Decentralized insurance protocol Nexus Mutual, has integrated with restaking protocol Symbiotic to create a yield-generating reinsurance layer to underwrite decentralized finance risks.

The collaboration with Symbiotic, a restaking protocol designed to rival EigenLayer, introduces a new class of underwriting vaults aligned with Nexus cover durations, enabling real-time capital reallocation and fast claim settlement, according to a press release on Wednesday.

Capital allocated via Symbiotic can now secure traditional proof-of-stake (PoS) networks while simultaneously underwriting Nexus coverage, helping scale the alternative insurance cover provider without introducing centralization or inefficiencies typical of legacy models, the release said.

“For years, onchain risk markets have struggled to scale because capital was fragmented across isolated pools,” said Misha Putiatin, co-founder of Symbiotic. “By introducing composable underwriting infrastructure, we’re unlocking scalable, permissionless risk markets where capital can finally work across multiple layers of the ecosystem. This isn’t just an improvement in efficiency, it's something that can finally get us to scale”

Nexus Mutual seeks to address the dire shortage of insurance capacity within the crypto industry by allowing members to deploy assets into syndicates, in a way similar to how the Lloyd’s of London market operates, for which they receive NXM tokens. These tokens are then used to back certain risks in return for yields which can reach around 25%, according to Nexus Mutual founder Hugh Karp.

The partnership addresses a structural gap in DeFi risk coverage: the lack of scalable and transparent reinsurance infrastructure. For Nexus Mutual, it opens doors to additional underwriting demand, allowing the protocol to expand coverage across protocols and asset classes without raising idle reserves.

“As there continues to be greater institutional adoption of DeFi, investors have been asking Nexus Mutual to cover risks at an even larger scale,” said Hugh Karp, Founder of Nexus Mutual. “By working with Symbiotic, we’re making sure our onchain cover solutions can fit the needs of any institutional investor or protocol.”