An independent examiner has revealed shocking details surrounding the inner workings of Celsius – a crypto lender that filed for bankruptcy in July 2022. The examiner claimed that Celsius did not operate by the business model that it presented to customers. He likened it to a Ponzi scheme, much like FTX – a company that happened to have used the same accounting software: QuickBooks. The Truth About CEL Token Per a filing from examiner Shoba Pillay on Tuesday, Celsius had…
Dai Stablecoin Exaplained
Dai is a decentralized stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar’s value. It is built on the Ethereum blockchain and is created and managed by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) called MakerDAO. The value of DAI is maintained through a system of collateralized debt positions (CDPs) and a dynamic system of collateral auctions.
Users can create Dai by depositing cryptocurrency as collateral into a CDP and then borrowing Dai against the value of that collateral. The value of the collateral is continually monitored, and if it falls below a certain threshold, the user must add more collateral, or their position will be liquidated. Additionally, if the overall supply of Dai exceeds the demand, the MakerDAO system will auction off collateral to reduce the supply and maintain the peg to the U.S. dollar.
What Makes Dai Stablecoin unique
Dai is unique in that it is a decentralized stablecoin. It is not backed by a central authority or organization but rather by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) called MakerDAO. This allows for greater transparency, security, and censorship resistance compared to centralized stablecoins.
Another unique aspect of Dai is its use of collateralized debt positions (CDPs) to maintain its value. CDPs are used to create new Dai by depositing cryptocurrency as collateral, which is then borrowed against. This allows Dai to be decentralized and incentivizes users to hold and use Dai, as they can earn interest on their collateral.
Additionally, Dai’s value is maintained through a dynamic system of collateral auctions, which allows it to adjust its supply to meet changes in demand quickly.
Dai’s decentralized, collateralized, and auction-based mechanism makes it a unique stablecoin in the market.
Dai Stablecoin Risks
Like any financial instrument, there are risks associated with using Dai stablecoin. Some of the main risks include the following:
- Smart Contract Risks: Dai is built on the Ethereum blockchain, and as such, it is subject to the same smart contract risks as any other Ethereum-based contract. A flaw or bug in the smart contract code could result in the loss of funds or other issues.
- Collateral Risk: Dai is created by depositing collateral into a collateralized debt position (CDP). If the value of the collateral falls below a certain threshold, the CDP will be liquidated, resulting in the loss of the collateral. This risk can be mitigated by ensuring that the collateral is diversified and not overly exposed to any one asset.
- Liquidity Risk: Dai is an ERC-20 token that depends on the Ethereum blockchain’s liquidity. If the Ethereum network becomes congested or the gas price becomes too high, it could become easier to transact with Dai.
- Governance Risk: Dai is governed by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) called MakerDAO. If the governance of MakerDAO is not executed properly, it could result in a loss of confidence in the Dai stablecoin and a decrease in its value.
It is important to be aware of these risks and to conduct proper research before using or investing in DAI stablecoin.
Dai vs. USDT
Dai and USDT are both stablecoins, digital assets designed to maintain a stable value, usually pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. However, there are several key differences between the two:
- Centralization: DAI is a decentralized stablecoin built on the Ethereum blockchain. USDT, on the other hand, is a centralized stablecoin issued by Tether Limited, a company based in the British Virgin Islands.
- Collateralization: Dai is created by depositing collateral into a collateralized debt position (CDP) and borrowing Dai against the value of that collateral. USDT, on the other hand, is issued by Tether Limited. According to Tether, it is backed by the U.S. Dollar on a 1:1 basis. However, this information has never been possible to verify.
- Transparency: Dai is more transparent as it is built on the Ethereum blockchain and is open-source. USDT is more opaque, as the exact process of how USDT is backed sometimes needs to be clarified.
- Auditability: Dai is auditable, and its smart contract is open source. USDT is not auditable, and its smart contract is not open source.
- Blockchain: Dai is built on the Ethereum blockchain, while USDT is built on the Bitcoin blockchain and is available on multiple other chains like Ethereum, TRON, EOS, Solana, Algorand, and others.
In summary, Dai is a decentralized and collateralized stablecoin, while USDT is a centralized stablecoin issued by Tether Limited. DAI is more transparent and auditable, while USDT needs to be more transparent and more auditable.
Dai vs. USDC
DAI and USDC are both stablecoins, digital assets designed to maintain a stable value, usually pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. However, there are several key differences between the two:
- Centralization: Like mentioned, Dai is a decentralized stablecoin managed by a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) called MakerDAO. USDC is a centralized stablecoin issued by the Centre Consortium, a joint venture between Circle and Coinbase.
- Collateralization: DAI is created by depositing collateral into a collateralized debt position (CDP) and borrowing Dai against the value of that collateral. The Centre Consortium issues USDC, fully collateralized with U.S. dollars held in reserve.
- Transparency: Dai is more transparent as it is built on the Ethereum blockchain and is open-source. USDC is also transparent and auditable by a third-party auditing firm.
- Auditability: Dai is auditable, and its smart contract is open source. USDC is also auditable by a third-party auditing firm.
- Blockchain: Dai is built on the Ethereum blockchain, while USDC is built on the Ethereum blockchain and other blockchain networks like Algorand, Solana, Stellar and more.
In summary, Dai and USDC are both stablecoins pegged to the U.S. dollar, but DAI is decentralized and collateralized, while USDC is centralized and fully collateralized. In addition, DAI and USDC are transparent and auditable. Dai is built only on the Ethereum blockchain, while USDC is built on Ethereum and other blockchain networks.