Maple
Maple Finance
An institutional credit protocol — pool managers underwrite under-collateralised loans to KYC'd borrowers.
Maple pools accept stablecoin deposits routed by pool managers (e.g., Block Tower, Cicada) to over-the-counter borrower relationships. Returns are higher than blue-chip lending markets but credit losses are realised (notably the 2022 Orthogonal Trading default cascade). Mature offering for non-DeFi-native institutions.
Related terms
- Lending marketA pool-based protocol where suppliers earn interest from borrowers, with rates set algorithmically by utilisation.
- RWA (real-world assets)Tokenised off-chain assets — Treasuries, money-market funds, credit pools, real estate — used as on-chain collateral or yield products.
- GoldfinchA protocol for unsecured stablecoin loans to vetted borrowers — focused on emerging-market credit.