The top three cryptocurrencies ready for revenue sharing in 2026

Cryptocurrency investors should monitor many high-growth cryptocurrency projects with strong protocol revenues that can be shared with token holders in 2026.

Many DeFi projects have achieved strong adoption as reflected in their revenues: ( decentralized finance ).

Protocol revenue (seven days)
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However, the following three tokens stand out as having achieved the fastest revenue growth so far in 2025. Each of them has clear potential catalysts, ranging from upcoming governance proposals to increasing pressure from token holders, which could pave the way for buybacks or revenue distribution next year.

Let's start with a well-known provider for liquid staking on Ethereum: Lido Finance (LDO). Lido's dominance in liquid staking has translated into huge growth in fees. The protocol has generated cumulative revenue exceeding $288 million since 2021, but LDO token holders have not realized any of this revenue yet.

Lido management is actively discussing ways to share revenue through LDO staking or buybacks.

LDO is currently valued at a P/S ratio of 7.3x, which could lead to a significant repricing if a small portion of the protocol's revenues starts to accumulate for token holders.

Lido Finance (LDO) – Technical Analysis Chart
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The next high-growth cryptocurrency project I am following is Arbitrum (ARB), which is the most widely used Ethereum layer 2 project. The project has generated around $25 million in protocol revenue since January 2025, however, ARB is just a governance token, with no revenue rewards for its holders. This may change soon.

The decentralization update in mid-2026 will allow ARB staking, enabling holders to secure the sequencer and receive a share of transaction fees. Community proposals have already been put forward to share 50% of the sequencer's profits with staked ARB, aiming for an annual return of around 7%.

If approved, the valuation of ARB may improve - the current price-to-earnings ratio of 40 times is high, but it remains attractive if revenue sharing is expected to start soon. The activation of revenue sharing will convert idle cash flow into direct value for shareholders, likely attracting new investors looking for returns.

The last thing I remember is the issuer of the stablecoin, Ethina (ENA). The stablecoin Ethina USDe achieved remarkable success in 2025, with a trading volume of 15 billion US dollars, generating strong revenues. In one month, the revenues of the Ethina protocol jumped by 243% ( from 9.5 million US dollars to 32.5 million US dollars) - the fastest growth in this sector.

Athena has generated revenues of 100 million USD since early 2024, yet ENA shareholders are currently not receiving any of these revenues. However, this situation may change in 2026, as major DeFi companies ( are seeking to propose a change to this situation and begin rewarding ENA token holders. Athena Foundation has confirmed meeting key adoption thresholds ) such as revenue and usage goals ( to activate revenue sharing, pending final approvals.

The year 2026 is expected to yield investment returns on ENA ) with annual return forecasts exceeding 5% under moderate fee-sharing scenarios (. The growth of Ethena's revenues and increasing governance pressures make it poised for a comprehensive overhaul of token economics.

The introduction of a fee share is likely to turn ENA into an income-generating asset, which is expected to attract new capital allocations from investors.

Athena )ENA( – Technical Analysis Chart
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Despite the recent correction in the cryptocurrency market, this market is entering a repricing cycle driven by fundamental factors. Lido, Arbitrum, and Ethena are another example of this trend, as each of them shows strong real revenues and open symbolic value.

In fact, a decrease in token prices leads to potential yields increasing to higher levels.

Cryptocurrency investors should keep these tokens on their watchlists by 2026, as any shift from pure utilities to cash flow sharing ), whether through dividends, buybacks, or fee burning (, could be a game changer.

These tokens stand on the brink of key incentives to unlock value, as aligning the protocol's success with token holder rewards may lead to a sharp reevaluation.