DeFi Development Corp.

Item 8.01. Other Events. Adjustment to Dividend Rate on Variable Rate Series C Perpetual Preferred Stock On October 15, 2026, DeFi Development Corp. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing an increase to the regular dividend rate per annum on the Variable Rate Series C Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $0.00001 per share (“CHAD Stock”) from 13.00% to 14.00%, effective for periods commencing on or after November 1, 2026. A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. Cash Dividend Declaration The Company also announced that the dividend committee of its board of directors declared daily cash dividends of $0.00614 (or $184,469 in the aggregate for the full monthly period) per share of CHAD Stock for each business day for the period from November 1, 2026 through November 30, 2026, as listed in the table below (19 business days in the aggregate), which represents a per annum dividend rate of 14.00% on the CHAD Stock. Daily payments will be made to stockholders of record of CHAD Stock at the close of business on the immediately preceding business day. Record date Payment date Dividend ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── October 30, 2026 November 2, 2026 $0.00614 November 2, 2026 November 3, 2026 $0.00614 November 3, 2026 November 4, 2026 $0.00614 November 4, 2026 November 5, 2026 $0.00614 November 5, 2026 November 6, 2026 $0.00614 November 6, 2026 November 9, 2026 $0.00614 November 9, 2026 November 10, 2026 $0.00614 November 10, 2026 November 12, 2026 $0.00614 November 12, 2026 November 13, 2026 $0.00614 November 13, 2026 November 16, 2026 $0.00614 November 16, 2026 November 17, 2026 $0.00614 November 17, 2026 November 18, 2026 $0.00614 November 18, 2026 November 19, 2026 $0.00614 November 19, 2026 November 20, 2026 $0.00614 November 20, 2026 November 23, 2026 $0.00614 November 23, 2026 November 24, 2026 $0.00614 November 24, 2026 November 25, 2026 $0.00614 November 25, 2026 November 27, 2026 $0.00614 November 27, 2026 November 30, 2026 $0.00614 United States Federal Income Tax Considerations From a U.S. federal income tax perspective, to the extent distributions on the CHAD Stock are not treated as being made out of the Company's accumulated or current earnings and profits (“E&P”), they will, in the case of a U.S. holder, be treated first as a tax-free return of capital (“ROC”) to the extent of a U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the CHAD Stock, and thereafter as capital gain which will be long-term capital gain if such U.S. holder’s holding period for the stock exceeds one year at the time of the distribution and, in the case of a non-U.S. holder, generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax with respect to gain, if any, recognized in connection with the non-U.S. holder’s receipt of such distribution. Non-U.S. holders should review the disclosure under “ - Material United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” in the prospectus supplement dated September 3, 2026. While there is no assurance that the Company will (or will not) have sufficient current or accumulated E&P to cause that any of our distributions are treated as dividends, a ROC or otherwise, the Company does not have any accumulated earnings and profits and does not expect to generate current earnings and profits in the current year or the foreseeable future. For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of the CHAD Stock that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is: • an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; • a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes that is created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; • an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or • a trust if (a) a court within the United States is able to exercise primary control over its administration and one or more United States persons (as defined in the Code) have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust or (b) the trust has validly elected to be treated as a United States person. For the purposes of this discussion, a “non-U.S. holder” means a beneficial owner of the CHAD Stock that is not a U.S. holder nor a partnership (including any entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes).