearly documented in public data.
Chain coverage · 3.0/10: Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol.
Category leadership · 8.0/10: Ranked #5 in the category — top-5 by TVL, materially larger than the long tail.
Momentum · 6.0/10: +2.5% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state.

▲ Pros

Category leadership (8/10): Ranked #5 in the category — top-5 by TVL, materially larger than the long tail

▼ Cons

TVL (6/10): TVL of $35.49M — meaningful capital base, though not top-quartile
Battle-tested (3/10 — major concern): Launch date not clearly documented in public data
Chain coverage (3/10 — major concern): Single-chain deployment — users must be on that specific network to access the protocol
Momentum (6/10): +2.5% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state

TVL$35.49MCategory rank#5Chains17d TVL change+2.51%Agenot documentedPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Mellow Restaking

Best forUsers with specific requirements Mellow Restaking meets — verify the underlying data before committing capital.

Overall

5.0

Score breakdown

TVL

4.0

Battle-tested

3.0

Chain coverage

8.0

Category leadership

6.0

Momentum

6.0

+Why these scores

TVL · 4.0/10: TVL of $21.90M — thin capital base by peer standards, which affects fee revenue and depth on any single position.
Battle-tested · 3.0/10: Launch date not clearly documented in public data.
Chain coverage · 8.0/10: Deployed on 5 chains — solid multi-chain coverage across major L1s and L2s.
Category leadership · 6.0/10: Ranked #7 in the category — top-10 by TVL.
Momentum · 6.0/10: +3.0% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state.

▲ Pros

Chain coverage (8/10): Deployed on 5 chains — solid multi-chain coverage across major L1s and L2s

▼ Cons

TVL (4/10 — major concern): TVL of $21.90M — thin capital base by peer standards, which affects fee revenue and depth on any single position
Battle-tested (3/10 — major concern): Launch date not clearly documented in public data
Category leadership (6/10): Ranked #7 in the category — top-10 by TVL
Momentum (6/10): +3.0% TVL over 7 days — flat-to-positive; steady state

TVL$21.90MCategory rank#7Chains57d TVL change+2.99%Agenot documentedPrimary chainEthereum

Full review Visit site

Methodology

How we rate best liquid restaking protocols (lrts) — july 2026

What are liquid restaking protocols (lrts)?

Top-scored liquid restaking protocols (lrts) in July 2026

The three highest-scoring liquid restaking protocols (lrts) on our composite methodology this month:

1. ether.fi Stake — 8.20/10

Users needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.

2. Renzo — 7.80/10

Cross-chain DeFi users who want the same protocol accessible from many networks.

3. Kelp — 6.50/10

Users needing maximum liquidity depth for institutional-scale positions.

How to choose the right liquid restaking protocol

LRTs are a young category (all launched 2023-2024). For maximum size + accepted DeFi collateral, ether.fi is the current TVL leader. For diversified LRT baskets, Kelp DAO aggregates positions across multiple AVSs. Before choosing, size exposure to what you can afford to lose.

What can go wrong

LRTs stack risks: Ethereum consensus risk + LST protocol risk + EigenLayer restaking contract risk + AVS-specific slashing risk. Most protocols launched 2023-2024 — no LRT has yet operated through a full stress cycle. Category-wide caution is warranted; treat as higher-risk yield rather than a safe base position.

How we score liquid restaking protocols (lrts)

Liquid restaking protocols are scored on five criteria from DefiLlama's public API — TVL, protocol age, chain coverage, category leadership, and 7-day momentum. No affiliate arrangement influences the ranking.

The criteria

TVL (weight: 35%)

Percentile vs top-10 in category. Source: DefiLlama /protocols.

Battle-tested (weight: 20%)

Years since major-version deployment. Source: DefiLlama + editorial lookup.

Chain coverage (weight: 15%)

Number of chains deployed. Source: DefiLlama /protocols.

Category leadership (weight: 20%)

Rank within category by TVL. Source: DefiLlama /protocols.

Momentum (weight: 10%)

7-day TVL change bucketed. Source: DefiLlama /protocols.

Update cadence

Auto-refreshed monthly. Restaking is a young category — expect the ranking to shift as protocols mature.

Related rankings on Crypto Compass News

FAQ

Frequently asked

What is the best liquid restaking protocol in 2026?

Our current top-scored liquid restaking protocol is [ether.fi Stake](/reviews/ether-fi-stake/) at 8.20/10 on our composite methodology. Runner-ups: [Renzo](/reviews/renzo/) at 7.80/10 and [Kelp](/reviews/kelp/) at 6.50/10. See the ranking above for per-criterion scores.

How are liquid restaking protocols (lrts) ranked on this page?

Every entry is scored on 5 criteria: tvl (35%), battle-tested (20%), chain coverage (15%), category leadership (20%), momentum (10%). All criteria are computed from public data sources — no manual reordering, no affiliate influence. The composite is a weighted average of all criteria, capped at 10.

Are these liquid restaking protocols (lrts) rankings influenced by affiliate deals?

No. Every score is computed from published data. No entry can pay for placement; external links are informational and we do not receive commission for any placement.

How often is this liquid restaking protocols (lrts) ranking updated?

Auto-refreshed monthly. Restaking is a young category — expect the ranking to shift as protocols mature.

What is the difference between liquid staking and liquid restaking?

Liquid staking (Lido, Rocket Pool) stakes your ETH with an Ethereum validator and issues you a receipt token (stETH, rETH) that earns base staking yield (~3-4% APR). Liquid restaking (via [ether.fi](/reviews/ether-fi-stake/), [Renzo](/reviews/renzo/), etc.) takes staked ETH and additionally uses it as collateral to secure other protocols (AVSs) on EigenLayer, earning additional yield but exposing you to additional slashing risk.

Are liquid restaking tokens safe?

They're riskier than standard LSTs. Each additional AVS your LRT secures adds a potential slashing condition. Smart contract risk is compounded across multiple layers. For 2026, the LRT category has not yet been through a major exploit event — historical resilience is not proven. Size accordingly.

What is EigenLayer?

EigenLayer is a protocol that lets Ethereum stakers "restake" their staked ETH to secure additional services (called AVSs — Actively Validated Services). In exchange, restakers earn extra rewards but accept slashing risk on both Ethereum consensus AND the AVSs they choose to secure. LRTs are user-facing wrappers around EigenLayer that add liquidity and yield aggregation.

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