DAI Stablecoin Stablecoin Explained
DAI is a decentralized stablecoin created by MakerDAO, backed by on-chain cryptocurrency collateral through an over-collateralized model that maintains a 1:1 peg to the US dollar.
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Decentralized Finance Publication’s stablecoins hub explains dollar-pegged crypto — fiat-backed, overcollateralised, and hybrid designs — with peg mechanics and risk notes. Live market-cap and peg data are linked via DeFiLlama rather than stale tables. Educational research only; not financial advice.
Market cap, dominance, and peg data change continuously. We link to DeFiLlama for live figures rather than duplicating numbers that go stale on a static page.
DAI is a decentralized stablecoin created by MakerDAO, backed by on-chain cryptocurrency collateral through an over-collateralized model that maintains a 1:1 peg to the US dollar.
Frax issues frxUSD/sfrxUSD and Fraxlend markets that feed Resupply collateral and Curve LlamaLend V2. Verdict-first guide on when USDC or Sky is the simpler dollar.
reUSD is Resupply's native overcollateralized stablecoin, pegged to the US dollar and backed by yield-bearing stablecoin collateral in Curve Lend and Frax Lend markets — uniquely sharing earned lending fees with borrowers.
crvUSD is Curve Finance's native collateralized-debt-position stablecoin, using the novel LLAMMA mechanism to enable soft, continuous liquidations — fundamentally rethinking how overcollateralized stablecoins manage risk.
9B, operating on over 100 blockchain networks and serving as the primary settlement layer for global crypto trading.
6B in circulation across 120+ chains and positioned as the institutional-grade alternative to USDT.
USDe is Ethena's crypto-native synthetic dollar, achieving price stability through delta-neutral hedging across centralized and decentralized venues — offering holders embedded yield without fiat backing.
43B in circulation and a yield-sharing model that pays holders the Sky Savings Rate directly on-chain.
1B in circulation across Ethereum, Solana, and Arbitrum.
BUIDL is BlackRock's tokenized US Treasury fund — the world's largest asset manager's entry into on-chain real-world assets, with $3B in circulation and daily yield paid directly to token holders.
DOLA is Inverse Finance's native decentralized stablecoin, minted exclusively through on-chain lending activity in FiRM markets and managed by a network of governance-controlled Fed contracts that actively defend the $1 peg.
S. dollar that forms part of the Apyx Finance ecosystem. Holders can earn native yield by deploying the protocol's collateral across various on- and off-chain strategies while using apxUSD in DeFi.
Neutrl is a decentralized finance protocol that issues NUSD, a market-neutral synthetic dollar designed to generate yield through hedged trading strategies.
reUSDe is the higher-risk ERC-20 performance token of the Re Protocol, representing the junior capital layer that takes first losses in a reinsurance portfolio.
mEVUSD is a tokenized investment vehicle that tracks a market-neutral strategy denominated in USDC, developed by Everstake, Apollo Crypto, and Midas.
S. Treasury bills. Built on the Theo tokenization platform, it delivers regulated exposure with integrated liquidity, cross-chain functionality, and DeFi compatibility.
Monstro DeFi represents a decentralized finance ecosystem operating on the Base blockchain, centered around its native $MONSTRO token.
Sai is a decentralized perpetuals trading platform built on the Nibiru blockchain that merges the execution speed of traditional exchanges with on-chain transparency and user-controlled assets.
Hopeum is a comprehensive DeFi application serving Sub-Saharan Africa, merging GameFi elements, small-scale lending, community savings mechanisms, and real-world asset tokenization.
SuiUSDe is a yield-producing synthetic dollar built on the Sui blockchain through collaboration between the Sui Foundation, SUI Group Holdings, and Ethena Labs.
Internet Token (INT) is a decentralized lottery system built on the Base network.
Buck Token (BUCK) is an ERC-20 token operating on Ethereum marketed as a 'SavingsCoin'.
Yuzu Money is a decentralized finance platform offering users access to yield-generating strategies through yzUSD, an overcollateralized stablecoin.
money was a cross-chain stablecoin protocol built on Curve Finance's crvUSD architecture, enabling creation of the MONEY USD-pegged token through collateralized debt positions.
Metronome Synth USD (msUSD) is a synthetic stablecoin denominated in USD that is minted through the Metronome Synth protocol.
Sigma Money is a DeFi yield engine operating on the BNB Chain that employs Volatility Tranching to partition assets into a stable, yield-generating component (bnbUSD) and a volatile, leveraged component.
Origin Dollar (OUSD), introduced in 2020, is a yield-generating stablecoin operating on the Ethereum network. S. dollar while automatically accruing returns in users' wallets.
mStable is a decentralized finance protocol operating on Ethereum that seeks to consolidate multiple stablecoins, lending capabilities, and liquidity provision under a unified framework.
XSOL is a Solana-based token that offers leveraged long exposure to SOL while taking on collateral volatility to help back the hyUSD stablecoin. It functions as one of Hylo protocol's two native tokens on the Solana network.
Hylo USD (hyUSD) is a decentralized stablecoin on Solana maintaining a US dollar peg through overcollateralization with yield-bearing Liquid Staking Tokens.
sYUSD is a yield-bearing token representing a holder's stake in the Aegis protocol's staking pool. It automatically accumulates value through a delta-neutral Bitcoin trading strategy, with each token appreciating relative to YUSD over time.
Function FBTC is an omnichain yield-generating asset completely collateralized by Bitcoin at a 1:1 ratio.
xUSD is a yield-bearing stablecoin created by Overnight Finance that maintains a 1:1 peg with USDC.
Pleasing Golden is a financial platform that links tangible precious metals with blockchain-based financial systems.
Weekly Stable is a news and analysis publication issued weekly by This Week in Fintech (TWIF) that covers developments in the stablecoin sector.
Money Code is a weekly podcast hosted by Chuk Okpalugo and Raj Parekh that explores stablecoins and programmable money for developers, investors, and industry leaders.
Avant is a decentralized finance platform operating on the Avalanche blockchain, providing the avUSD stable value token that generates returns through market-neutral blockchain-based investment strategies.
Wrapped Solana (wSOL) is an SPL-standard token representation of native SOL that preserves a 1:1 exchange ratio, enabling SOL to function within decentralized finance applications and smart contracts across Solana and other blockchains.
fi protocol that allows users to earn Ethereum staking rewards while maintaining a tradable asset across decentralized finance applications.
S. equities and ETFs issued on the Solana blockchain by Backed Finance and are backed 1:1 by actual shares held with licensed custodians.
HyperSui is a DeFi protocol built on the Sui blockchain that provides perpetual futures trading with leverage up to 100x, instant token exchanges, and staking capabilities.
AIDAUSDC is a stablecoin receipt token for USDC deposits in the GAIB AI ecosystem. S. Treasury bills and is issued as part of GAIB's AID Alpha program.
sUSDa is a yield-generating token created by Avalon Labs that represents staked positions in USDa, a Bitcoin-collateralized stablecoin.
Reservoir srUSD is a yield-generating stablecoin issued by the Reservoir protocol that enables holders to accumulate interest on their stablecoin balances.
kHYPE is a liquid staking token developed by the Kinetiq protocol on the Hyperliquid blockchain.
Cap is a stablecoin protocol that offers two products: cUSD, a dollar-backed stablecoin, and stcUSD, which generates yield.
Agora is a crypto startup developing AUSD, a fully collateralized, freely tradeable digital dollar stablecoin, focused on security, transparency, and efficient partner-oriented economics to serve international markets outside the United States.
S. dollar. It provides access to institutional-grade, delta-neutral yield generation through its integrated YieldVault mechanism.
Kinetiq Staked HYPE (kHYPE) is a liquid staking token produced by the Kinetiq protocol operating on the Hyperliquid blockchain.
BFUSD is a platform-exclusive margin asset from Binance that generates daily USDT rewards for users through investment techniques including delta-hedging operations and Ethereum staking activities.
AI is a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol developed by Permian Labs that issues USDai, a yield-bearing synthetic dollar.
cmETH is a yield-generating receipt token representing mETH that has been restaked across multiple platforms including EigenLayer, Symbiotic, and Karak, providing users with exposure to restaking opportunities.
clBTC serves as a bridge connecting Bitcoin to decentralized finance opportunities, enabling yield generation through both custodial methods and blockchain-based tactics, boosting asset utility and protective measures.
S. Treasury bill product created by Ondo Finance that enables investors to obtain exposure to short-term government securities via blockchain.
JLP is a liquidity provider token for Jupiter Perpetuals that represents ownership in a diversified pool of digital assets including SOL, ETH, WBTC, USDC, and USDT.
ETHPlus (ETH+) is a reward-generating basket of Ethereum liquid staking tokens constructed on the Reserve Protocol, designed to deliver diversified yield from staked ETH.
Drift Staked SOL (dSOL) is a liquid staking derivative on Solana that enables users to earn network staking rewards while retaining the ability to deploy their capital across other DeFi applications.
BENQI Liquid Staked AVAX is a DeFi solution on Avalanche that enables users to stake AVAX in exchange for sAVAX, a liquid derivative token that generates staking rewards while remaining usable across DeFi applications, addressing the liquidity constraints of conventional staking.
aBTC is a cross-chain liquid Bitcoin token created by Echo Protocol on the Aptos blockchain, maintaining a 1:1 backing with BTC assets.
MAIV is a regulated European platform that merges decentralized and traditional finance, granting institutional-quality investment access to a broader audience through blockchain-based real-world asset opportunities.
A structural overview of major stablecoin models. For current market caps and peg status, use DeFiLlama.
| Stablecoin | Type | Collateral | Governance |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAI | Over-collateralized | ETH, USDC, others | MKR |
| FRAX | Fractional-algorithmic | USDC + algorithmic | FXS |
| reUSD | Overcollateralized | crvUSD, frxUSD | RSUP |
| USDT | Fiat-backed | USD reserves | Tether Ltd. |
| USDC | Fiat-backed | USD reserves | Circle |
FAQ
A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, typically pegged 1:1 to a fiat currency such as the US dollar. Stablecoins allow users to participate in DeFi, send value globally, and hold crypto without exposure to the price volatility of assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Tether (USDT) is the largest stablecoin by market capitalisation, followed by USDC, Sky Dollar (USDS), Ethena USDe, and DAI. Market caps move weekly — check the live figures on our stablecoin peg tracker or DeFiLlama (data checked July 2026) rather than relying on any static number.
Decentralised stablecoins such as DAI, crvUSD, reUSD, DOLA and USDe carry smart contract risk, liquidation risk, and peg depeg risk. They are generally considered riskier than fiat-backed stablecoins such as USDT and USDC, which carry counterparty and regulatory risk instead. No stablecoin is completely risk-free.
crvUSD is Curve’s LLAMMA CDP stablecoin. reUSD is Resupply’s CDP minted against yield-bearing Curve Lend and Fraxlend collateral. DOLA is Inverse Finance’s stablecoin, minted through FiRM lending. frxUSD/sfrxUSD is Frax’s dollar stack; sfrxUSD also appears as LlamaLend V2 collateral. They are composable, not interchangeable.