Rocket Pool to Unveil New Look Soon

**New Lending Market Launch** Rocket Pool's rETH token can now be used as collateral on Morpho's lending protocol. Users can supply rETH and borrow ETH through KPK ETH Prime, a low-risk lending vault curated by KPK. **Key Details** - rETH/ETH market now live on Morpho - Enables borrowing ETH against rETH collateral - Deployed via KPK ETH Prime vault - Adds to growing DeFi integrations for Ethereum's decentralized liquid staking token This follows the recent launch of an rETH/USDC market in April, expanding lending options for rETH holders across multiple asset pairs.

Rocket Pool's Saturn 2 upgrade has attracted over $135 million worth of ETH in staked assets, supporting more than 1,500 trustless Ethereum node operators. **Key Highlights:** - Users minting rETH directly contribute to Ethereum's decentralization by supporting independent node operators - The protocol maintains its position as a leader in decentralized liquid staking - This represents significant growth from the $30M deposit pool reported in February 2026 Rocket Pool's approach allows users to stake ETH while maintaining liquidity through rETH tokens, all while supporting Ethereum's core principle of decentralization through a distributed network of node operators.

Rocket Pool is researching a trustless onchain mechanism to automatically exit validators that consistently underperform. The initiative aims to protect rETH yield for token holders. **Key Points:** - Mechanism would operate trustlessly onchain without manual intervention - Targets persistently underperforming validators - Designed to safeguard rETH staking rewards The proposal is currently in the research phase, with community discussion open on the DAO governance forum.

**Smart Node v1.20.2 Released** A new Smart Node version is now available with updates across multiple clients: - **Client updates**: Besu, Nethermind, Commit-boost, Lodestar, and Reth - **Additional improvements**: Various other changes and enhancements included - **Priority level**: Low-priority upgrade for node operators **Action Required** Node operators should review the full changelog on GitHub before installing the update to understand all changes and improvements.

A new rETH/USDC lending market has launched within KPK USDC Prime, a low-risk vault on the Morpho protocol curated by kpk_io. **Key Details:** - rETH can now be used as collateral in this Morpho lending vault - The integration adds to the growing ecosystem of DeFi protocols accepting Ethereum's decentralized liquid staking token - KPK USDC Prime focuses on low-risk lending strategies This expansion provides rETH holders with additional options for capital efficiency while maintaining exposure to Ethereum staking rewards.