The industry coalition's intervention comes as liquid staking derivatives face unprecedented scrutiny following the exploit that drained nearly $300 million from the protocol's smart contracts, affecting thousands of rsETH holders who provided liquidity to the restaking ecosystem.
Recovery Framework Details
- Total fund commitment: $292 million matching exploit losses
- Affected token: rsETH (restaked Ethereum derivative)
- Timeline: Technical proposal released April 28, implementation pending governance
- Coverage: Full restoration planned for verified rsETH holders
The technical proposal released by DeFi United outlines a multi-phase recovery mechanism that would restore rsETH balances through a combination of treasury funds from participating protocols and new token issuance backed by ETH collateral.
Industry leaders including major lending protocols and liquid staking providers have committed resources to the rescue fund, recognizing the systemic risk posed by a major restaking protocol collapse. The initiative parallels similar rescue efforts for Aave users affected by recent exploits, signaling growing coordination among DeFi protocols during crisis events.
"This response demonstrates the maturation of DeFi's crisis management capabilities," according to protocol risk analysts tracking the recovery effort. The coordinated approach contrasts sharply with earlier exploit responses where affected users typically faced total losses.
The Kelp DAO exploit targeted the protocol's withdrawal mechanism, allowing attackers to drain funds while bypassing normal liquidation safeguards. The incident has prompted broader discussions about restaking protocol security audits and the concentration risks in liquid staking derivatives.
DeFi United's proposal requires approval from participating protocol governance systems before implementation, with voting expected to commence within 48 hours across multiple DAOs simultaneously.
Risk Considerations: Recovery fund success depends on multi-protocol governance coordination. rsETH holders face continued smart contract risks during restoration period.Data sources: The Block, CoinDesk. Analysis as of April 28, 2026.