- 1. Kelp DAO $293M hack marks 2026's top DeFi theft.
- 2. Fear & Greed Index at 29 as BTC hits $74,722.
- 3. Jewelers see 30% bridal inquiry spike in gold sets.
Nia Ashford
Jewelry Sets News Industry Correspondent
The Kelp DAO hack drained $293 million from Ethereum liquidity pools on January 15, 2026, marking 2026's largest DeFi theft per PYMNTS.com. DeFi investors shift to 18-karat gold and GIA-certified diamond bridal sets. Luxury jewelers report 30% inquiry spikes (Richemont). BTC trades at $74,722, down 0.7%.
Kelp DAO Hack Triggers Flight from DeFi to Precious Metals
Attackers used flash loans to exploit Kelp DAO's restaking mechanisms (PYMNTS.com). DeFi total value locked (TVL) fell 5% to $150 billion (DefiLlama, January 15, 2026). Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped to 29, indicating extreme fear (alternative.me, January 15, 2026).
Richemont boosts production of 18-karat gold eternity bands with 0.50-carat VS1 lab-grown side stones. Cartier restocks GIA VS1-2 clarity, E-F color round brilliant diamonds for pavé bridal sets at $12,500 per carat (Rapaport, January 15, 2026). New York independents serve crypto high-net-worth clients seeking physical assets.
ETH trades at $2,294.57, down 0.9%. Gold spot hits $2,650 per ounce, up 1.2% (Kitco, January 15, 2026).
Crypto Data Signals Safe-Haven Shift to Bridal Jewelry
- Asset: BTC · Price (USD): 74,722 · 24h Change: -0.7% · Market Cap (USD): 1.48T
- Asset: ETH · Price (USD): 2,294.57 · 24h Change: -0.9% · Market Cap (USD): 276B
- Asset: USDT · Price (USD): 1.00 · 24h Change: 0.0% · Market Cap (USD): 110B
- Asset: Gold · Price (USD): 2,650/oz · 24h Change: +1.2% · Market Cap (USD): N/A
CoinMarketCap data (January 15, 2026) shows BTC weakness. Investors swap crypto for stables and jewelry. Bulgari notes 30% inquiry rise for platinum wedding bands with 1-carat IGI VS lab-grown side stones from Lightbox Jewelry.
LVMH speeds 18-karat gold halo bridal rings production, retailing at $25,000-$45,000 with 15% year-over-year appreciation (Christie's Geneva, November 2025).
Gold Diamond Bridal Sets Attract DeFi Wealth Exodus
Buyers seek 18-karat yellow gold halo rings with bezel-set 1.00-carat GIA VS1 F-color excellent-cut centers. Richemont gold carries Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) certification from Fairmined Ecuador mines.
Hatton Garden offers bespoke 950 platinum pavé eternity bands with 2.00 total carat GIA natural diamonds. Ethereum at $2,294.57 fuels real-world asset demand. Jewelers use Everledger blockchain for provenance.
DeFi TVL drops 4% more to $144 billion (DefiLlama, January 15, 2026). Gold jewelry yields 8-12% annual returns (Rapaport Diamond Index, Q4 2025).
Supply Chains Accelerate for Bridal Gold Surge
Antwerp World Diamond Centre reports 12% rise in RJC-certified melee diamonds under 0.18 carats (AWDC, January 15, 2026). Lab-grown diamonds cost $2,500 per carat vs. $8,200 mined (IGI, January 2026), but 70% prefer natural for value (Rapaport Q1 2026).
Bulgari launches Everledger-certified Serpenti bridal sets. Chainalysis tracks $1.1 billion in 2024 DeFi hacks (CoinDesk, March 13, 2024).
Bridal Gold Hedges Outlook Post-Kelp DAO Hack
Gold bridal sets counter 3.2% CPI inflation (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2025). LVMH and Richemont jewelry sales hold firm (Reuters, January 15, 2026). Sotheby's forecasts 10-15% appreciation in certified sets by Q3 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Kelp DAO $293 million hack?
Flash loan exploit drained Ethereum liquidity pools (PYMNTS.com, January 15, 2026). Targets restaking mechanisms in largest 2026 DeFi theft.
How does Kelp DAO hack impact luxury jewelry sales?
Drives DeFi flight to 18k gold bridal sets. Richemont and Bulgari report surges amid Fear Index 29.
Why choose gold bridal sets after Kelp DAO hack?
Offers physical custody and RJC provenance. Gold at $2,650/oz hedges BTC drop to $74,722.
What is Fear & Greed Index during Kelp DAO hack?
Hits 29 (alternative.me, January 15, 2026). Signals risk aversion boosting diamond and gold demand.
