Tag: cream finance

  • Yearn.Finance merging the DeFi Ecosystem

    Yearn.Finance merging the DeFi Ecosystem

    The decentralized finance (DeFi) space has grown to include platforms in various sectors such as spot trading, derivatives, and futures. Interestingly, some networks such as Yearn Finance support yield farmers and liquidity providers through an aggregation service.

    Instead of offering spot trading, lending, or borrowing functionalities, it allows users to deposit funds, then it distributes it based on projected returns and the risks involved.

    However, this isn’t enough to drive meaningful DeFi adoption. Therefore, Yearn followed the partnership route to expand its ecosystem and to improve interoperability between DeFi systems.

    In this article, we look at the most impactful partnerships in the Yearn ecosystem:

    Yearn + SushiSwap

    Yearn x SushiSwap
    Yearn x SushiSwap (source: Yearn x Sushi 行ってきます medium article)

    On November 3, 2020, Yearn’s creator, Andre Cronje, took to Medium to announce the coming together of his platform and Sushiswap. The connection between the two platforms meets as Sushi improves its automated market-making (AMM) outlooks while Yearn digs deeper into aggregating formulas. These qualities brought a need for cooperation between them, leading to:

    • A combination of development resources.
    • A rise in the total value locked (TVL) on each platform.
    • Working together to develop and launch Deriswap, a platform bringing together spot trading, derivatives, and futures trading.
    • Introducing Keep3r Network, an on-chain price oracle on the second iteration of Sushswap.
    • Additionally, liquidity providers on Sushi provide collateral for the Sushi money market.

    Partnership with Cream Protocol

    The DeFi aggregator platform partnered with Cream, a lending network similar to Aave, in developing the system’s second version. With the partnership, the Yearn and Cream team created Cream V2, which introduced or enhanced leverage and lending features. Notably, the new platform enables yield farming using leverage.

    Yearn x CreamProtocol
    Yearn x Cream Protocol (source: Yearn & Cream v2 merger medium article)

    Additionally, Cream V2 acts as a springboard to power stable credit and yet-to-be-built lending functionalities. Apart from merging resources allocated towards development and seeing a rise in individual TVL, the partnership saw shares in Yearn Vaults qualify to provide collateral in Cream.

    One feature added to Cream’s new version includes rotating multi-signature keys in order to improve deployment, iteration, and testing. Unchanged features include those that touch on governance and native tokens.

    Akropolis and Yearn

    Yearn x Akropolis
    Yearn x Akropolis (source: μα τον Δια! Yearn x Akropolis medium article)

    The partnership is rather a unique one. Why? It aims to bring out the best in each platform’s team. Therefore, each team continues with their previous journey but leans on the other if they need help.

    Furthermore, Akropolis users can access Yearn and a host of other networks such as Cream and Pickle. In return, Yearn investors benefit from Akropolis’s investment strategies and a pool of institutional networks. The partnership between the two platforms brought with it improvements on Akropolis.

    For instance, there was a development of new vaults, an institutional application, some strategies, and a rotation of multi-signature. In addition, Akropolis’s native token was upgraded to be able to track losses.

    The PowerPool Partnership

    PowerPool is a decentralized protocol accumulating governance strengths in systems built on the Ethereum blockchain. In short, it brings together governance tokens from a wide range of DeFi protocols, such as Compound and Balancer.

    Yearn x Powerpool
    Yearn x Powerpool (source: Yearn Finance Newsletter #13)

    The partnership with Yearn Finance connected YFI, the governance token on Yearn, with PowerPool’s PowerIndex. PowerIndex provides a DeFi index inspired by distributed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The index exudes meta-governance functionalities and contains eight tokens, including YFI.

    Note that the meta-governance aspect rides on concentrating user tokens from different DeFi platforms into a single contract. Next, the tokens’ voting weight is delegated to a group consensus. Notably, the contract generates a token that its holders can use to decide the other tokens’ fate in the pool.

    So, what does the partnership bring to Yearn?

    • Having a share of the index gives DeFi lovers a share in Yearn.
    • It increases participation in YFI governance issues.
    • PowerIndex supports swapping. Thus, anyone can exchange another platform’s token with YFI and vice versa.
    • In return, Yearn benefits from more liquidity. Additionally, pooling YFI helps stabilize its price.

    The Cover Merger

    Although Cronje formally announced the partnership on November 28, 2020, the two platforms have been collaborating since Cover’s launch. The marriage between the two opens doors to advanced features targeting optimization, among other aspects.

    The partnership allows Curve to provide backstop coverage to products built on Yearn. Their coming together allows Cronje’s network to enjoy Cover’s range of coverage known for supporting multiple collaterals. Yearn can mitigate risks for users through vault coverage. That’s not all. Underwriting coverage on Yearn becomes more profitable.

    Yearn x Cover (source: Yearn & Cover merger medium article)

    Fortunately, the benefits aren’t one way. For Cover, it’s hoisted to expand its wings to unchartered money markets. Additionally, it’s empowered to seek a bigger share of perpetual coverage and other products in the market. However, components such as the native COVER currency remain intact.

    Pickle and Yearn

    Yearn x Pickle (source: Pickle & Yearn ferment co-operation dill medium article)

    This is another key partnership in the Yearn ecosystem. Its uniqueness emanates from the fact that it’s supposed to eradicate duplicate works among the two teams. Doing so lets each team and individuals within a team work on what they’re extremely good at.

    As a result, Pickle will launch new features such as reward Gauges. Governing members on the Pickle ecosystem receive DILL tokens when they lock their tokens for governance-related purposes. DILL holders share Gauge performance, withdrawal, and deposit fees.

    On the other hand, Yearn users, especially Vault depositors, are incentivized to interact with Gauges through Vault shares. The depositors also receive more rewards by setting aside Pickle tokens to receive DILL. (www.chronicpainpartners.com)

    Others benefits originating from the partnership include:

    • A merger of the platforms’ TVL.
    • Pickle finds its way into the Yearn ecosystem.
    • Pickle enjoys Yearn’s security, among other features.
    • Pickle’s reward Gauges rake in incentives from Yearn depositors.
    • The two protocols’ teams work together on strategy creation and split profits from the strategies.
    • There’s an overall increase in rewards for users in both circles.

    Conclusion

    By expanding the Yearn ecosystem, Cronje and his team seek to build an inter-connected DeFi world. With everything connected to everything, DeFi adoption naturally sets in.

    Apart from interconnection and adoption, the partnerships focus on, for example, reducing the duplication of roles within teams working on DeFi projects. This encourages the birth of new products and features to help drive growth in the space.

    In the process, DeFi enthusiasts benefit from enhanced products and yields, which further encourage interaction with DeFi-focused systems.

    Decentralised Finance (DeFi) series: tutorials, guides and more

    With content for both beginners and more advanced users, check out our YouTube DeFi series containing tutorials on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need for trading in the DeFi space e.g. MetaMask and Uniswap. As well as a deep dive into popular DeFi topics such as decentralized exchanges, borrowing-lending platforms and NFT marketplaces

    The DeFi series on this website also covers topics not explored on YouTube. For an introduction on what is DeFi, check out Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Overview: A guide to the HOTTEST trend in cryptocurrency

    Tutorials and guides for the ESSENTIAL DEFI TOOLS:

    More videos and articles are coming soon as part of our DeFi series, so be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube channel so you can be notified as soon as they come out!

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • Cream Finance ($CREAM): What is it?

    Cream Finance ($CREAM): What is it?

    CREAM Finance ($CREAM) stands for Crypto Rules Everything Around Me. The project began with a vision to establish a financial system more accessible than its traditional counterparts. So CREAM has created an ecosystem that can be linked with other Ethereum platforms to efficiently provide a spectrum of services for its users. The liquidity mining trend, which is currently the most talked-about aspect of the decentralised finance (DeFi) space due to its potential high returns has also helped CREAM establish its popularity and footing in this field.

    Background

    Jeffrey Huang, the Founder of CREAM Finance, believes in the capacity of cryptocurrencies to create an open and inclusive financial system. And through the help of smart contracts, Huang’s team went on to create a DeFi ecosystem that would link together multiple products and services that many users need today.

    In recent weeks, the team has been continuously working on expanding its listing and preparing for the launch of its CREAM token. The launch of their beta liquidity mining on 12th August 2020 has been the subject of discussions in some social media platforms.

    What is CREAM Finance?

    CREAM Finance is a DeFi ecosystem focused on providing lending, exchange, payment, and asset tokenization services. It also claims to operate a permissionless and open-source protocol so any other internet participant can be a part of the development of the network, instead of just using it or locking up funds in smart contracts for staking rewards.

    Financial inclusion is among the team’s primary goals. And the objective is to be able to achieve it without compromising the safety and security of each user and their assets.

    Since CREAM is established on the Ethereum blockchain, it can take advantage of smart contracts that can be used to run Ethereum Virtual Machines (EVM). Such a set-up also allows the CREAM project to have better composability than other DeFi projects.

    EVMs can also help community users develop their own decentralized applications (Dapps) on top of the network. However, there is very little detail on the community’s plans for such at the moment.

    CREAM plans to launch its own algorithmic money market protocol on top of Binance Smart Chain (BSC) in the weeks to come. When it is finally deployed, it might ensure that the platform can take advantage of the transaction throughput and cost-efficient servicing available only on the BSC and other similar chains. In addition, linkage with the Binance Chain can provide them with better liquidity through its access to the biggest cryptocurrencies.

    There has not been any report yet on the audits being done for CREAM’s smart contracts. But according to a recent release they made, they recently hired a security adviser to work on the necessary platform developments.

    The first monthly payment the team has made to the new adviser totaled to 37,500 CREAM. Some of the more prominent crypto advisers on-board is Robert Leshner, CEO of Compound Finance. Leshner acts as one of the team’s technical advisers.

    CREAM’s Lending Services

    The emerging trend of DeFi projects facilitating peer-to-peer lending services enticed the team behind CREAM to work on a protocol that can do something similar. Available assets that users can borrow from the CREAM ecosystem include BAL, COMP, ETH, CRV, LEND, REN, BUSD, USDC, USDT, and YFI.

    CREAM is looking forward to the launch of BSC. When it is already available, users can take advantage of CREAM’s link with Binance through the BEP2 standard, or pegged tokens, to make the transfers of XRP, BCH, LTC, and TRX much easier.

    Without having to wrap tokens, CREAM transactions on BSC can be performed faster and more affordably.

    CREAM Token and Liquidity Pools

    The CREAM token, i.e. the CREAM platform’s native asset is available on Uniswap and Balancer. As at 25th August 2020, the CREAM token market cap is over $11.8 million, with a circulating supply of 149,927 CREAM. The total supply, however, is at 9 million CREAM.

    CREAM was recently launched in August 2020 yet the platform already has a total of roughly $48 million in total value locked (TVL). Although it certainly wasn’t able to emulate Yearn Finance’s ($YFI) meteoric rise, it is still a notable DeFi protocol since it has gained a lot of traction after only being in the market for a few weeks.

    Since there is a growing number of crypto users participating in liquidity mining or yield farming, the team behind CREAM also launched their own liquidity mining program. On 24th August 2020, CREAM also announced their v3 Beta Liquidity Mining program, some of their updates include increasing the rewards for 3 of their pools.

    CREAM pools (Image credit: Cream Finance)

    Conclusion

    CREAM is a relative newcomer to this space and we can see that they are continuously building and listing more assets onto their platform. They have recently updated the rewards available on their liquidity mining pools and are transparent on their liquidity mining distribution. So be sure to check their Medium where they provide announcements and updates at least once a day. The team behind CREAM are also very responsive on social media in terms of answering people’s queries about them.

    Finally, considering the inclusion of some very prominent crypto personalities and their linkage with the biggest exchanges and protocols in the space, the future of CREAM looks promising so far. Looking at the service they are offering, it sure seems that it fits into what many cryptocurrency users need from the market.

    Decentralised Finance (DeFi) series: tutorials, guides and more

    With content for both beginners and more advanced users, check out our YouTube DeFi series containing tutorials on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need for trading in the DeFi space e.g. MetaMask and Uniswap. As well as a deep dive into popular DeFi topics such as decentralized exchanges, borrowing-lending platforms and NFT marketplaces

    The DeFi series on this website also covers topics not explored on YouTube. For an introduction on what is DeFi, check out Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Overview: A guide to the HOTTEST trend in cryptocurrency

    Tutorials and guides for the ESSENTIAL DEFI TOOLS:

    More videos and articles are coming soon as part of our DeFi series, so be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube channel so you can be notified as soon as they come out!

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.