According to @milesdeutscher, Aave’s scale would place it among the top 40 U.S. banks if it were a bank, highlighting DeFi’s growing footprint; the claim was made in a public post on Aug 13, 2025; source: @milesdeutscher. For trading, focus on verifiable on-chain and protocol metrics: track Aave total value locked to gauge capital inflows and risk appetite across DeFi lending, which is publicly aggregated for Aave markets; source: DefiLlama. Monitor per-market utilization, variable borrow rates, and liquidation activity in the Aave app to assess funding conditions and potential volatility catalysts; source: Aave App. Review protocol revenue mechanics and reserve factors that direct a share of interest to the DAO treasury, which can affect long-term token value capture; source: Aave Docs. Watch governance proposals and risk parameter changes (collateral factors, interest rate curves) that can materially move borrowing costs and liquidity for AAVE-linked markets; source: Aave Governance. Note that AAVE functions as the governance and Safety Module token securing the protocol, which is central to risk and incentive alignment; source: Aave Docs.