Basics
What is a DeFi vault?
A pooled strategy and a share token. Not a savings account and not a private-market fund.
- 01Deposit asset
- 02Vault shares
- 03Strategy
- 04Outcome, including loss
One position, many dependencies
A DeFi vault pools a defined asset, follows a strategy and issues shares that represent a proportional claim on the vault. The share is accounting. It is not a savings account, a bank deposit or a private-market fund interest.
What the interface hides
Behind the share sit protocols, collateral, oracles, curators and withdrawal rules. Yield, if any, is a result of those choices. Loss is also a result. ERC-4626 can standardise deposit and withdraw calls without standardising any of that risk.
How to read one
Start with the deposit asset, the strategy, the withdrawal class and the complexity label. If any of those is unknown, the page should say unknown. A missing field is not a clean bill of health.
Digital assets and DeFi protocols are high risk. You may lose some or all of the assets you deploy. AltVaults DeFi provides software, data and informational tools. It does not provide investment advice, recommendations, brokerage, custody, fund management or guaranteed returns.