DeFi

Stablecoin

A token pegged to a stable asset, typically the US dollar. Major stablecoins on Solana include USDC (Circle, natively minted), USDT (Tether), and UXD (algorithmic). Stablecoins are critical DeFi primitives used as trading pairs, lending collateral, and yield farming. USDC on Solana uses the SPL Token program with freeze authority retained by Circle.

IDstablecoinAliasUSDCAliasUSDT

Plain meaning

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A token pegged to a stable asset, typically the US dollar. Major stablecoins on Solana include USDC (Circle, natively minted), USDT (Tether), and UXD (algorithmic). Stablecoins are critical DeFi primitives used as trading pairs, lending collateral, and yield farming. USDC on Solana uses the SPL Token program with freeze authority retained by Circle.

Mental model

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Think of it as a market mechanic used to price, route, or move capital through liquidity apps.

Technical context

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AMMs, routing, liquidity, lending, and trading infrastructure.

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Stablecoin (stablecoin)
Category: DeFi
Definition: A token pegged to a stable asset, typically the US dollar. Major stablecoins on Solana include USDC (Circle, natively minted), USDT (Tether), and UXD (algorithmic). Stablecoins are critical DeFi primitives used as trading pairs, lending collateral, and yield farming. USDC on Solana uses the SPL Token program with freeze authority retained by Circle.
Aliases: USDC, USDT
Related: DeFi (Decentralized Finance), SPL Token Swap
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Concept graph

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Branch

DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

Financial services built on blockchain smart contracts that operate without traditional intermediaries (banks, brokers). DeFi includes lending, borrowing, trading, insurance, and derivatives. Key properties: permissionless (anyone can participate), composable (protocols can be combined), transparent (open-source, auditable). Solana DeFi TVL has exceeded $5B, led by Jupiter, Raydium, Marinade, and Kamino.

Branch

SPL Token Swap

An SPL program that implements a constant-product AMM (x*y=k) for swapping between two SPL tokens. It was one of the first DeFi primitives on Solana but has been largely superseded by more sophisticated DEXs like Raydium, Orca, and Meteora. The program manages liquidity pools and issues LP tokens to liquidity providers.

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Web3

DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

Financial services built on blockchain smart contracts that operate without traditional intermediaries (banks, brokers). DeFi includes lending, borrowing, trading, insurance, and derivatives. Key properties: permissionless (anyone can participate), composable (protocols can be combined), transparent (open-source, auditable). Solana DeFi TVL has exceeded $5B, led by Jupiter, Raydium, Marinade, and Kamino.

Token Ecosystem

SPL Token Swap

An SPL program that implements a constant-product AMM (x*y=k) for swapping between two SPL tokens. It was one of the first DeFi primitives on Solana but has been largely superseded by more sophisticated DEXs like Raydium, Orca, and Meteora. The program manages liquidity pools and issues LP tokens to liquidity providers.

DeFi

Supply APY

The annualized interest rate earned by depositors (lenders) in a lending protocol. Supply APY equals the borrow APY multiplied by the utilization rate, minus any protocol fees. For example, if borrow APY is 10% and utilization is 80% with a 10% protocol cut, supply APY is approximately 7.2%. Depositors earn yield passively as borrowers pay interest on their loans.

DeFi

SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle)

Legally separate entity (LLC/trust) created to hold assets, isolating risk from parent organization. In RWA tokenization, SPV holds the actual asset while investors hold tokens representing SPV shares. Provides bankruptcy remoteness.

Commonly confused with

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DeFiusdc-native

USDC (Native Solana)

Circle-issued USDC minted directly on Solana through the SPL Token program, as opposed to bridged USDC from other chains. Native USDC (mint: EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v) is the most widely used stablecoin on Solana with deep DeFi integration. Circle maintains freeze authority over the mint for regulatory compliance and supports CCTP for native cross-chain transfers.

AliasUSDC
DeFialgorithmic-stablecoin

Algorithmic Stablecoin

A stablecoin that maintains its peg through algorithmic mechanisms (mint/burn arbitrage, elastic supply) rather than being fully backed by reserves. Algorithmic stablecoins use smart contracts to expand or contract supply based on demand. The category carries significant risk after the UST/Luna collapse in 2022. On Solana, UXD Protocol attempted a delta-neutral algorithmic design.

DeFisanctum

Sanctum

A protocol that unifies fragmented liquidity across Solana's liquid staking token (LST) ecosystem by enabling instant swaps between any LSTs and providing the INF token as a unified liquid staking position. Sanctum solves the cold-start liquidity problem for new LST providers and allows validators to launch their own LSTs.

AliasSanctum LST
Related terms

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Web3defi-general

DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

Financial services built on blockchain smart contracts that operate without traditional intermediaries (banks, brokers). DeFi includes lending, borrowing, trading, insurance, and derivatives. Key properties: permissionless (anyone can participate), composable (protocols can be combined), transparent (open-source, auditable). Solana DeFi TVL has exceeded $5B, led by Jupiter, Raydium, Marinade, and Kamino.

Token Ecosystemtoken-swap

SPL Token Swap

An SPL program that implements a constant-product AMM (x*y=k) for swapping between two SPL tokens. It was one of the first DeFi primitives on Solana but has been largely superseded by more sophisticated DEXs like Raydium, Orca, and Meteora. The program manages liquidity pools and issues LP tokens to liquidity providers.

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DeFi

AMM (Automated Market Maker)

A protocol that enables token swaps using algorithmic pricing against pooled liquidity instead of matching individual buyers and sellers. AMMs use mathematical formulas (typically constant product x*y=k) to determine prices based on the ratio of tokens in a liquidity pool. On Solana, major AMMs include Raydium, Orca, and Meteora.

DeFi

CLMM (Concentrated Liquidity Market Maker)

An AMM design where liquidity providers concentrate their capital within specific price ranges instead of across the full 0-to-infinity range. CLMMs dramatically improve capital efficiency—LPs earn more fees per dollar deposited within their active range. If the price moves outside the range, the position becomes inactive. Orca Whirlpools and Raydium CLMM are leading implementations on Solana.

DeFi

Liquidity Pool

A smart-contract-held reserve of two or more tokens that enables trading via an AMM. Users deposit token pairs in specified ratios to become liquidity providers and earn trading fees. Pools are identified by their token pair and fee tier. Pool depth (total value locked) determines price impact for trades.

DeFi

LP Token

A token issued to liquidity providers representing their proportional share of a pool's reserves and accrued fees. LP tokens can be burned to withdraw the underlying assets. The value of LP tokens changes as the pool's token ratios shift and fees accumulate. LP tokens are often stakeable in yield farming programs for additional rewards.