What is TVS? Total value secured explained

TVS stands for total value secured. In L2BEAT's methodology, it describes the monetary value of included assets accessible on a project. The word “secured” is not an insurance policy or a promise to reimburse losses.

Canonically bridged, externally bridged and natively minted assets are separate categories. Their labels describe how assets arrive or originate, rather than removing issuer powers or contract risk. TVL generally measures value locked in protocols. The two metrics answer different questions.

Example

Suppose a hypothetical network contains 1,000 USDC, each valued at $1, initially held entirely in user wallets. A user then deposits 400 USDC into a DeFi application on the same network. The network still contains $1,000, while the application holds $400. Adding the application deposit again to report $1,400 for the network would count the same assets twice. The example illustrates scope; it does not replace a provider's full accounting methodology.

L2BEAT's asset methodology explains why bridge categories are not safety scores. Compare figures only after checking their price timestamp, excluded assets and active filters.