Here is why a massive $1.6 billion in crypto liquidity is sitting idle and wasting away

A Dune Analytics study commissioned by 1inch found $1.6 billion in DeFi liquidity—85% of $1.84 billion tracked across Uniswap, PancakeSwap and Aerodrome—remained underutilized in H1 2026, with about $542 million weekly sitting idle outside active trading ranges. The idle capital missed roughly $150 million in annual fees, while larger positions ($1M+) accounted for 47% of the stranded total despite being less likely to go out of range. Researchers linked the issue to sustained price moves rather than volatility, noting Bitcoin’s January-to-June slide from $90,000 to $60,000 contributed to the imbalance.