Yield-bearing stablecoins offer price stability plus passive income, transforming DeFi with returns from tokenized assets, yield strategies and more.

 are among the most popular cryptocurrency types in the market. Their rate stability and inherent link to traditional fiat currencies have drawn millions of crypto natives to use them for storing value and moving funds between blockchain and 

 (TradFi) sources. However, one of the most significant drawbacks of traditional stablecoins is their lack of yield: these assets are designed to be pegged to a major fiat currency, often the US dollar, but don't generate any interest on the principal amount.

This scenario starkly contrasts with fiat money held in deposit accounts at banks, as cash parked at a traditional banking institution earns you yield in the form of interest. Cash investments aren't known for stellar returns, but they can still protect your funds from value erosion due to inflation. Although stablecoins were envisioned as digital equivalents of fiat currencies, they don't earn interest when simply held in a crypto wallet.

Yield-bearing stablecoins are a relatively new trend in the crypto market, and are specifically designed to address this issue. As their name suggests, yield-bearing stablecoins allow you to earn yield, making them ideal for any investor who wants both rate stability and return potential.

The yield-bearing stablecoin niche has been growing quickly, as evidenced by a 583% increase in the category's market cap in 2024. Their surge in popularity has continued into 2025 as well. In February 2025, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 

 — a yield-bearing stablecoin offered by digital asset firm Figure Markets — as a security. This pivotal event is widely expected to further boost the already impressive growth of this segment. As of mid-April 2025, YLDS remains the only stablecoin of this kind to receive regulatory approval. 

In this article, we’ll examine yield-bearing stablecoins and their benefits and risks, and consider the leading assets of this type currently dominating the rankings.

Yield-bearing stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that maintain a peg to an established fiat asset — similarly to traditional stablecoins — while also generating yield on the principal amount via various decentralized protocols or tokenized traditional finance instruments.

Traditional stablecoins have long been used to maintain the value of crypto funds tied to fiat national currencies. These cryptos, the first of which appeared over a decade ago, are tightly pegged to an asset or basket of assets. The most popular traditional stablecoins are typically pegged to the US dollar, and backed by cash and cash-equivalent reserves held by their issuers or authorized custodians.

Another type of stablecoin maintains its peg through 

Regardless of how the peg is maintained, traditional stablecoins aren’t yield-generating assets. When you buy such a stablecoin, your funds retain their nominal value in the pegged fiat currency — but you earn no interest on the principal.

This lack of yield has long been seen as a core drawback of traditional stablecoins. This contrasts with fiat currencies held in bank accounts, which typically generate yield through accrued interest. While cash deposits don’t typically offer high returns as compared to more risky financial instruments, they can at least help offset inflation-driven erosion of the principal value.

This erosion has become a bigger issue in recent years. In June 2021, US monthly inflation rose above 5% for the first time since mid-2008. The rest of 2021 and the following two years saw inflation levels not experienced in decades. As of April 2025, inflation is down, compared to the 2022 and 2023 peaks — but it’s still historically high.

Multiple years of elevated inflation rates have shone the spotlight on a key problem of traditional stablecoins: their lack of yield-generating capacity. While fiat deposits may soften the blow of inflation through interest, stablecoin holdings pegged to those same currencies are slowly losing their real value.

Major stablecoin issuers like Circle, the issuer of 

, and Tether, the company behind USDT, use the fiat reserves backing their coins in yield-generating instruments. But instead of sharing those yields with holders, they keep the earnings. The result is that USDC, USDT and most other stablecoins offer no yield to users, while issuers pocket the income from the cash reserves backing the coins.

Yield-bearing stablecoins have emerged as a key answer to this issue — and it’s no surprise they’re now gaining traction as investors wake up to the limitations of holding traditional stablecoins in a high-inflation world.

Yield-bearing stablecoins generate returns for their holders primarily from: 

Some stablecoins generate yield via DeFi protocols' native solutions. Typically, you submit your funds to a protocol that uses them in various interest-generating activities, such as 

. As the protocol earns income through these activities, a portion of it is shared with the stablecoin holders via regular distributions. DeFi protocols may earn such income from charging protocol fees, position and vault liquidations, interest charged on borrowed funds and more.

Another primary yield source for stablecoins is through crypto derivatives based on 

. Such tokens represent an underlying crypto asset, such as 

 (BTC). When the original underlying asset earns interest 

 (for example, via staking), the yield accrues to its liquid representation.

In turn, yield accumulated by the LST or LRT is then shared with holders of the yield-bearing stablecoin that tracks these liquid tokens.

This is how it typically works: let's say a protocol issues an LST in the form of 

 (stETH) to anyone staking Ether. Additionally, there's a yield-bearing stablecoin based on that LST. Users with ETH funds deposit into the protocol, and are issued stETH, the LST that accrues their staking rewards. As staking rewards are added to stETH, a portion is also shared with your stablecoin. In essence, you earn yields by holding the stablecoin as a derivative asset without needing to stake crypto yourself.

Some yield-bearing stablecoins are tokenized, on-chain representations of RWAs and traditional financial instruments. For instance, a stablecoin may represent your investment in a tokenized fund that generates yield by investing in Treasury bills, corporate bonds, equities and other traditional assets. As the fund earns yield through these financial instruments, it’s shared with stablecoin holders.

One key benefit of yield-bearing stablecoins is the ability to 

 while enjoying the stability provided by these assets. The crypto market is well known for 

, and stablecoins generally offer unmatched stability as compared to any other type of cryptocurrency. Thanks to their peg to the US dollar or other established fiat currencies, your funds are well-protected from losing their real-world value — even if Bitcoin and other cryptos decline markedly — giving you peace of mind combined with steady, even if modest, income from these coins.

Returns from yield-bearing stablecoins are typically 

. This is particularly the case for stablecoins representing tokenized TradFi instruments. At the same time, you can enjoy these low-risk returns regardless of your location because these assets reside on-chain.

Most traditional low-risk investments in the US (e.g., Treasury bills and other cash equivalents) are highly regulated by the country’s securities laws. Foreigners residing in the US may need an international brokerage account, and to meet additional qualification requirements in order to invest in these assets. In contrast, purchasing, holding and trading yield-bearing stablecoins is open to anyone with a crypto wallet. These stablecoins provide ready access to steady, low-risk returns for both US residents and foreigners.

Investing in traditional stablecoins preserves the nominal value of your funds at the time of investment, but generates no yield. Therefore, these assets lose their real value over time due to inflation. In contrast, yield-bearing stablecoins provide additional income that grows on top of the principal. As such, investing in these stablecoins provides a better deal than parking your funds in their traditional counterparts.

In general, any investment in low-risk and low-return assets carries opportunity cost. By holding your funds in these kinds of investments, you forego the earnings potential offered by higher-risk asset types. However, this opportunity cost is lower with yield-bearing stablecoins as compared to traditional ones for the reason above: the former accrue yield on top of the principal, while the latter do not.

Like most other cryptocurrencies, many yield-bearing stablecoins may be used in various DeFi protocols for further yield. This may vary by each specific coin, as some issuers impose certain limitations on such 

The utilization of yield-bearing stablecoins in DeFi protocols is something that the traditional assets they represent (such as cash and cash equivalents) lack. You can’t simply lock Treasury bills in a growth-focused DeFi lending protocol, but you may well be able to do so using a yield-bearing stablecoin that acts as a tokenized representation of the bills.

Earning interest from yield-bearing stablecoins isn’t rocket science — even for crypto beginners. Many protocols automatically distribute yield in the form of additional tokens of the same kind, a process known as rebasing. Other issuers may pay yields in some other token, specifically used as a reward cryptocurrency. 

Regardless of the method used, the stablecoin holders usually receive their yields directly into their wallets without having to worry about performing any additional crypto operations. In most cases, you earn yield from these assets simply by holding on to them, ensuring a smooth and simplified UX.

Yields earned via yield-bearing stablecoins aren’t fixed, and may fluctuate. Market volatility may affect the returns these assets generate. Some yield-bearing stablecoins, especially those that generate yields through DeFi protocols, may be affected by the typically high volatility of the crypto world. In addition, incomes earned by DeFi protocols and shared with holders of the stablecoins can vary widely, depending upon transaction activity within a given protocol.

Even stablecoins tied to low-risk RWAs such as government bonds are affected by interest rates set by the Federal Reserve. These rates may change based on factors like underlying inflation in the economy, unemployment figures, business spending levels, credit market conditions and geopolitical risks.

Sudden and drastic devaluation of collateral is also a risk for yield-bearing stablecoins. Although they’re pegged to established fiat currencies, the reserves backing them may consist of much more volatile assets, such as BTC or ETH. Any significant declines in the value of these collateral assets can potentially lead to instability and 

The risk of collateral devaluation isn't limited to stablecoins backed by cryptocurrencies, and such risk is also present for RWA-backed, yield-bearing coins. For instance, if a stablecoin is backed by tokenized real estate investment trusts (REITs) and a severe downturn occurs in the property market, it could act as a catalyst for the stablecoin’s collateral devaluation.

Sufficient liquidity may also be an issue for yield-bearing stablecoins. Limited trading volumes and inflexible redemption mechanisms are typical characteristics of some of these assets. These factors may exacerbate liquidity crunches during sudden surges in trading activity for them. For instance, if many investors try to redeem their stablecoins at the same time, the issuer may struggle to accommodate the requests. Any delays in redemption beyond normally agreed-upon times may lead to a panic among investors, who could rush to redeem their funds, causing a liquidity crisis for the issuer.

Since yield-bearing stablecoins are based on blockchains, there are always technological risks. The operational mechanism of these stablecoins is typically managed via on-chain 

, which could be compromised during hacking attempts.

Network outages unrelated to hacking exploits also occur on blockchains, which can affect a stablecoin’s flow of operations. Although the largest smart contract chain in the industry, Ethereum, is well known to have never experienced a major outage, several other popular chains, including 

 (ARB), have had at least one significant network disruption event in the past few years.

Regulatory risks also exist for yield-bearing stablecoins. As of April 2025, the US still doesn’t have a comprehensive, federal-level law regulating stablecoin assets. In early 2025, the 

 were introduced to the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively. These acts specifically deal with stablecoin cryptocurrencies. Both bills are still being considered by US lawmakers.

If and when these bills are passed into law, some yield-bearing stablecoins — depending upon their operational mechanisms, collateral types, issuer standing and other key factors — might find themselves struggling to satisfy new regulatory requirements.

 (SKY), formerly known as MakerDAO (MKR). It represents a rebranded version of the protocol’s original 

 (DAI) stablecoin. Users can mint USDS via Sky Protocol by depositing collateral in various eligible assets, such as ETH, USDC and certain tokenized RWAs.

After minting USDS, you can use it throughout the DeFi ecosystem, as with other major stablecoins. USDS maintains an algorithmic peg to the US dollar, with overcollateralized reserves backing the coin.

You can also generate yield from Sky Protocol by depositing your USDS into a savings smart contract. Upon depositing your funds, you’re issued the sUSDS coin (SUSDS), which represents the yield-accruing version of USDS.

 (ENA) DeFi protocol offers a synthetic stablecoin, 

, whose value is maintained via advanced trading strategies. Pegged to the US dollar, USDe is minted by depositing BTC, ETH, stETH or USDT. USDe’s peg and its collateral stability are ensured via the use of 

 trading strategies, which attempt to balance the risks for the traded asset by taking directionally opposite positions through related financial instruments such as 

 contracts. For instance, to hedge against the risk of the decline in ETH’s collateral value, Ethena may purchase an Ether-based short futures contract.

As the delta-hedging strategies (hopefully) deliver positive returns (e.g., via positive funding rates for the futures held by Ethena), your USDe investment accumulates yield. You may also earn yields with USDe via the Ethena protocol by 

. Ethena uses your funds to stake on the underlying Ethereum blockchain, delivering regular staking rewards distributed via sUSDe, the staked version of USDe.

BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL)

 (BUIDL) provides a stablecoin that represents ownership in a tokenized money market fund managed by BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm. This fund invests in various cash and cash-equivalent instruments, such as Treasury bills and repurchase agreements.

As the fund's investments earn interest, this interest is distributed to the holders of the BUIDL stablecoin. BUIDL is an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency, but under the fund's rules, it's not tradable on the crypto market. As such — unlike most other stablecoins — BUIDL's rate will theoretically stay fixed at exactly $1, although the issuer doesn’t guarantee this rate.

The fund's yield is calculated daily, and is distributed to BUIDL holders once a month.

The Ondo US Dollar Yield (USDY) token is another stablecoin that generates yield via traditional RWA instruments. Offered by 

 (ONDO), which specializes in institutional-grade DeFi solutions, USDY is backed by US Treasury bills and bank demand deposits.

Before you can mint USDY via the protocol, you’ll need to go through a formal onboarding process, during which you’ll be asked to submit your identity documents and the crypto wallet address to receive the stablecoin, as well as any necessary tax documents. If all documentation is in order, you can then acquire USDY by depositing either US dollars (for amounts of $100,000 or more) or a minimum of 500 USDC.

USDY is somewhat different from the other stablecoins we’ve mentioned above, since yields generated for token holders aren’t distributed separately as new USDY tokens using the rebasing system. Instead, the yields are added to each unit of USDY held. Due to this mechanism, the price of the USDY stablecoin is normally higher than $1 because it includes the accumulated yield in addition to the principal.

Ondo also offers a rebasing variation of the USDY stablecoin, rUSDY, for which yields are sent to holders as new tokens of the same kind by increasing the supply of the cryptocurrency.

Usual USD (USD0) is a yield-bearing stablecoin offered by 

 (USUAL). USD0 is pegged to the greenback, and is fully backed by RWAs, such as Treasury bills. You can mint USD0 by providing collateral in eligible RWA assets. Alternatively, you can also obtain the stablecoin by depositing USDC collateral.

By staking USD0, you can receive the token’s liquid version, USD0++. As an LST, USD0++ is a composable asset that’s used throughout the DeFi ecosystem for yields. These yields are distributed in USUAL tokens, the native 

 is that the mandatory locking period for USD0 to benefit from USD0++ yields is four years. As such, it may suit crypto users with a long-term approach to investing.

Yield-bearing stablecoins have breathed new life into the stablecoin market. For years, stablecoins lacked yield accumulation, making these assets less than optimal for preserving the real value of your investment — especially during times of high inflation. Now, with the explosive growth of the niche, a crypto investor has many choices at their fingertips — native DeFi yield coins, crypto derivatives–based coins, and assets backed by traditional finance instruments.

These yield-bearing stablecoins offer numerous benefits to investors — a passive income source with low volatility, borderless access, lower opportunity costs than for traditional stablecoins, major composability in DeFi and a simplified UX. With all these advantages on offer, it’s no surprise that the category of yield-bearing stablecoin cryptocurrencies is growing by leaps and bounds. As a result, 2025 may well become the first year this previously modest segment of the stablecoin market becomes its driving force.

Intermediate

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Yield-bearing stablecoins: What are they — and how are they reshaping DeFi?

Raydium introduces new features for creators and developers through its LaunchLab program.

The S&P 500 dropped 2.24% as chip stocks tumbled and Fed Chair Powell warned tariffs could fuel inflation, offering no clear rate outlook. Gold hit a record $3,343, up 3.5%, as U.S.-China trade tensions and a weaker dollar drove safe-haven demand. Falling yields and Fed inflation concerns added support. The Coindesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, are up by 0.10%, with Bitcoin up 0.40% and Ether down 1.36% over the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is LAYER, up 5.1%, after the launch of the Emerald Card Program with $LAYER rewards.

Solayer (LAYER), launched in August 2024, is Solana's first native restaking protocol, allowing users to earn yield by securing decentralized apps with staked SOL or LSTs. Solayer has 

 the Emerald Card program, offering rewards in $LAYER for users who sign up, make a purchase, and share their purchase on X. Refunds are now available for users in restricted countries or who failed KYC. Pre-orders will be accepted starting today.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

 new features for creators and developers through its LaunchLab program. Creators can now earn 10% of trading fees from the AMM pool post-graduation. Tokens launched via LaunchLab have a simple fee structure, with 50% going to the community pool, 25% for $RAY buybacks, and 25% for program fees. The platform also offers a referral program, where users can earn 0.1% of swap volume in SOL. Additionally, LaunchLab provides enhanced distribution for developers, allowing tokens to be visible across trading apps and terminals from Day 1. Raydium has partnered with leading apps like Axiom.

Yesterday, Bitcoin spot ETFs saw $201.7M in net outflows, all from non-GBTC funds, while GBTC had no change.

, a verifiable data infrastructure platform using ZKPs and MPC, has launched its ONProver node. Users can run the lightweight node, complete tasks, and earn $ON tokens redeemable at TGE. The project has raised $12M and is live on the Monad Testnet. Early participants can join the airdrop by signing up, connecting an EVM wallet, and running the Prover.

Beginner

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Raydium launches new features with creator rewards, referral program, and enhanced developer distribution

The top industries you can make USDC payments in include retail, e-commerce, travel, entertainment, technology, digital services, philanthropy and more.

 is expanding beyond crypto trading to help create a more accessible and efficient global financial system. Several industries are rapidly adopting this regulated 

 as a payment method, offering consumers new ways to use their digital dollars for everyday purchases and services. This article examines the top seven industries where USDC payments are making the greatest impact today, how these transactions work behind the scenes and the advantages that make this stablecoin an attractive alternative to conventional payment methods.

USDC is a regulated stablecoin, issued by Circle, that maintains a fixed 1:1 value with the US dollar. It offers speed, efficiency and borderless transactions while eliminating the price volatility that makes many cryptocurrencies impractical for everyday transactions.

Each USDC token is fully backed by US dollars and short-term Treasury instruments held in regulated financial institutions. This transparent reserve structure ensures stability and builds trust among merchants and consumers, contributing to USDC's growing adoption as a payment method worldwide.

 to transfer value directly between digital wallets. When a user initiates a payment, their wallet creates a digitally signed transaction specifying the recipient's address and the USDC amount. This transaction is broadcast to the blockchain network, where validators verify the signature and confirm sufficient balance.

Once it’s validated, the transaction is added to the blockchain, and the USDC 

 automatically updates balances by reducing the sender's holdings and increasing the recipient's. This process typically completes within seconds to minutes, depending upon the specific blockchain network and its current congestion level.

For merchants, payment processors like Circle Business Solutions and BitPay handle the technical aspects by integrating with point-of-sale systems. These services can automatically convert incoming USDC to fiat currency (if desired), provide compliance support and generate financial reporting.

USDC operates across multiple blockchain networks, including 

. Specialized bridges enable transfers between these systems while maintaining the token's 1:1 dollar peg throughout the payment journey.

While USDC offers substantial benefits over traditional payment systems, it also presents the following challenges that users and businesses should consider before adoption.

Best industries in which to make USDC payments

USDC adoption continues to grow across numerous sectors, with specific industries leading the way in accepting this digital dollar for goods and services.

Retail has embraced USDC as a payment option across diverse price points and product categories. Leading brands such as Home Depot, GameStop and Chipotle now accept USDC through payment processors like BitPay and Flexa, offering customers a streamlined checkout experience.

 the acceptance of USDC through Crypto.com's payment service, marking the electronics giant's first step into direct crypto transactions in the region. Online marketplaces and smaller e-commerce stores also incorporate USDC payment gateways to offer customers more flexibility while reducing transaction costs.

The travel industry has emerged as a front-runner in USDC adoption, offering travelers a convenient way to book overseas vacations without currency exchange complications. 

 (AVA), a blockchain-based travel booking platform, allows customers to pay with USDC for over 3 million travel products worldwide, including hotels, flights and car rentals.

Other travel providers like Cheapair.com and Alternative Airlines also accept cryptocurrency payments, including USDC, and provide travelers with seamless booking experiences regardless of location. This adoption is particularly valuable for international travelers, who can avoid currency exchange fees and enjoy faster transaction processing.

The entertainment sector has embraced USDC payments across various platforms. Major streaming services and content providers now accept cryptocurrency payments, allowing subscribers to access premium content using their digital assets.

In the gaming world, platforms such as Xbox and various online gaming services accept USDC through payment processors like BitPay, enabling gamers to purchase games, in-game items and subscriptions. Additionally, Twitch streamers can receive donations in USDC, creating new revenue streams for content creators.

Tech companies were among the earliest adopters of cryptocurrency payments. Microsoft, one of the world's largest technology corporations, accepts USDC through BitPay for various products and services, such as Microsoft account credits that can be used for Xbox games and apps.

Other tech vendors embracing USDC payments include Newegg, a popular electronics retailer; ExpressVPN, a leading virtual private network service; and Dish Network, which allows subscribers to pay for their TV services using cryptocurrencies. Software companies, web hosting services and cloud storage providers also integrate USDC payment options.

The automotive industry has begun exploring cryptocurrency payments, with companies like Tesla periodically accepting digital currencies for vehicle purchases. Platforms like 

 facilitate vehicle purchases using stablecoins such as USDC, connecting buyers with dealerships willing to accept cryptocurrency payments.

Luxury brands across various segments have also started accepting USDC, thus appealing to crypto-wealthy clientele. From high-end watches and jewelry to designer fashion and accessories, luxury merchants recognize the growing purchasing power of crypto holders and are adapting their payment systems accordingly.

Charitable organizations worldwide now accept USDC donations, offering donors a transparent and efficient way to support causes they care about. Major international organizations like Save the Children and The Water Project accept cryptocurrency donations, leveraging blockchain's transparency to show donors exactly how their contributions are being used.

Smaller nonprofits are also adopting USDC payment options, often benefiting from lower transaction fees as compared to traditional donation methods — especially for international contributions. This allows more of each donation to go directly to the cause, rather than being lost to processing fees.

Law firms, accounting services, consulting agencies and other professional service providers are increasingly accepting USDC payments, particularly those serving clients in the technology and finance sectors. These businesses benefit from immediate settlement and reduced transaction costs, especially when working with international clients.

USDC stands at the forefront of an emerging internet-native financial system that promises to transform global value exchange. With 

, UDSC is demonstrating its capacity to handle significant economic activity at scale.

Several complementary developments are driving USDC's growing role in payments: 

User experience (UX) innovations push technical complexities to the background, making the technology accessible to mainstream users. The expanding connections between USDC and traditional finance (TradFi) are unlocking practical payment applications beyond crypto trading, including global payroll, supplier payments, remittances and merchant services.

This progression mirrors the internet’s development, from dial-up connections and basic browsers to today's seamless digital experiences that serve billions of people. With traditional payment executives recognizing the need for instant payment infrastructure, USDC offers a solution that aligns with broader financial trends toward openness and frictionless value transfer.

USDC leverages blockchain's fundamental advantages — speed, cost-efficiency, global reach and programmability — to power frictionless value exchange across industries and borders, helping to build a more accessible and efficient global financial system.

With major corporations like Sony Singapore already embracing this regulated stablecoin, we're witnessing the early stages of what could become the new standard for digital payments in our increasingly connected global economy.

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Top 7 industries that you can make USDC payments in

Ongoing US-China trade tensions are contributing to significant fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market.

On Apr 13, 2025, the cryptocurrency market faced a shock with the sudden collapse of MANTRA's OM token, plummeting from $6.35 to $0.37 — a drop of over 90% in just hours. This drastic decline reduced its market cap from $6.11 billion to approximately $683 million, prompting comparisons to past crypto disasters, such as the Terra LUNA collapse and the FTX scandal.

MANTRA CEO John Patrick Mullin attributed the crash to reckless forced liquidations initiated by 

 (CEXs) during low-liquidity hours that exacerbated the price drop. He insisted that neither the MANTRA team nor its investors were at fault, noting that the project’s core tokenomics remained sound. However, suspicions of insider trading emerged as on-chain analytics revealed significant deposits of OM tokens into exchanges just before the crash, raising concerns among investors.

The immediate aftermath saw a crisis of confidence, with MANTRA's Telegram group disappearing shortly after the crash, fueling speculation of a rug pull. Critics accused the MANTRA team of attempting to avoid backlash by removing communication channels. Major exchanges like Binance and OKX also faced scrutiny for their roles in the situation, with OKX launching an investigation into suspicious activities dating back to March 2025.

Despite a modest recovery to around $0.73 by April 15, down over 85% from pre-crash levels, confidence in MANTRA has been severely shaken. Mullin announced plans for a recovery strategy, including a token buyback and enhanced community engagement through the $109 million MANTRA Ecosystem Fund (MEF). However, investor skepticism remains high, with critics questioning the project's management and its reliance on CEXs.

In contrast to the turmoil surrounding MANTRA, XRP has emerged as a strong contender for the next US crypto spot ETF approval. Teucrium launched the first US-based XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), a 2x leveraged product under the ticker XXRP, which saw over $5 million in volume on its launch day. XRP currently leads the ETF filing race with ten active applications, surpassing competitors like Solana and Litecoin.

XRP's market liquidity has significantly improved, as highlighted by Kaiko Indices, making it an attractive candidate for ETFs due to stable pricing and lower trade slippage. Analysts are particularly optimistic about an upcoming SEC decision on Grayscale’s XRP Spot ETF application on May 22, which could have substantial implications for XRP’s future.

With XRP trading at around $2.09, analysts are monitoring key resistance levels at $2.24 and $2.38. This momentum suggests that XRP may soon reclaim its market share, particularly as it has shown resilience against a backdrop of bearish sentiment in options markets. The structure of Teucrium’s ETF, which utilizes swap agreements and European benchmarks, may pave the way for more crypto ETFs, signaling a shift toward broader institutional acceptance of digital assets.

As the crypto market grapples with the fallout from the OM token collapse, the developments surrounding XRP provide a glimmer of optimism. With potential regulatory breakthroughs on the horizon, XRP’s position as a foundational asset in tokenized finance could accelerate its mainstream adoption, marking a pivotal moment for the cryptocurrency landscape.

Advanced

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Bybit x Santiment social sentiment report: OM collapse and hopes of XRP ETF approval

Candlestick

Trading

Gravestone Doji is ideal for traders to critically identify the bullish and bearish position for a profitable trade. Learn how it works now.

Gravestone

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A Gravestone Doji is a bearish candlestick pattern with a very short or preferably invisible body and a long upper shadow. Ideally, the open, low, and close prices should be relatively at the same level. It usually appears at the top of an uptrend and anticipates a trend reversal. The longer is the upper shadow where the more bearishness should be expected.

The Gravestone Doji usually shows up where the resistance level is forming, which can be used for future reference whenever the price comes back to test the same level again.

As mentioned, the Gravestone has a very long upper shadow, while the body is at the very bottom of the candlestick, suggesting that the open, close, and low prices coincide. Thus, we get an inverted T-shaped pattern. Ideal Gravestones are relatively rare, but the close and open should be very close if not at the same level. Here is what the pattern looks like on the chart:

While the Gravestone Doji should be seen close to the top of uptrends, you can sometimes find it at the bottom of a downtrend, though this is a rare occurrence. In this case, you should not consider it to be bullish. Instead, interpret it as a trend continuation signal, as the downtrend potentially has more room until finding the oversold zone.

The Gravestone Doji forms when the price closes at relatively the same level where it opened, providing that the open coincides with the low or at least the two are very close. This pattern occurs when bulls have enough strength to push prices upward, but they’re suddenly out of steam and return to previous levels after hitting an area of strong resistance. 

Bulls face strong opposition when the Gravestone is at its high, and the selling pressure pushes prices back to the opening price during a given period. That suggests the market participants 

, and a potential downtrend is just around the corner.

On the contrary, right after a Gravestone Doji, traders would either open short positions or close their existing long positions. The pattern helps traders better visualize the resistance level, which can be tested again in the near future, especially when the price makes another bullish attempt.

As a rule, Gravestone Dojis would show up at the top of uptrends. However, if you can sometimes encounter it at the bottom of an ongoing downtrend. Don’t be confused about it – it’s still a 

 that anticipates trend continuation. In this case, bulls tried to reverse the bearish trend but failed, and the price is likely to continue its downward move.

When analyzed separately, the Gravestone Doji might suggest local price rejection. But if it forms at a confluence level near the resistance zone, it acts as a strong sell signal.

If the Gravestone Doji appears at the top of an uptrend, traders would be interested in opening short positions. Those who have open longs would close them. However, it is crucial to base your decision on additional technical indicators rather than on the candlestick pattern alone. You can use a slow and a fast-moving average along with momentum indicators, such as 

, to assess whether the price has entered the overbought level.

As a rule of thumb, traders will also check the volume. A higher volume increases the reliability of the Gravestone Doji.

The shadow’s size is critical – a longer wick would make this pattern more relevant as a trend reversal signal.

Trading Gravestone Doji at the Top of an Uptrend

If you spot a Gravestone Doji forming after a bullish move, you should be ready for a price reversal. In fact, you should expect this pattern at the top of uptrends most of the time. However, it doesn’t make sense to open a position right after the pattern, as the uptrend might make another attempt to break the newly formed resistance. Instead, be ready to enter the market with a short position after the first candlestick closes below the Gravestone Doji’s low.

The stop loss of the position should be set right above the high of the pattern, while the take profit target should be double the size of the Gravestone Doji. Alternatively, you can set a trailing take profit to take the most from the bearish move.

It’s also to check the RSI or Stochastic – if the price is in the overbought zone (above 70% or 80%, respectively), then the Gravestone Doji’s signal is even more relevant. The same is true if the volume is high.

In the example below, the Gravestone that came after an uptrend was followed by a retreat. When the pattern showed up, the Stochastic lines crossed, and the indicator was leaving the overbought zone. 

Trading Gravestone Doji at the Bottom of a Downtrend

Sometimes the Gravestone Doji might show up in a bearish market, but this is a rare occurrence. In this case, you should not treat it as a trend reversal signal because it might now end up with a bullish move. Most of the time, it suggests that the bearish move is about to continue; hence, it makes sense to open a short position. Bulls who anticipate the reversal of a bearish trend should not go long after spotting this pattern in the middle of the downtrend.

In the example below, the GBP/USD pair has formed a steep downtrend, and the market has been in the oversold level for a while. The prerequisites for a rebound or at least a sideways move were there, but then the Gravestone Doji showed up. After the pattern, bulls have attempted a reversal. But the bears came back stronger and countered with an even lower price. Of course, this trend is applicable to cryptocurrency trading.

In this case, you should have opened a short position after the first candle that closed below the Gravestone Doji, with similar stop loss and takes profit targets as discussed above.

Even though the Gravestone Doji is regarded as a bearish signal, you should not open positions based on this pattern alone. There are some limitations that you should consider:

All in all, you should also use other indicators to get more accurate buy and sell signals.  

The Gravestone is part of a group of candlestick patterns called Doji, and its form shows similarities to other patterns, such as the Inverted Hammer and Shooting Star.

It would be best if you were careful not to confuse this pattern with the inverted hammer. In which it looks similar but has a slightly larger body and forms at the bottom of a downtrend, and anticipates an upcoming bullish move.

Gravestone Doji vs. Shooting Star vs. Inverted Hammer

Suppose you see a candlestick with a long upper shadow at the bottom of a downtrend. In that case, you should make sure to understand the difference between the Gravestone Doji and the Inverted Hammer. That’s because they anticipate opposite moves. The Gravestone points to the continuation of the downtrend, while the Inverted Hammer expects a trend reversal. The latter has a visible body, and the lower shadow is relatively more visible.

Also, the Gravestone Doji is very similar to the Shooting Star pattern. As both reversal candlesticks appear at the top of uptrends and have longer upper shadows. The main difference is Shooting Star has a visible body whose close price should be ideally below the open.

In conclusion, the Gravestone Doji is a great pattern. Especially when it can provide decent bearish signals, mostly when they show up at the top of uptrends. Still, traders are advised to use it in combination with technical indicators.

On a side note, Gravestone is the opposite of the Dragonfly Doji, which has the same characteristics but inverted. Consequently, Dragonfly would anticipate the reversal of a downtrend. The open, high, and close of the Dragonfly have to be relatively the same level, forming a T-shaped candle. As with Gravestones, it is hard to find ideal Dragonfly patterns, so slight variations are allowed.

The Gravestone and the Dragonfly are essentially the same phenomenon but mirrored. You can trade both of them with the help of additional technical indicators that can provide more insights into the price action’s behavior.

Candlestick Patterns Professional Traders Use

 – A curated list of candlestick patterns most frequently used by traders

 – Learn the basics of candlestick patterns

 (Chart basics: trend, neckline, wedges)

Gravestone Doji Candlestick: What Does It Mean?

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