Stablecoins, as digital currencies pegged to fiat currencies or crypto assets, aim to reduce the price volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies. With the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi), stablecoins play a crucial role in transactions and value storage and have become a new investment hotspot in the stablecoin mining sector. Stablecoin mining allows investors to earn stable returns by providing liquidity, participating in lending, or staking.
However, as the market continues to evolve, the forms, platforms, and revenue models of stablecoin mining are also constantly changing. To help investors navigate this rapidly shifting market landscape, this article will analyze the latest stablecoin mining trends, introduce new mining models and platforms, provide strategic recommendations, and assess potential risks and returns.
Stablecoin mining generally refers to earning stablecoin rewards using various blockchain protocols to provide liquidity, participate in staking, or offer lending services for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. The core concept is to generate returns by engaging in specific blockchain network functions.
In simple terms, stablecoin mining revolves around providing liquidity to blockchain protocols, engaging in lending activities, or staking stablecoins to earn rewards. In recent years, as the DeFi market has expanded rapidly, stablecoin mining mechanisms have continued to evolve, leading to new trends.
According to CoinMarketCap data as of February 18, 2025, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at $3.14 trillion, with stablecoins accounting for $225.737 billion, representing 7.18% of the overall crypto market. Among them, USDT holds a 63.28% share, while USDC accounts for 25.04%.
Stablecoin Market Growth Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
Top 20 Stablecoins by Market Capitalization (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
According to Token Terminal data, over the past four years, stablecoin trading volume has surged from $411.697 billion in January 2021 to $2.97 trillion in January 2025. In January 2025, due to the explosion of meme coins on the Solana blockchain, USDC accounted for 65.24% of the total monthly trading volume, while USDT’s share dropped to just 29.02%. Two years ago, USDT still held the largest trading volume. Stablecoins from projects such as SKY, PAX, and BLAST followed closely behind in trading volume.
Stablecoin Trading Volume Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
Stablecoin Trading Volume Share Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
Stablecoin Project Trading Volume and Share Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
In the past, stablecoin mining was primarily concentrated on the Ethereum network. However, with the development of cross-chain technology, an increasing number of stablecoin mining projects now support multiple blockchains. Currently, the market capitalization of stablecoins on the Ethereum network stands at $122.576 billion, accounting for 54.42% of the total stablecoin market. Meanwhile, stablecoins on the Tron network hold a 27.82% share. Other public blockchains such as Avalanche, Solana, and Polygon are also attracting stablecoin mining activity, particularly due to their lower transaction fees and faster transaction speeds, making them popular new choices.
Stablecoin Market Share Across Major Blockchains (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
Top 20 Stablecoins by Market Capitalization Across Blockchains (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.3.17)
Advantages of Cross-Chain Mining:
Lower Transaction Fees: Stablecoins on Ethereum (such as USDC and DAI) often face high transaction fees, whereas stablecoin mining on public chains like Polygon, Solana, or Avalanche offers significantly lower costs.
Higher Throughput and Low Latency: Cross-chain technology allows users to participate in stablecoin mining on more efficient blockchains, improving liquidity and transaction speed.
Blockchain Project Subsidies: Many emerging blockchains provide substantial ecosystem incentives to attract users and capital. For example, the SUI ecosystem rapidly gained traction through large-scale token airdrops and incentive programs, drawing significant participation in liquidity mining. Similarly, Aptos adopted a similar subsidy strategy, offering high rewards to early DeFi projects and liquidity providers. This subsidy-driven approach encourages “on-chain farmers” to migrate to the most lucrative ecosystems for maximum returns.
More Protocol Support: Cross-chain technology enhances interoperability between DeFi protocols, enabling users to manage funds across multiple platforms flexibly and improving capital efficiency. For instance, Avalanche and Polygon provide fast and low-cost networks for stablecoin mining. Users can supply stablecoins to decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or liquidity pools to earn higher yields without worrying about high fees or network congestion.
The combination of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and stablecoins is emerging as a new trend in stablecoin mining.
For example, the Aavegotchi platform, launched in 2020, introduced an innovative incentive mechanism by integrating NFTs with liquidity pools. It allows users to participate in stablecoin liquidity mining by holding specific NFTs, earning additional rewards or benefits.
Aavegotchi is a DeFi-powered NFT pet game funded by the Aave Ecosystem Fund and built on Aave. On this platform, players can stake various Aave-supported ERC-20 tokens, such as aTokens (Aave’s deposit certificates), to generate NFTs (crypto pets, commonly known as “Gotchis” in the community) and interact with the Aavegotchi metaverse. Currently, Aavegotchi operates on the Polygon network. This model presents several unique advantages:
Enhanced Incentive Mechanism: NFTs are not only independent rewards but can also be integrated with stablecoin mining to offer multiple levels of returns. Holding specific NFTs may provide additional interest earnings, liquidity rewards, or platform tokens.
Increased Platform Engagement: NFTs serve as decentralized identity credentials and participation proof, fostering user engagement and loyalty. This encourages more users to participate in stablecoin mining.
Aavegotchi is a prime example of this trend, seamlessly merging NFTs with the DeFi ecosystem. By holding Aavegotchi NFTs, users can engage in stablecoin liquidity pool mining and receive multi-layered reward incentives based on the unique attributes of their NFTs.
Aavegotchi NFT Display (Source: Google)
Aavegotchi Staking Mining Interface (Source: Google)
AMM (Automated Market Making) is one of the most common forms of stablecoin mining in the DeFi ecosystem. It utilizes smart contracts to provide liquidity providers with a market-making tool without intermediaries. By supplying stablecoin liquidity, users can earn transaction fee rewards and platform token incentives. In recent years, innovations in AMM have focused on the following areas:
Concentrated Liquidity: Uniswap V3 introduced concentrated liquidity, allowing liquidity providers to allocate capital within a specific price range, improving capital efficiency and reducing costs. By customizing price ranges, liquidity providers can manage risk and returns more precisely.
Multi-Asset Pool Support: Curve Finance specializes in market-making for stablecoin trading pairs, optimizing low-slippage trading between stablecoins. It enables users to swap different stablecoins and earn liquidity rewards. Curve’s “stablecoin pools” provide a more efficient capital allocation model, enhancing user earnings.
Additionally, decentralized exchanges such as Balancer and SushiSwap have introduced innovative AMM protocols to encourage stablecoin liquidity providers. By incorporating dynamic reward mechanisms, these platforms help users achieve higher capital efficiency and lower trading slippage.
Yield aggregators (such as Yearn Finance and Convex Finance) play a crucial role in stablecoin mining. These platforms aggregate liquidity mining strategies from multiple DeFi protocols, automate fund allocation, and maximize user returns. Specifically, they offer the following advantages:
Automated Fund Management: Yield aggregators use algorithms to optimize investment paths, reallocating funds across multiple high-yield protocols to ensure maximum returns for users. For example, Yearn Finance’s Vaults allow users to deposit stablecoins, which are then automatically allocated to higher-yield platforms such as Aave and Compound.
Reducing Manual Complexity: Users do not need to manually select platforms and strategies. Aggregators automatically identify the best yield opportunities, reducing the time and effort required for fund management.
Convex Finance is a yield aggregation platform built on Curve, designed to enhance liquidity rewards for Curve users. By depositing Curve LP tokens on Convex, users can earn additional rewards, making it an essential option for stablecoin liquidity providers.
Liquidity pool mining remains the primary form of stablecoin mining. Liquidity providers deposit stablecoins (such as USDC, DAI, and USDT) into AMM platforms (such as Uniswap V3, SushiSwap, and Curve Finance) to provide liquidity for trading pairs and earn rewards through platform transaction fees and platform tokens.
Advantages: By providing stablecoin liquidity, users can obtain relatively stable returns without worrying about significant asset price fluctuations, especially on AMM platforms focused on stablecoin trading.
Examples:
Uniswap V3: On Uniswap V3, users can provide liquidity for stablecoin pairs (such as USDT/USDC and DAI/USDT) and earn transaction fee rewards. Unlike earlier versions, V3 introduces concentrated liquidity and customizable price ranges, allowing liquidity providers to manage their capital efficiency more precisely.
Curve Finance: On Curve Finance, users can provide liquidity for USDC/DAI trading pairs, earning a share of platform transaction fees while receiving CRV token rewards from the platform.
Staking stablecoins and lending other assets has become another popular form of mining. Lending platforms allow users to deposit stablecoins as collateral to earn interest income and participate in platform token rewards. The returns from lending mining typically depend on the platform’s borrowing demand and interest rate levels.
Advantages: This model is suitable for investors seeking low-risk, stable returns. By staking stablecoins, users can earn interest while potentially receiving additional rewards through the platform’s governance tokens (such as AAVE and COMP).
Examples:
Aave: Aave is a decentralized lending platform where users can deposit stablecoins (such as USDC and DAI), borrow other assets, or earn interest rewards. As of February 18, 2025, the platform has a net liquidity deposit of $31.04 billion, with a total borrowing volume of $166.01 billion over the past 30 days. Aave also allows users to stake stablecoins to earn additional incentives through the platform token AAVE. Over the past year, liquidity providers on the Ethereum network have earned an annual interest rate of 7.01%, while borrowers have faced an annual interest rate of 9.88%.
Compound: On the Compound platform, users can deposit stablecoins (such as USDT and USDC) into lending pools to earn interest through the lending platform. Additionally, Compound distributes COMP tokens to liquidity providers as rewards, which participants can choose to sell or hold long-term.
As DeFi matures, the stablecoin derivatives market has gradually taken shape, providing investors with more risk management tools and earning opportunities. For example, derivative trading pairs created using stablecoins, such as options and futures, offer investors additional strategies for hedging and speculation.
Advantages: The derivatives market provides more flexible investment options, allowing users to hedge against uncertainty and minimize losses while also generating additional returns through options and futures trading.
Examples:
Synthetix: Synthetix is a decentralized derivatives platform that enables users to create synthetic assets by staking SNX tokens, including derivatives pegged to stablecoins (such as sUSD). By staking stablecoin-based assets, users can earn revenue through trading and participate in platform governance.
Hegic: Hegic is a decentralized options trading platform that allows users to purchase options using stablecoins (such as DAI), engage in leveraged trading, and earn returns.
Ethena USDE: Ethena has introduced USDE (Synthetic Dollar), an on-chain stablecoin utilizing a Delta-Neutral strategy to hedge through the futures market, ensuring price stability. USDE generates yield from perpetual contract funding rates, allowing holders to earn additional returns while maintaining stability.
As blockchain technology matures, RWA (Real-World Assets) has become a new sector for stablecoin mining. RWA-backed stablecoins are pegged to real-world assets such as government bonds and commercial paper, making their yield models more stable.
Examples:
USDS (Stably USD): USDS is a stablecoin issued by Stably, pegged to real-world assets like USD bank deposits and supervised by regulatory authorities. Users can earn interest from bank deposits while participating in DeFi protocols for mining.
USYC (USYield Coin): USYC is an on-chain RWA stablecoin primarily investing in short-term government bonds and high-yield financial instruments, allowing users to achieve stable returns similar to traditional financial markets. Users can provide liquidity or stake USYC on DeFi platforms for yield farming.
Automated yield managers like Yearn Finance allow stablecoin investors to allocate assets across multiple DeFi protocols, using smart algorithms to optimize returns. These platforms dynamically adjust fund allocation based on market yield fluctuations to maximize investment returns.
Examples:
Yearn Finance: Through its “Vault” feature, Yearn Finance lets users deposit stablecoins into the platform, automatically seeking the best yield opportunities across multiple DeFi protocols. For instance, when users deposit DAI, Yearn optimizes returns by reallocating funds to platforms such as Aave and Compound.
Convex Finance: Convex enhances liquidity rewards on Curve Finance, allowing users to deposit stablecoins into liquidity pools via Convex to earn additional Curve rewards while reducing the complexity of individual liquidity management.
As of March 17, 2025, according to DefiLlama data, stablecoin mining funds are primarily concentrated on the Ethereum network. Currently, there are 28 mining pools with a total value locked (TVL) exceeding $100 million. Notably, the USDD pool on the JustLend protocol on the Tron network has reached $222 million in staked assets, the USDT staking volume in the Venus Core Pool on the Binance Chain has reached $169 million, and the USDC staking volume in the AAVE V3 protocol on the Arbitrum network has reached $114 million. The size of these mining pools often reflects the market’s trust in the protocol, indicating relatively stable capital flows and yields, with comparatively lower risks. After compiling data on stablecoin staking pools with over $1 million in TVL, it is evident that a significant portion of funds remain on the Ethereum network.
Stablecoin Fund Distribution (Source: https://defillama.com, March 17, 2025)
Stablecoin Fund Distribution (Source: https://defillama.com, March 17, 2025)
The yield of stablecoin mining is typically influenced by factors such as platform interest rates, the number of participants in liquidity pools, and market demand. Below is an analysis of the yields of some commonly used stablecoins:
Lending Platforms: The annual yield for USDC typically ranges from 3% to 6%, influenced mainly by market liquidity and borrowing demand. Platforms like Compound and Aave offer relatively stable returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On AMM platforms such as Curve Finance and SushiSwap, USDC liquidity mining yields usually range from 6% to 12%, depending on capital inflow and trading fees.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: Through platforms like Yearn Finance and Convex Finance, USDC’s annual yield can reach 6% to 9%, optimized via automated strategies.
Lending Platforms: USDT’s annual yield ranges between 3% and 6%, with borrowing demand potentially increasing during market volatility, leading to higher returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On platforms like Uniswap V3 and Curve Finance, USDT liquidity mining yields typically range from 5% to 10%.
Derivatives Platforms: By participating in funding rate trading on derivatives platforms like Synthetix, USDT yields can reach 6% to 12%, depending on market funding rate fluctuations.
Lending Platforms: DAI’s annual interest rate typically ranges from 4% to 8%, making it suitable for stable long-term returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On platforms like Curve Finance and SushiSwap, DAI liquidity mining yields generally range from 6% to 12%, especially within stablecoin pools.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: Through yield aggregators like Yearn Finance, DAI’s yield typically falls between 6% and 9%, leveraging automated strategies for higher returns.
Lending Platforms: USDE’s lending annual interest rate usually ranges from 4% to 8%, similar to other stablecoins. By participating in lending on Aave and Compound, users can earn stable annual returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On DeFi platforms such as Curve Finance and Pendle, USDE liquidity mining yields generally range from 6% to 12%, with actual returns depending on liquidity pool size and capital activity.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: On yield aggregation platforms like Yearn Finance and Pendle, USDE’s annual yield can reach 7% to 15%, maximizing returns through automated strategies.
Lending Platforms: These stablecoins typically offer annual interest rates between 3% and 6%, depending on market demand and platform settings.
Liquidity Pools: Yield rates vary across AMM platforms but generally range between 5% and 10%.
As of February 18, 2025, I have compiled recent market data on stablecoin mining platform yields, categorized mining platforms, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of each. Specific yields may fluctuate with market conditions, and the data is for reference only.
Latest stablecoin mining data compilation
Stablecoin mining is a crucial strategy in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, attracting many investors due to its low volatility and stable returns. However, despite its seemingly secure nature, this strategy still faces multiple potential risks. If investors fail to accurately identify these risks and implement effective mitigation measures, they may experience capital losses, yield fluctuations, or even legal risks.
Smart contracts are at the core of DeFi protocols, especially in stablecoin mining, where their automated nature plays a key role in fund movements. However, the open-source nature of smart contracts and their heavy reliance on programming logic mean they may contain coding flaws or security vulnerabilities. If a smart contract is hacked, the risk of fund loss is severe, and accountability is often difficult to establish.
Mitigation Strategies:
Choose projects with multiple audits: Investors should prioritize platforms that have undergone multiple audits by reputable third-party firms and provide transparent audit reports. For example, platforms that have been audited multiple times by industry-leading firms such as CertiK or Trail of Bits and have published detailed reports can somewhat reduce the risk of contract vulnerabilities.
Ensure open and transparent code: Select DeFi protocols that openly share their source code on public platforms like GitHub. This enables external developers and security experts to review the code for potential vulnerabilities, increasing protocol transparency and credibility.
Monitor contract lifecycle management: Smart contracts may require periodic updates to adapt to market changes or fix known vulnerabilities. Platforms that utilize multisignature mechanisms or decentralized governance for secure contract upgrades can effectively mitigate risks associated with contract vulnerabilities.
Liquidity risk refers to the potential for capital price fluctuations or liquidity depletion due to insufficient market liquidity or changing market demand when participating in stablecoin mining. In DeFi liquidity pools, assets with low liquidity are more prone to high slippage and increased transaction difficulty, which can directly impact investor returns and even result in financial losses.
Mitigation Strategies:
Select stablecoin pairs for mining: To minimize slippage risk caused by asset price fluctuations, investors should prioritize mining with relatively stable asset pairs such as USDT/USDC or DAI/USDT. Since these assets are pegged to fiat currencies, their price volatility is minimal, reducing risks associated with price fluctuations.
Prioritize high-liquidity platforms: The size of a liquidity pool and a platform’s market depth are key factors in determining liquidity risk. Higher liquidity in a DeFi platform leads to lower price slippage and transaction costs, ultimately improving investor returns. Well-known platforms such as Curve Finance and Uniswap typically offer strong liquidity support.
Participate in platform governance mechanisms: By engaging in platform governance (e.g., voting mechanisms), investors can contribute to decisions regarding liquidity pool design and liquidity enhancement measures, indirectly influencing the efficiency and risk management of liquidity pools.
The global cryptocurrency and DeFi markets are still evolving within an uncertain legal and regulatory environment. As regulators increase their scrutiny of stablecoins and DeFi platforms, investors face growing regulatory uncertainty. Some countries have implemented stricter laws on cryptocurrency and DeFi activities, potentially affecting stablecoin liquidity, platform compliance, and investor fund security.
Mitigation Strategies:
Choose compliant stablecoin platforms: Investors should ensure that platforms adhere to local regulations, particularly in key markets such as the U.S., EU, and China. Factors to consider include whether the platform enforces KYC/AML (Know Your Customer/Anti-Money Laundering) policies and meets local regulatory requirements. This can help mitigate risks related to asset freezes or platform shutdowns due to regulatory changes.
Diversify investments to reduce legal risk concentration: Given the varying regulatory policies across different countries, investors should adopt a diversified investment strategy instead of concentrating all funds in a single jurisdiction or platform. This helps minimize potential risks stemming from regulatory changes in any one region.
Stay updated on regulatory trends: Investors should regularly monitor legal developments related to cryptocurrency, DeFi, and stablecoins in their respective countries and major markets. Keeping track of regulatory updates from organizations such as the European Commission (EC) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) can help investors adjust their strategies to align with potential future compliance requirements.
Platform risks refer to threats arising from a platform’s technology, governance, and management, including technical failures, hacking incidents, mismanagement, or governance conflicts. These risks may lead to frozen funds, platform collapses, or governance failures. In the DeFi sector, weaknesses in decentralized governance can expose platforms to concentrated risk points.
Mitigation Strategies:
Select mature and transparent platforms: Investors should prioritize DeFi platforms with transparent operational mechanisms, strong user reputations, and extensive operational histories. Platforms with high transparency often disclose fund movements, governance decisions, and financial status, helping to reduce risks associated with operational mismanagement.
Diversify investments to reduce concentration risk: Spreading investments across multiple DeFi platforms can help mitigate sudden platform-specific risks such as technical failures or governance crises. A diversified strategy reduces the likelihood of capital loss due to a single platform’s failure.
Engage in platform governance and risk control: When platforms offer governance participation, investors can take part in decision-making processes related to liquidity pool management, fee structures, and risk control measures. Increased involvement in governance enhances investor influence over a platform’s future direction and can help mitigate platform-related risks.
In the DeFi investment strategy of stablecoin mining, selecting the right mining platform is crucial. A platform’s security, liquidity, yield, and risk control mechanisms directly impact investors’ final returns. When choosing a platform and formulating a strategy, investors must consider multiple factors and dynamically adjust their approach based on market conditions and their own risk tolerance.
Stablecoin Image (Source: Google)
The liquidity and yield of a platform are fundamental factors in stablecoin mining decisions. High liquidity reduces price slippage, enhances transaction efficiency, and mitigates market risks caused by insufficient capital flows. Additionally, the yield level directly determines investors’ returns, though high returns may also come with potential risks.
Analysis Methods:
Liquidity Assessment:
Yield Assessment:
The DeFi market is highly uncertain, and relying on a single platform can lead to concentrated capital risks. Investors can mitigate these risks by diversifying their investments. Allocating funds across multiple platforms can help reduce losses caused by platform failures or governance issues while also improving capital efficiency and optimizing return structures.
Diversification Strategy Details:
Diversifying Platform Risk: By distributing funds across multiple platforms, investors can lower the risk of losing capital due to platform-specific issues, such as technical failures, hacking incidents, or governance mismanagement. For example, if a platform experiences a major technical problem or comes under regulatory scrutiny, diversification helps prevent significant losses tied to a single platform.
Diversifying Asset Types: In addition to platform diversification, investors can allocate their assets across different stablecoins. Different market dynamics and regulatory policies may affect various stablecoins (such as DAI, USDT, and USDC). Diversifying stablecoin holdings helps mitigate systemic risks associated with any single asset. For instance, USDT may have compliance concerns, whereas USDC faces different regulatory risks. Investors should adjust their stablecoin allocation based on market conditions.
Matching Yield with Risk: Different platforms and liquidity pools carry varying levels of risk. When diversifying investments, investors should allocate funds according to their risk tolerance. High-risk pools may offer higher returns but can also lead to significant losses. Therefore, investors should balance their portfolio between high-risk, high-reward opportunities and lower-risk, stable returns.
The dynamic nature of the DeFi market requires investors to adjust their investment strategies based on market changes continuously. The yield of stablecoin mining and platform liquidity conditions fluctuate constantly. Investors should closely monitor market trends, liquidity changes, and platform security to adjust their asset allocation and strategies promptly.
Methods for Dynamic Adjustment:
Real-Time Monitoring of Yield Fluctuations and Market Changes: Investors can use third-party DeFi analytics tools (such as DeFi Pulse and Dune Analytics) to track platform yield changes, liquidity pool capital flows, and market activity in real time. These tools provide critical data on platform capital movements, yield rates, and market trends, helping investors identify potential risks early and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Participating in Platform Governance: Many DeFi platforms operate under decentralized governance, allowing token holders to influence platform decisions through voting. Investors should stay informed about governance proposals and participate in voting to help ensure platform security and liquidity stability. For example, if a proposal suggests adjusting liquidity pool rewards, investors can vote to influence these changes and optimize their returns while securing their funds.
Tracking Technology Developments and Community Feedback: Engaging with DeFi platform communities and monitoring protocol updates is crucial. DeFi protocols regularly release updates to fix vulnerabilities, improve performance, or introduce new features. By staying informed through community discussions and technical documentation, investors can stay ahead of potential risks that may arise from outdated or unpatched platforms.
Stablecoin mining, as a crucial component of the DeFi ecosystem, has evolved from traditional liquidity mining into more diversified, cross-chain, and automated investment forms. As the market matures, stablecoin mining will keep innovating and offering more investment opportunities, though it also comes with certain technical and market risks. Investors participating in stablecoin mining must conduct in-depth analyses of liquidity, yield rates, and platform governance while diversifying risks and allocating assets wisely. They should closely monitor market trends, adjust suitable platforms and strategies dynamically, and implement effective risk management. Keeping up with the latest trends and technologies while mastering the fundamental principles and strategies of stablecoin mining will help investors achieve long-term stable returns.
Stablecoins, as digital currencies pegged to fiat currencies or crypto assets, aim to reduce the price volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies. With the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi), stablecoins play a crucial role in transactions and value storage and have become a new investment hotspot in the stablecoin mining sector. Stablecoin mining allows investors to earn stable returns by providing liquidity, participating in lending, or staking.
However, as the market continues to evolve, the forms, platforms, and revenue models of stablecoin mining are also constantly changing. To help investors navigate this rapidly shifting market landscape, this article will analyze the latest stablecoin mining trends, introduce new mining models and platforms, provide strategic recommendations, and assess potential risks and returns.
Stablecoin mining generally refers to earning stablecoin rewards using various blockchain protocols to provide liquidity, participate in staking, or offer lending services for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. The core concept is to generate returns by engaging in specific blockchain network functions.
In simple terms, stablecoin mining revolves around providing liquidity to blockchain protocols, engaging in lending activities, or staking stablecoins to earn rewards. In recent years, as the DeFi market has expanded rapidly, stablecoin mining mechanisms have continued to evolve, leading to new trends.
According to CoinMarketCap data as of February 18, 2025, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at $3.14 trillion, with stablecoins accounting for $225.737 billion, representing 7.18% of the overall crypto market. Among them, USDT holds a 63.28% share, while USDC accounts for 25.04%.
Stablecoin Market Growth Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
Top 20 Stablecoins by Market Capitalization (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
According to Token Terminal data, over the past four years, stablecoin trading volume has surged from $411.697 billion in January 2021 to $2.97 trillion in January 2025. In January 2025, due to the explosion of meme coins on the Solana blockchain, USDC accounted for 65.24% of the total monthly trading volume, while USDT’s share dropped to just 29.02%. Two years ago, USDT still held the largest trading volume. Stablecoins from projects such as SKY, PAX, and BLAST followed closely behind in trading volume.
Stablecoin Trading Volume Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
Stablecoin Trading Volume Share Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
Stablecoin Project Trading Volume and Share Over the Past Five Years (Source: https://tokenterminal.com, 2025.2.18)
In the past, stablecoin mining was primarily concentrated on the Ethereum network. However, with the development of cross-chain technology, an increasing number of stablecoin mining projects now support multiple blockchains. Currently, the market capitalization of stablecoins on the Ethereum network stands at $122.576 billion, accounting for 54.42% of the total stablecoin market. Meanwhile, stablecoins on the Tron network hold a 27.82% share. Other public blockchains such as Avalanche, Solana, and Polygon are also attracting stablecoin mining activity, particularly due to their lower transaction fees and faster transaction speeds, making them popular new choices.
Stablecoin Market Share Across Major Blockchains (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.2.18)
Top 20 Stablecoins by Market Capitalization Across Blockchains (Source: https://defillama.com, 2025.3.17)
Advantages of Cross-Chain Mining:
Lower Transaction Fees: Stablecoins on Ethereum (such as USDC and DAI) often face high transaction fees, whereas stablecoin mining on public chains like Polygon, Solana, or Avalanche offers significantly lower costs.
Higher Throughput and Low Latency: Cross-chain technology allows users to participate in stablecoin mining on more efficient blockchains, improving liquidity and transaction speed.
Blockchain Project Subsidies: Many emerging blockchains provide substantial ecosystem incentives to attract users and capital. For example, the SUI ecosystem rapidly gained traction through large-scale token airdrops and incentive programs, drawing significant participation in liquidity mining. Similarly, Aptos adopted a similar subsidy strategy, offering high rewards to early DeFi projects and liquidity providers. This subsidy-driven approach encourages “on-chain farmers” to migrate to the most lucrative ecosystems for maximum returns.
More Protocol Support: Cross-chain technology enhances interoperability between DeFi protocols, enabling users to manage funds across multiple platforms flexibly and improving capital efficiency. For instance, Avalanche and Polygon provide fast and low-cost networks for stablecoin mining. Users can supply stablecoins to decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or liquidity pools to earn higher yields without worrying about high fees or network congestion.
The combination of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and stablecoins is emerging as a new trend in stablecoin mining.
For example, the Aavegotchi platform, launched in 2020, introduced an innovative incentive mechanism by integrating NFTs with liquidity pools. It allows users to participate in stablecoin liquidity mining by holding specific NFTs, earning additional rewards or benefits.
Aavegotchi is a DeFi-powered NFT pet game funded by the Aave Ecosystem Fund and built on Aave. On this platform, players can stake various Aave-supported ERC-20 tokens, such as aTokens (Aave’s deposit certificates), to generate NFTs (crypto pets, commonly known as “Gotchis” in the community) and interact with the Aavegotchi metaverse. Currently, Aavegotchi operates on the Polygon network. This model presents several unique advantages:
Enhanced Incentive Mechanism: NFTs are not only independent rewards but can also be integrated with stablecoin mining to offer multiple levels of returns. Holding specific NFTs may provide additional interest earnings, liquidity rewards, or platform tokens.
Increased Platform Engagement: NFTs serve as decentralized identity credentials and participation proof, fostering user engagement and loyalty. This encourages more users to participate in stablecoin mining.
Aavegotchi is a prime example of this trend, seamlessly merging NFTs with the DeFi ecosystem. By holding Aavegotchi NFTs, users can engage in stablecoin liquidity pool mining and receive multi-layered reward incentives based on the unique attributes of their NFTs.
Aavegotchi NFT Display (Source: Google)
Aavegotchi Staking Mining Interface (Source: Google)
AMM (Automated Market Making) is one of the most common forms of stablecoin mining in the DeFi ecosystem. It utilizes smart contracts to provide liquidity providers with a market-making tool without intermediaries. By supplying stablecoin liquidity, users can earn transaction fee rewards and platform token incentives. In recent years, innovations in AMM have focused on the following areas:
Concentrated Liquidity: Uniswap V3 introduced concentrated liquidity, allowing liquidity providers to allocate capital within a specific price range, improving capital efficiency and reducing costs. By customizing price ranges, liquidity providers can manage risk and returns more precisely.
Multi-Asset Pool Support: Curve Finance specializes in market-making for stablecoin trading pairs, optimizing low-slippage trading between stablecoins. It enables users to swap different stablecoins and earn liquidity rewards. Curve’s “stablecoin pools” provide a more efficient capital allocation model, enhancing user earnings.
Additionally, decentralized exchanges such as Balancer and SushiSwap have introduced innovative AMM protocols to encourage stablecoin liquidity providers. By incorporating dynamic reward mechanisms, these platforms help users achieve higher capital efficiency and lower trading slippage.
Yield aggregators (such as Yearn Finance and Convex Finance) play a crucial role in stablecoin mining. These platforms aggregate liquidity mining strategies from multiple DeFi protocols, automate fund allocation, and maximize user returns. Specifically, they offer the following advantages:
Automated Fund Management: Yield aggregators use algorithms to optimize investment paths, reallocating funds across multiple high-yield protocols to ensure maximum returns for users. For example, Yearn Finance’s Vaults allow users to deposit stablecoins, which are then automatically allocated to higher-yield platforms such as Aave and Compound.
Reducing Manual Complexity: Users do not need to manually select platforms and strategies. Aggregators automatically identify the best yield opportunities, reducing the time and effort required for fund management.
Convex Finance is a yield aggregation platform built on Curve, designed to enhance liquidity rewards for Curve users. By depositing Curve LP tokens on Convex, users can earn additional rewards, making it an essential option for stablecoin liquidity providers.
Liquidity pool mining remains the primary form of stablecoin mining. Liquidity providers deposit stablecoins (such as USDC, DAI, and USDT) into AMM platforms (such as Uniswap V3, SushiSwap, and Curve Finance) to provide liquidity for trading pairs and earn rewards through platform transaction fees and platform tokens.
Advantages: By providing stablecoin liquidity, users can obtain relatively stable returns without worrying about significant asset price fluctuations, especially on AMM platforms focused on stablecoin trading.
Examples:
Uniswap V3: On Uniswap V3, users can provide liquidity for stablecoin pairs (such as USDT/USDC and DAI/USDT) and earn transaction fee rewards. Unlike earlier versions, V3 introduces concentrated liquidity and customizable price ranges, allowing liquidity providers to manage their capital efficiency more precisely.
Curve Finance: On Curve Finance, users can provide liquidity for USDC/DAI trading pairs, earning a share of platform transaction fees while receiving CRV token rewards from the platform.
Staking stablecoins and lending other assets has become another popular form of mining. Lending platforms allow users to deposit stablecoins as collateral to earn interest income and participate in platform token rewards. The returns from lending mining typically depend on the platform’s borrowing demand and interest rate levels.
Advantages: This model is suitable for investors seeking low-risk, stable returns. By staking stablecoins, users can earn interest while potentially receiving additional rewards through the platform’s governance tokens (such as AAVE and COMP).
Examples:
Aave: Aave is a decentralized lending platform where users can deposit stablecoins (such as USDC and DAI), borrow other assets, or earn interest rewards. As of February 18, 2025, the platform has a net liquidity deposit of $31.04 billion, with a total borrowing volume of $166.01 billion over the past 30 days. Aave also allows users to stake stablecoins to earn additional incentives through the platform token AAVE. Over the past year, liquidity providers on the Ethereum network have earned an annual interest rate of 7.01%, while borrowers have faced an annual interest rate of 9.88%.
Compound: On the Compound platform, users can deposit stablecoins (such as USDT and USDC) into lending pools to earn interest through the lending platform. Additionally, Compound distributes COMP tokens to liquidity providers as rewards, which participants can choose to sell or hold long-term.
As DeFi matures, the stablecoin derivatives market has gradually taken shape, providing investors with more risk management tools and earning opportunities. For example, derivative trading pairs created using stablecoins, such as options and futures, offer investors additional strategies for hedging and speculation.
Advantages: The derivatives market provides more flexible investment options, allowing users to hedge against uncertainty and minimize losses while also generating additional returns through options and futures trading.
Examples:
Synthetix: Synthetix is a decentralized derivatives platform that enables users to create synthetic assets by staking SNX tokens, including derivatives pegged to stablecoins (such as sUSD). By staking stablecoin-based assets, users can earn revenue through trading and participate in platform governance.
Hegic: Hegic is a decentralized options trading platform that allows users to purchase options using stablecoins (such as DAI), engage in leveraged trading, and earn returns.
Ethena USDE: Ethena has introduced USDE (Synthetic Dollar), an on-chain stablecoin utilizing a Delta-Neutral strategy to hedge through the futures market, ensuring price stability. USDE generates yield from perpetual contract funding rates, allowing holders to earn additional returns while maintaining stability.
As blockchain technology matures, RWA (Real-World Assets) has become a new sector for stablecoin mining. RWA-backed stablecoins are pegged to real-world assets such as government bonds and commercial paper, making their yield models more stable.
Examples:
USDS (Stably USD): USDS is a stablecoin issued by Stably, pegged to real-world assets like USD bank deposits and supervised by regulatory authorities. Users can earn interest from bank deposits while participating in DeFi protocols for mining.
USYC (USYield Coin): USYC is an on-chain RWA stablecoin primarily investing in short-term government bonds and high-yield financial instruments, allowing users to achieve stable returns similar to traditional financial markets. Users can provide liquidity or stake USYC on DeFi platforms for yield farming.
Automated yield managers like Yearn Finance allow stablecoin investors to allocate assets across multiple DeFi protocols, using smart algorithms to optimize returns. These platforms dynamically adjust fund allocation based on market yield fluctuations to maximize investment returns.
Examples:
Yearn Finance: Through its “Vault” feature, Yearn Finance lets users deposit stablecoins into the platform, automatically seeking the best yield opportunities across multiple DeFi protocols. For instance, when users deposit DAI, Yearn optimizes returns by reallocating funds to platforms such as Aave and Compound.
Convex Finance: Convex enhances liquidity rewards on Curve Finance, allowing users to deposit stablecoins into liquidity pools via Convex to earn additional Curve rewards while reducing the complexity of individual liquidity management.
As of March 17, 2025, according to DefiLlama data, stablecoin mining funds are primarily concentrated on the Ethereum network. Currently, there are 28 mining pools with a total value locked (TVL) exceeding $100 million. Notably, the USDD pool on the JustLend protocol on the Tron network has reached $222 million in staked assets, the USDT staking volume in the Venus Core Pool on the Binance Chain has reached $169 million, and the USDC staking volume in the AAVE V3 protocol on the Arbitrum network has reached $114 million. The size of these mining pools often reflects the market’s trust in the protocol, indicating relatively stable capital flows and yields, with comparatively lower risks. After compiling data on stablecoin staking pools with over $1 million in TVL, it is evident that a significant portion of funds remain on the Ethereum network.
Stablecoin Fund Distribution (Source: https://defillama.com, March 17, 2025)
Stablecoin Fund Distribution (Source: https://defillama.com, March 17, 2025)
The yield of stablecoin mining is typically influenced by factors such as platform interest rates, the number of participants in liquidity pools, and market demand. Below is an analysis of the yields of some commonly used stablecoins:
Lending Platforms: The annual yield for USDC typically ranges from 3% to 6%, influenced mainly by market liquidity and borrowing demand. Platforms like Compound and Aave offer relatively stable returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On AMM platforms such as Curve Finance and SushiSwap, USDC liquidity mining yields usually range from 6% to 12%, depending on capital inflow and trading fees.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: Through platforms like Yearn Finance and Convex Finance, USDC’s annual yield can reach 6% to 9%, optimized via automated strategies.
Lending Platforms: USDT’s annual yield ranges between 3% and 6%, with borrowing demand potentially increasing during market volatility, leading to higher returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On platforms like Uniswap V3 and Curve Finance, USDT liquidity mining yields typically range from 5% to 10%.
Derivatives Platforms: By participating in funding rate trading on derivatives platforms like Synthetix, USDT yields can reach 6% to 12%, depending on market funding rate fluctuations.
Lending Platforms: DAI’s annual interest rate typically ranges from 4% to 8%, making it suitable for stable long-term returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On platforms like Curve Finance and SushiSwap, DAI liquidity mining yields generally range from 6% to 12%, especially within stablecoin pools.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: Through yield aggregators like Yearn Finance, DAI’s yield typically falls between 6% and 9%, leveraging automated strategies for higher returns.
Lending Platforms: USDE’s lending annual interest rate usually ranges from 4% to 8%, similar to other stablecoins. By participating in lending on Aave and Compound, users can earn stable annual returns.
Liquidity Pool Platforms: On DeFi platforms such as Curve Finance and Pendle, USDE liquidity mining yields generally range from 6% to 12%, with actual returns depending on liquidity pool size and capital activity.
Yield Aggregation Platforms: On yield aggregation platforms like Yearn Finance and Pendle, USDE’s annual yield can reach 7% to 15%, maximizing returns through automated strategies.
Lending Platforms: These stablecoins typically offer annual interest rates between 3% and 6%, depending on market demand and platform settings.
Liquidity Pools: Yield rates vary across AMM platforms but generally range between 5% and 10%.
As of February 18, 2025, I have compiled recent market data on stablecoin mining platform yields, categorized mining platforms, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of each. Specific yields may fluctuate with market conditions, and the data is for reference only.
Latest stablecoin mining data compilation
Stablecoin mining is a crucial strategy in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, attracting many investors due to its low volatility and stable returns. However, despite its seemingly secure nature, this strategy still faces multiple potential risks. If investors fail to accurately identify these risks and implement effective mitigation measures, they may experience capital losses, yield fluctuations, or even legal risks.
Smart contracts are at the core of DeFi protocols, especially in stablecoin mining, where their automated nature plays a key role in fund movements. However, the open-source nature of smart contracts and their heavy reliance on programming logic mean they may contain coding flaws or security vulnerabilities. If a smart contract is hacked, the risk of fund loss is severe, and accountability is often difficult to establish.
Mitigation Strategies:
Choose projects with multiple audits: Investors should prioritize platforms that have undergone multiple audits by reputable third-party firms and provide transparent audit reports. For example, platforms that have been audited multiple times by industry-leading firms such as CertiK or Trail of Bits and have published detailed reports can somewhat reduce the risk of contract vulnerabilities.
Ensure open and transparent code: Select DeFi protocols that openly share their source code on public platforms like GitHub. This enables external developers and security experts to review the code for potential vulnerabilities, increasing protocol transparency and credibility.
Monitor contract lifecycle management: Smart contracts may require periodic updates to adapt to market changes or fix known vulnerabilities. Platforms that utilize multisignature mechanisms or decentralized governance for secure contract upgrades can effectively mitigate risks associated with contract vulnerabilities.
Liquidity risk refers to the potential for capital price fluctuations or liquidity depletion due to insufficient market liquidity or changing market demand when participating in stablecoin mining. In DeFi liquidity pools, assets with low liquidity are more prone to high slippage and increased transaction difficulty, which can directly impact investor returns and even result in financial losses.
Mitigation Strategies:
Select stablecoin pairs for mining: To minimize slippage risk caused by asset price fluctuations, investors should prioritize mining with relatively stable asset pairs such as USDT/USDC or DAI/USDT. Since these assets are pegged to fiat currencies, their price volatility is minimal, reducing risks associated with price fluctuations.
Prioritize high-liquidity platforms: The size of a liquidity pool and a platform’s market depth are key factors in determining liquidity risk. Higher liquidity in a DeFi platform leads to lower price slippage and transaction costs, ultimately improving investor returns. Well-known platforms such as Curve Finance and Uniswap typically offer strong liquidity support.
Participate in platform governance mechanisms: By engaging in platform governance (e.g., voting mechanisms), investors can contribute to decisions regarding liquidity pool design and liquidity enhancement measures, indirectly influencing the efficiency and risk management of liquidity pools.
The global cryptocurrency and DeFi markets are still evolving within an uncertain legal and regulatory environment. As regulators increase their scrutiny of stablecoins and DeFi platforms, investors face growing regulatory uncertainty. Some countries have implemented stricter laws on cryptocurrency and DeFi activities, potentially affecting stablecoin liquidity, platform compliance, and investor fund security.
Mitigation Strategies:
Choose compliant stablecoin platforms: Investors should ensure that platforms adhere to local regulations, particularly in key markets such as the U.S., EU, and China. Factors to consider include whether the platform enforces KYC/AML (Know Your Customer/Anti-Money Laundering) policies and meets local regulatory requirements. This can help mitigate risks related to asset freezes or platform shutdowns due to regulatory changes.
Diversify investments to reduce legal risk concentration: Given the varying regulatory policies across different countries, investors should adopt a diversified investment strategy instead of concentrating all funds in a single jurisdiction or platform. This helps minimize potential risks stemming from regulatory changes in any one region.
Stay updated on regulatory trends: Investors should regularly monitor legal developments related to cryptocurrency, DeFi, and stablecoins in their respective countries and major markets. Keeping track of regulatory updates from organizations such as the European Commission (EC) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) can help investors adjust their strategies to align with potential future compliance requirements.
Platform risks refer to threats arising from a platform’s technology, governance, and management, including technical failures, hacking incidents, mismanagement, or governance conflicts. These risks may lead to frozen funds, platform collapses, or governance failures. In the DeFi sector, weaknesses in decentralized governance can expose platforms to concentrated risk points.
Mitigation Strategies:
Select mature and transparent platforms: Investors should prioritize DeFi platforms with transparent operational mechanisms, strong user reputations, and extensive operational histories. Platforms with high transparency often disclose fund movements, governance decisions, and financial status, helping to reduce risks associated with operational mismanagement.
Diversify investments to reduce concentration risk: Spreading investments across multiple DeFi platforms can help mitigate sudden platform-specific risks such as technical failures or governance crises. A diversified strategy reduces the likelihood of capital loss due to a single platform’s failure.
Engage in platform governance and risk control: When platforms offer governance participation, investors can take part in decision-making processes related to liquidity pool management, fee structures, and risk control measures. Increased involvement in governance enhances investor influence over a platform’s future direction and can help mitigate platform-related risks.
In the DeFi investment strategy of stablecoin mining, selecting the right mining platform is crucial. A platform’s security, liquidity, yield, and risk control mechanisms directly impact investors’ final returns. When choosing a platform and formulating a strategy, investors must consider multiple factors and dynamically adjust their approach based on market conditions and their own risk tolerance.
Stablecoin Image (Source: Google)
The liquidity and yield of a platform are fundamental factors in stablecoin mining decisions. High liquidity reduces price slippage, enhances transaction efficiency, and mitigates market risks caused by insufficient capital flows. Additionally, the yield level directly determines investors’ returns, though high returns may also come with potential risks.
Analysis Methods:
Liquidity Assessment:
Yield Assessment:
The DeFi market is highly uncertain, and relying on a single platform can lead to concentrated capital risks. Investors can mitigate these risks by diversifying their investments. Allocating funds across multiple platforms can help reduce losses caused by platform failures or governance issues while also improving capital efficiency and optimizing return structures.
Diversification Strategy Details:
Diversifying Platform Risk: By distributing funds across multiple platforms, investors can lower the risk of losing capital due to platform-specific issues, such as technical failures, hacking incidents, or governance mismanagement. For example, if a platform experiences a major technical problem or comes under regulatory scrutiny, diversification helps prevent significant losses tied to a single platform.
Diversifying Asset Types: In addition to platform diversification, investors can allocate their assets across different stablecoins. Different market dynamics and regulatory policies may affect various stablecoins (such as DAI, USDT, and USDC). Diversifying stablecoin holdings helps mitigate systemic risks associated with any single asset. For instance, USDT may have compliance concerns, whereas USDC faces different regulatory risks. Investors should adjust their stablecoin allocation based on market conditions.
Matching Yield with Risk: Different platforms and liquidity pools carry varying levels of risk. When diversifying investments, investors should allocate funds according to their risk tolerance. High-risk pools may offer higher returns but can also lead to significant losses. Therefore, investors should balance their portfolio between high-risk, high-reward opportunities and lower-risk, stable returns.
The dynamic nature of the DeFi market requires investors to adjust their investment strategies based on market changes continuously. The yield of stablecoin mining and platform liquidity conditions fluctuate constantly. Investors should closely monitor market trends, liquidity changes, and platform security to adjust their asset allocation and strategies promptly.
Methods for Dynamic Adjustment:
Real-Time Monitoring of Yield Fluctuations and Market Changes: Investors can use third-party DeFi analytics tools (such as DeFi Pulse and Dune Analytics) to track platform yield changes, liquidity pool capital flows, and market activity in real time. These tools provide critical data on platform capital movements, yield rates, and market trends, helping investors identify potential risks early and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Participating in Platform Governance: Many DeFi platforms operate under decentralized governance, allowing token holders to influence platform decisions through voting. Investors should stay informed about governance proposals and participate in voting to help ensure platform security and liquidity stability. For example, if a proposal suggests adjusting liquidity pool rewards, investors can vote to influence these changes and optimize their returns while securing their funds.
Tracking Technology Developments and Community Feedback: Engaging with DeFi platform communities and monitoring protocol updates is crucial. DeFi protocols regularly release updates to fix vulnerabilities, improve performance, or introduce new features. By staying informed through community discussions and technical documentation, investors can stay ahead of potential risks that may arise from outdated or unpatched platforms.
Stablecoin mining, as a crucial component of the DeFi ecosystem, has evolved from traditional liquidity mining into more diversified, cross-chain, and automated investment forms. As the market matures, stablecoin mining will keep innovating and offering more investment opportunities, though it also comes with certain technical and market risks. Investors participating in stablecoin mining must conduct in-depth analyses of liquidity, yield rates, and platform governance while diversifying risks and allocating assets wisely. They should closely monitor market trends, adjust suitable platforms and strategies dynamically, and implement effective risk management. Keeping up with the latest trends and technologies while mastering the fundamental principles and strategies of stablecoin mining will help investors achieve long-term stable returns.