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S&P Assigns First-Ever Credit Rating to a DeFi Protocol, Rates Sky at B-
S&P Global Ratings assigned Sky Protocol a B- rating with a stable outlook, marking the first time a credit rating company has assessed a DeFi protocol
Aug 11, 2025, 3:08 p.m.
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What to know:
- Sky's B- marks the first time a major credit ratings company has graded a DeFi protocol.
- Sky’s USDS stablecoin has a $7.1 billion market cap, ranking third behind USDT and USDC.
- The move follows S&P’s growing activity in tokenized funds and blockchain-based finance.
S&P Global Ratings assigned a B- (stable outlook) issuer credit rating to Sky Protocol, the decentralized lending platform formerly known as Maker Protocol, in a first for the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry.
The Ethereum-based protocol issues the USDS stablecoin, created when borrowers post approved collateral. With a $7.1 billion market cap, USDS trails only USDT and USDC in size. Sky also offers savings vaults, enabling holders to earn yield via savings USDS (sUSDS).
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Jonathan Manley, S&P’s global head of market outreach, called the rating a “significant milestone” that will help bring greater transparency to DeFi.
The move comes as S&P expands its coverage into blockchain-based finance, recently rating tokenized treasury funds and blockchain mortgage securitizations. Sky is itself an investor in Janus Henderson’s tokenized treasury products.
S&P’s separate Stablecoin Stability Assessment rates USDS’s peg-maintenance ability at 4 (constrained) on a five-point scale.
The rating underscores growing overlap between traditional credit analysis and the evolving DeFi market.
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.
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Recapping Consensus Hong Kong
Crypto's role in payments for AI, regulatory changes and the digital asset market dominated conversations on the ground.
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- Speakers at CoinDesk's Consensus Hong Kong conference said crypto and stablecoins are likely to become the default payment tools for autonomous AI agents in an emerging "machine economy."
- Market participants warned that bitcoin, which has already dropped nearly $30,000 in a month, may fall further, with $50,000 seen as the level to watch.
- Hong Kong regulators are pressing ahead with crypto rules even as others wait to see how U.S. legislation develops.
