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On the Fragility of DeFi Lending

Author

Listed:
  • Chiu, Jonathan
  • Ozdenoren, Emre
  • Yuan, Kathy
  • Zhang, Shengxing

Abstract

We model DeFi lending where cryptocurrencies serve as collateral to secure financial transactions, with their values derived from their role as a medium of exchange for consumption, yet subject to information frictions. Overcollateralization mitigates these frictions, enabling greater gains from trades between borrowers and lenders in DeFi lending. Lending backed by volatile or bubbly cryptocurrencies can be stable and does not inherently lead to fragility. Instead, specific DeFi institutional arrangements, such as the rigidity of DeFi contracts, can result in multiple self-fulfilling equilibria where lending and prices vary significantly. Introducing flexible contract updates can restore equilibrium uniqueness, highlighting an efficiency-stability-decentralization tradeoff.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiu, Jonathan & Ozdenoren, Emre & Yuan, Kathy & Zhang, Shengxing, 2025. "On the Fragility of DeFi Lending," CEPR Discussion Papers 20434, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:20434
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    Cited by:

    1. Phoebe Tian & Yu Zhu, 2025. "Liquidation Mechanisms and Price Impacts in DeFi," Staff Working Papers 25-12, Bank of Canada.
    2. Joel Hasbrouck & Thomas J. Rivera & Fahad Saleh, 2026. "An Economic Model of a Decentralized Exchange with Concentrated Liquidity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 72(5), pages 3666-3683, May.
    3. Stefan Scharnowski & Hossein Jahanshahloo, 2025. "The Economics of Liquid Staking Derivatives: Basis Determinants and Price Discovery," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(2), pages 91-117, February.
    4. Barrios, John & Bertsch, Christoph & Schilling, Linda, 2026. "One Asset, Two Financial Systems: Stablecoins and the Transmission of Runs between Decentralized and Traditional Finance," MPRA Paper 129798, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises

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