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Coinbase Offers Access to DeFi Yields With DAI and Compound

More assets and other DeFi protocols will follow, Coinbase said in a blog post.

Updated May 11, 2023, 5:52 p.m. Published Dec 9, 2021, 5:02 p.m.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 09: In this photo illustration, a flipped version of the Coinbase logo is reflected in a mobile phone screen on November 09, 2021 in London, England. The cryptocurrency exchange platform is to release its quarterly earnings today. (Photo illustration by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 09: In this photo illustration, a flipped version of the Coinbase logo is reflected in a mobile phone screen on November 09, 2021 in London, England. The cryptocurrency exchange platform is to release its quarterly earnings today. (Photo illustration by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Cryptocurrency exchange giant Coinbase says its opening up decentralized finance (DeFi) to customers who want a slice of high yields earned from lending and borrowing crypto assets, starting with DAI, a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar.

Coinbase customers’ DAI is then deposited with DeFi lending platform Compound.

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At first blush, the world of DeFi is the opposite of centralized exchanges like Coinbase. Accessing DeFi protocols, however, can mean paying expensive network fees and involve a somewhat complex user experience, Coinbase said in a blog post released Thursday.

“Today we’re introducing a new way for Coinbase’s global customers to put their crypto to work and earn yield. We are making DeFi more accessible, enabling eligible customers in more than 70 countries to access the attractive yields of DeFi lending on their Dai with no fees, lockups, or set-up hassle,” the Coinbase blog says.

In October, Compound returned a variable annual percentage yield (APY) rates for supplying DAI that fluctuated between 2.83% and 5.39%, Coinbase added in the blog post.

“These higher rates reflect both the unique access to global liquidity and increased risk that can come with DeFi. Though Coinbase monitors these protocols regularly, we cannot guarantee against potential losses,” the blog states.

Coinbase said a wider variety of assets and a greater number of DeFi protocols would follow.

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

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How the ultra-wealthy are using bitcoin to fund their yacht upgrades and Cannes trips

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Cometh founder Jerome de Tychey is applying DeFi lending and borrowing on platforms like Aave, Morpho, and Uniswap to structures that help the ultra-wealthy secure loans against their massive crypto fortunes.

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  • Wealthy investors who hold much of their fortune in crypto are increasingly turning to decentralized finance platforms to secure flexible credit lines without selling their digital assets.
  • Firms like Cometh help family offices and other rich clients navigate complex DeFi tools, using assets such as bitcoin, ether and stablecoins to replicate traditional Lombard-style collateralized loans.
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