WTF is Maple Finance?

Maple Finance is designed to be a decentralized DeFi lending protocol with a number of liquidity pools, each with its own investment strategy. Moreand more pools are opening up as we write!

Maple is better described as an institutional capital marketplace powered by blockchain technology

The goal is to have a way where there is a synchronized and honest platform where both lenders and borrowers can complete lending transactions. This includes some of the biggest lenders in the industry including CoinShares and Blockchain.com. They have also brought on borrowers such as Wintermute, Amber Group, and Alameda Research.

This blockchain technology is all about increasing a way for honest trading activity to take place. This is something Sidney Powell as the CEO has been adamant about due to the value of making sure these transactions are done the right way.

The network allows borrowers to borrow with the help of the token as interest. The Maple token $MPL is a governance token. Borrowers and lenders do not need to own it or use it to participate. MPL is used for staking by pool delegates and token holders to earn additional yield by providing first loss capital. More on that here. Borrowers pay interest in stablecoin

Collateral is one of the key points of how this network functions. This means large institutions with strong balance sheets will be able to borrow on Maple, and anyone can participate as a lender. This is key because it is a far better deal than anything else that is out there. Borrowers are going to tap into the capital pool, which has a pool delegate at the helm. This is the delegate that is going to approve the borrowing.

Borrowers can hop onto the platform and submit a request for loan at which point pool delegates on the platform can review the terms before reaching out to negotiate terms and conduct diligence.

All loans offered through the Maple Protocol have a fixed timeline, fixed rates, and a fixed collateral figure.

What are some of these interest rates on the Maple.Finance network?

The interest rates settle somewhere around 10-15% per year. While the collateralization tends to settle between 0-50% while those who have a strong borrowing history don't need collateral.

Maple Finance is designed to work by having a treasury that compiles fees that are paid by borrowers. These fees are used to keep the network running and ensuring they make money on the backend.  A big component is that MPL holders share in the fees earned on the platform. MPL is an ERC-2222 token which makes it very interesting. While the rest of the money goes to the pool delegates on the network.

What about those who are going to have the MPL token in their hands? MPL holders share in establishment fees just by owning the token. To earn a part of the ongoing fees, they can choose to stake their token!

MPL holders can get one-tenth of the interest yield by staking. If holders choose not to stake then they share in the establishment fees (0.5%) when distributed by Maple treasury.

What Makes Maple Finance Exciting?

Crypto lending is not new, so why is Maple Finance doing differently?  Indeed, there is a lot of economic growth that is taking place and most of the payments will be done through lending/borrowing marketplaces. Unfortunately, old-age solutions just don't cut it and that is where this network comes into the equation as a reliable solution.

Maple's mission is to build an institutional capital marketplace to harness the transformative power of crypto and expand the digital economy. In our opinion, what makes Maple really exciting is that it unlocks the growth potential of the crypto industry. Improving the capital efficiency of lending markets benefits the entire industry because it allows more capital to be loaned out for every dollar deposited. Expanded credit will also help thriving companies who would prefer to reinvest in their business rather than stockpile collateral for overcollateralized loans.

Maple Finance is also going to be great for on-chain credit because it is going to ensure crypto-assets continue to grow too. This is done by all of the borrowers that are going to take funds and continue to reinvest in their businesses. This is far easier when it is done through a permissionless DeFi ecosystem. Just having access to this type of capital will be powerful because it is going to remove most of the hurdles that come along the way when growing a business.

The terms are also going to be better because of improved price discovery.

Decentralized credit markets such as this one are great because they are transparent. This means both the lender and borrower are going to know what they are getting into and that's half the battle in these situations. Everything is going to be audited by the ledger and that makes it easier to understand how the loan is performing for lenders. While borrowers get to find better rates and terms through the network.

This kind of market is going to be great because decentralized protocols are all about honesty. This means everyone that is participating is going to get a fair shot at finding a good deal. This is far better than traditional options where borrowers were always worried about the shady business being conducted with them as the victims.

This is not going to be a problem with Maple Finance and that's what makes it exciting.

The best part about going with Maple Finance has to do with the competitive yield. This is great for those who are looking to invest and want to find a higher yield that improves their annual return. This is great because Maple Finance is all about different types of investors.

This includes funds that are trying to find a consistent yield that will only get better with time as the network grows.

It is this underlying value that excites the average investor because the potential is there for multiple lenders and borrowers to join in on the fun.

Who Is On The Maple Finance Team?

Maple Finance was founded in 2019 and came to rise based on an idea that was drawn up by the founders. The goal was to create something that would be long-lasting and ensure lending would become a breeze.

This is where Sidney Powell and Joe Flanagan took the project to new heights as co-founders.

These are two professionals that have years of experience with blockchain technology and the business world. They continue to demonstrate their knowledge of what the technology can offer and the value it will bring as soon as it is in motion.

This passion to develop the project is something they show all the time whether it is through the Discord chat or on Twitter.

Who Are The VCs That Funded Maple Finance?

Maple Finance is one of those projects that has gotten stronger with time.

The reason for this has to do with the financial backing this team has received. In general, the team is now backed by some of the leading names in the business including Polychain Capital and Framework Ventures.

This shows the potential this project has and the value it will bring with time.

The reason these VCs have taken on the project has to do with the change it will bring to the crypto industry along with the world itself. This is why it has gone through multiple funding rounds that are totaling USD 13.4 million.

How To Participate In The Maple Finance Network?

Maple Finance is a powerhouse project and one that is only going to pick up more steam with time. This means you are also going to want a piece of the action when it is time to find a good fit for your portfolio.

Due to how the network is being developed and all the project has to offer, it is going to be something you will want to keep an eye on early.

The most basic way to participate in this project was through their token sale. Maple Finance distributed 500,000 MPL governance tokens (5% of total supply) via a Balancer Liquidity Bootstrapping Pool (LBP) starting April 28, 2021 around 4:30PM EST (UTC -4) and ending on May 1, 2021 around 4:30PM EST (UTC -4).

As of this writing, MPL, the Maple Token, is trading on Uniswap.USDC/MPL has ample liquidity if you are interested. By holding your this tokens you will be able to maximize your benefit from participating in this network's. From this point, you will want to store the tokens and/or start staking them in the wallet. By doing this, you are going to earn rewards passively.

This is great for those who want to start using the power of the network by holding the tokens. Maple Finance is a big part of the future and this is going to be your chance to tap into what it has to offer.

Get the tokens and begin staking them as soon as you can.

Where To Learn More About Maple Finance?

When it comes to learning more about the project and all that it has to offer, you are going to want regular updates directly from the team.

This includes understanding the Maple protocol, the updates being made, and what to expect in the coming months or years.

To do this, Maple Finance offers access to a Twitter account @maplefinance that provides a considerable amount of information. You are also going to have the opportunity to join them on Discord - https://discord.com/invite/CrgPep9.

The amount of information you are going to find here is empowering. It will start to show the value of a growing community and being able to see how the network comes to fruition with each passing day. If that is something you are interested in, these are the places to go online.