Ethena has made headlines in the world of decentralized finance (DeFi) with its launch of the USDe stablecoin protocol on the Ethereum blockchain. Touted as a censorship-resistant and scalable form of digital money pegged to the US dollar, USDe has quickly gained popularity, with its market capitalization surpassing $2 billion in a relatively short period of time.
The Growth and Risks of USDe
Despite its rapid rise, USDe is not without its challenges. The protocol faces risks in maintaining its peg to the US dollar, particularly concerning “funding risks.” These risks arise from the need to pay negative funding rates when traders seek to open more short positions than long positions. Maintaining the balance between the price of perpetual futures and the price of the underlying assets is crucial for the stability of the stablecoin.
According to a recent analysis by CryptoQuant, Ethena’s current reserve fund of $32.7 million may be sufficient to cover extremely negative funding rates as long as USDe’s market capitalization remains below $4 billion. However, as the market cap of USDe grows, the reserve fund would need to increase significantly to mitigate the risks posed by negative funding rates. Head of research, Julio Moreno, emphasized the importance of monitoring the reserve fund’s adequacy in relation to USDe’s market cap to ensure the stablecoin’s stability.
Another key factor in maintaining the stability of USDe is the “keep rate,” which determines the portion of yield sent to reserves. This rate plays a crucial role in growing the reserves in line with the market cap of USDe, particularly during bear market conditions. Market participants are rightfully cautious about algorithmic stablecoins, given the history of rapid rise and subsequent collapse experienced by other projects such as the Terra/Luna ecosystem.
One of the main attractions of USDe is its high yields, with rates reaching as high as 17%. This has drawn comparisons to Terraform Lab’s UST stablecoin, which famously suffered a catastrophic collapse in the past. Investors and analysts alike are wary of the similarities between USDe and past stablecoin failures, highlighting the need for caution and thorough risk assessment when engaging with such platforms.
While Ethena’s USDe stablecoin protocol shows promise in providing a censorship-resistant and scalable form of digital money, it also faces significant risks and challenges. Monitoring the adequacy of the reserve fund, managing funding risks, and maintaining the keep rate are essential for ensuring the stability and longevity of the protocol in the volatile world of decentralized finance. Investors and participants in the DeFi space should proceed with caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with USDe and similar stablecoin projects.
