What Is Yield Farming?

Share this:
Editorial Note: While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for How We Make Money. None of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer.

Yield farming, also known as liquidity mining, is a process of generating returns from your crypto holdings by participating in various decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. DeFi is a term that refers to a collection of applications that use smart contracts to provide financial services such as lending, borrowing, trading, investing, and insurance without intermediaries.

Cryptocurrency yield farming is a popular and lucrative way of earning passive income from your crypto assets. It involves lending, borrowing, or providing liquidity to various decentralized protocols in exchange for rewards in the form of tokens or fees. However, yield farming is not without risks and challenges.

DeFi platforms often reward their users with tokens or fees for providing liquidity, borrowing, or lending their assets. These rewards are usually paid in the native tokens of the platforms or in other popular tokens such as Ethereum (ETH) or the stablecoin.

Yield farming is similar to traditional farming, where you plant seeds, water them, and harvest the crops. In yield farming, you deposit your crypto assets into a DeFi platform, lock them up for a period of time, and collect the rewards that are generated from the platform’s activity. The more assets you provide and the longer you lock them up, the higher your yield will be.

Start trading cryptocurrencies with ByBit

Is yield farming legal?

Yield farming is a relatively new phenomenon that has not been fully regulated by any government or authority. Therefore, the legal status of yield farming may vary depending on your jurisdiction and the platforms you use. Some countries may have more favorable or unfavorable laws and regulations regarding cryptocurrencies and DeFi than others. For example, some countries may ban or restrict the use of certain tokens or platforms, while others may impose taxes or reporting requirements on your crypto income.

Before engaging in yield farming, you should do your own research and consult a legal professional if necessary. You should also be aware of the risks and responsibilities involved in yield farming. This may include complying with the terms and conditions of the platforms you use, securing your private keys and wallets, and paying any applicable taxes on your earnings.

Best cryptocurrency exchanges for yield farming

1
9.4/10
Go to broker
Your capital is at risk.
Minimum deposit:
$1
2
9.2/10
Go to broker
Your capital is at risk.
Minimum deposit:
₮1

How yield farming works

Yield farming works by utilizing various DeFi protocols that offer different incentives and opportunities for earning rewards. Some of the most common types of DeFi protocols that are used for yield farming include the following.

  • Lending platforms. These are platforms that allow users to lend or borrow crypto assets at variable interest rates. Lenders earn interest on their deposits, while borrowers pay interest on their loans. Some examples of lending platforms are Compound, Aave, MakerDAO, and dYdX

  • Liquidity pools. These are pools of funds that are used to facilitate trading or swapping of tokens on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) or automated market makers (AMMs). Users who provide liquidity to these pools earn fees from each trade that occurs in the pool. Some examples of liquidity pools are Uniswap, SushiSwap, Balancer, and Curve

  • Farming platforms. These are platforms that distribute their own tokens to users who stake or deposit their assets into the platform. These tokens can be used for governance, voting, or accessing other features of the platform. Some examples of farming platforms are Yearn.finance, Harvest Finance, Badger DAO, and PancakeSwap

To start yield farming, you need to have some crypto assets that you are willing to lock up in a DeFi protocol. You can use any token that is supported by the protocol you choose, such as ETH, USDT, DAI, or WBTC.

You also need to have a compatible wallet that can interact with the protocol’s smart contracts, such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet, or Coinbase Wallet.

Once you have your assets and wallet ready, you can follow these steps:

  1. Connect your wallet to the DeFi protocol’s website or app

  2. Choose the asset or pair of assets that you want to provide liquidity for

  3. Approve the protocol to access your funds from your wallet

  4. Deposit or stake your funds into the protocol’s pool or contract

  5. Confirm the transaction and pay the gas fee

  6. Wait for the transaction to be confirmed on the blockchain

  7. Start earning rewards from the protocol

Depending on the protocol you use, you may receive different types of rewards for yield farming. The various types of yield farmer rewards are summarized below.

  • Interest. This is the amount of money that you earn from lending or borrowing crypto assets on a lending platform. The interest rate is usually determined by supply and demand factors on the platform

  • Fees. This is the amount of money that you earn from providing liquidity to a liquidity pool on a DEX or AMM. The fee is usually a percentage of the trading volume that occurs in the pool

  • Tokens. This is the amount of tokens that you earn from staking or depositing your assets into a farming platform. The token distribution rate is usually determined by the platform’s algorithm or governance

You can claim your rewards at any time by withdrawing your funds from the protocol. However, some protocols may have withdrawal fees, lockup periods, or penalties for early withdrawal. You should always check the protocol’s rules and conditions before withdrawing your funds.

Yield farming versus staking

Yield farming and staking are two similar but distinct ways of earning passive income from your crypto assets. Both involve locking up your assets in a DeFi protocol and receiving rewards in return. However, there are some key differences between the two.

For instance, yield farming is a more general term that encompasses any type of DeFi activity that generates rewards for users. Yield farming can involve lending, borrowing, providing liquidity, or staking assets in various protocols. Yield farming rewards can be in the form of interest, fees, or tokens.

In contrast, staking is a more specific term that refers to locking up your assets in a protocol that uses a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. PoS is a way of securing and validating transactions on a blockchain by requiring users to stake their tokens as collateral. Staking rewards are usually in the form of tokens that are minted or distributed by the protocol.

Some examples of staking protocols are Ethereum 2.0, Cardano, and Polkadot.

You can also be interested in information about Passive Income Ideas In Stocks And Crypto read the Traders Union article.

Intriguing aspect of yield farming

One intriguing aspect of yield farming that often goes unnoticed is its potential to democratize access to financial instruments and opportunities traditionally reserved for institutional investors. Historically, high-yield financial products have been primarily available to wealthy individuals and large institutions with substantial resources.

However, yield farming empowers anyone with a crypto wallet to participate in DeFi protocols and potentially earn significant returns, regardless of their financial background or investment experience. This democratization opens doors to previously inaccessible financial avenues and empowers individuals to actively manage their wealth and pursue financial independence.

Advantages of yield farming

Yield farming has several advantages for crypto users, such as the following.

High returns. Yield farming can offer higher returns than traditional savings accounts, bonds, or stocks. Some yield farming platforms can offer annual percentage yields (APYs) of over 100% or even 1000% for certain assets or pools

For example, consider investing $10,000 in a liquidity pool with a 20% APY. This translates to potential annual earnings of $2,000, or approximately $167 per month or $41 per week. Although market fluctuations can impact returns, yield farming offers a compelling avenue for generating income without actively trading crypto assets

Diversification. Yield farming can allow users to diversify their portfolio and exposure to different crypto assets and platforms. Users can choose from a variety of DeFi protocols that offer different risk-reward profiles and strategies

Innovation. Yield farming can foster innovation and experimentation in the DeFi space. Users can discover new platforms and features that offer novel ways of generating income from their crypto assets

Democratization. Yield farming can democratize access to financial services and opportunities for anyone with an internet connection and a crypto wallet. Users can participate in yield farming without intermediaries, censorship, or discrimination

Potential for compounding returns. Many yield farming platforms offer options for reinvesting earned rewards, which allows investors to benefit from compounding returns. This can significantly accelerate the growth of their holdings over time and enhance their overall profitability

Decentralization. The decentralized nature of DeFi eliminates gatekeepers and intermediaries, allowing individuals to directly interact with financial products and protocols. This fosters transparency, reduces costs, and empowers individuals to take greater control over their financial decisions

Disadvantages of yield farming

Yield farming also has several disadvantages and risks for crypto users. These include the following.

Yield farming can be complex and confusing for beginners and even experienced users. Users need to understand how different DeFi protocols work, how to use them safely and efficiently, and how to optimize their returns and minimize their losses

Yield farming can be volatile and unpredictable due to the fluctuations in the prices of crypto assets, interest rates, fees, and token rewards. Users need to monitor the market conditions and adjust their strategies accordingly

Impermanent loss is a loss that occurs when the price ratio of two tokens in a liquidity pool changes unfavorably. For example, if you provide liquidity for ETH/DAI pairs and the price of ETH increases relative to DAI, you will end up with less ETH and more DAI than you started with. This means that you will miss out on some potential profits if you withdraw your funds from the pool

Smart contract risks are risks that arise from the possibility of bugs, errors, or exploits in the code of the DeFi protocols. These risks can result in loss of funds, theft of funds, or malfunction of the protocols. Users need to trust that the DeFi protocols they use are secure and audited

Conclusion

Yield farming is a popular and lucrative way of earning passive income from your crypto assets by participating in various DeFi platforms. However, yield farming is not without risks and challenges. Users need to understand how yield farming works, what are its pros and cons, and how to do it safely and effectively. By doing so, users can enjoy the benefits of yield farming while avoiding its pitfalls.

Glossary for novice traders

  • 1 Broker

    A broker is a legal entity or individual that performs as an intermediary when making trades in the financial markets. Private investors cannot trade without a broker, since only brokers can execute trades on the exchanges.

  • 2 Yield

    Yield refers to the earnings or income derived from an investment. It mirrors the returns generated by owning assets such as stocks, bonds, or other financial instruments.

  • 3 Cryptocurrency

    Cryptocurrency is a type of digital or virtual currency that relies on cryptography for security. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments (fiat currencies), cryptocurrencies operate on decentralized networks, typically based on blockchain technology.

  • 4 Ethereum

    Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform and cryptocurrency that was proposed by Vitalik Buterin in late 2013 and development began in early 2014. It was designed as a versatile platform for creating decentralized applications (DApps) and smart contracts.

  • 5 Trading

    Trading involves the act of buying and selling financial assets like stocks, currencies, or commodities with the intention of profiting from market price fluctuations. Traders employ various strategies, analysis techniques, and risk management practices to make informed decisions and optimize their chances of success in the financial markets.

Team that worked on the article

Thomas Wettermann
Contributor

Thomas Wettermann is an experienced writer and a contributor to the Traders Union website. Over the last 30 years, he has written posts, articles, tutorials, and publications on several different high tech, health, and financial technologies, including FinTech, Forex trading, cryptocurrencies, metaverses, blockchain, NFTs and more. He is also an active Discord and Crypto Twitter user and content producer.

Dr. BJ Johnson
Dr. BJ Johnson
Developmental English Editor

Dr. BJ Johnson is a PhD in English Language and an editor with over 15 years of experience. He earned his degree in English Language in the U.S and the UK. In 2020, Dr. Johnson joined the Traders Union team. Since then, he has created over 100 exclusive articles and edited over 300 articles of other authors.

Mirjan Hipolito
Cryptocurrency and stock expert

Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO).