Aave is a decentralised, non-custodial money market protocol that enables users to lend and borrow various cryptocurrencies without intermediaries. It operates on multiple blockchains such as Ethereum, Avalanche, and Polygon.
Aave utilizes smart contracts on various blockchains to automate lending and borrowing processes, allowing users to execute transactions without intermediaries. It employs a Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, where the AAVE token is staked to participate in governance and decision-making. Interest rates in Aave are determined by supply and demand dynamics within each liquidity pool, and the protocol manages debt through predefined liquidation processes. One distinctive feature of Aave is its flash loans, which do not require collateral if repaid within the same transaction block.
Aave has several use cases, including:
Aave was founded by Stani Kulechov in 2017, initially launched as ETHLend. It was designed as a peer-to-peer lending platform on the Ethereum blockchain. Following a successful Initial Coin Offering (ICO) where it raised $17 million, the project rebranded to Aave in 2018 to reflect its evolution into a broader money market protocol. With several protocol updates and the introduction of smart contract-based lending, Aave transitioned from the LEND token to the AAVE token. The project has achieved major milestones, including the launch of multiple protocol versions, becoming a leading name in the DeFi lending space. Aave continues to expand its technological framework and market presence, with integrations such as Scroll to enhance scalability.