Dai is a stablecoin on the Ethereum blockchain, pegged to USD through smart contracts. More
Fully Diluted Valuation | $4.63B |
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24H Trading Volume | $284.96M |
24H Low / High | $1.00 / $ 1.02 |
Circulating Supply | 4.62B |
Total Supply | 4.62B |
Max Supply | ∞ |
Categories | Stablecoins 5 more |
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Founder | Rune Christensen |
Website | makerdao.com |
Socials | |
Chains | Ethereum Ecosystem |
Explorer | Etherscan 8 more |
Contracts |
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Name | Pair | OG Score |
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Dai $DAI is a decentralized stablecoin built on the Ethereum blockchain and managed by the Maker Protocol and MakerDAO. It was conceived to offer a soft peg to the U.S. dollar, providing stability in the volatile cryptocurrency market.
Originally launched as Single-Collateral DAI (SAI), the project transitioned to Multi-Collateral DAI (MCD) in November 2019, allowing a variety of cryptocurrencies as collateral. The project was initiated by Rune Christensen in 2015, paving the way for a community-driven, decentralized stablecoin.
DAI issuance does not rely on mining or a centralized authority. Users generate DAI by depositing approved cryptocurrencies into Maker Vaults, which are smart contracts that secure collateral. The collateralization ratio ranges from 101% to 175%, depending on the risk profile of the assets, ensuring a flexible and secure framework.
The supply of DAI dynamically adjusts based on the collateral locked in the vaults. As of October 2025, DAI remains one of the most resilient and widely adopted stablecoins in DeFi ecosystems.
DAI is governed through MakerDAO’s decentralized system, where MKR token holders actively participate in decision-making. This includes proposing and voting on updates to the Maker Protocol, collateral additions, and risk parameters. Such governance ensures transparency, security, and community control, reducing reliance on centralized entities.
In 2024, MakerDAO halted active support for DAI on certain platforms and introduced Sky Dollar (USDS) as its next-generation stablecoin. USDS is designed to be more regulated to comply with evolving global financial frameworks while remaining less centralized than traditional fiat-backed stablecoins.
While DAI continues to operate as a decentralized, over-collateralized stablecoin on Ethereum, USDS represents MakerDAO’s effort to combine regulatory compliance with decentralized governance, aiming for broader institutional adoption and enhanced trust without sacrificing transparency or community control.
Stable Value: Maintains a soft peg to the U.S. dollar, reducing exposure to crypto volatility.
Decentralized Issuance: Smart-contract-based issuance eliminates the need for central authorities.
Transparency: All operations and collateral management are recorded on Ethereum.
Security: Collateralized vaults and Ethereum’s robust network provide reliability.
DAI’s stability and transparency enable diverse applications:
DeFi Lending and Borrowing: Integrated with platforms like Compound and Uniswap for liquidity and yield farming.
Medium of Exchange: Can be used for payments, remittances, and daily transactions.
Savings and Interest: Dai Savings Rate (DSR) allows holders to earn interest on deposits.
Hedging: Provides a stable asset to mitigate volatility in crypto portfolios.
Unlike traditional fiat-backed stablecoins, DAI’s supply is over-collateralized, meaning each DAI is backed by secured digital assets in Maker Vaults. This mechanism ensures stability even during market downturns. Ethereum’s blockchain further guarantees network security and resilience.
DAI has proven its resilience in times of market stress, maintaining its USD peg during the collapse of algorithmic stablecoins. Over-collateralization and decentralized governance contribute to its reliability and ongoing adoption.
DAI continues to be a cornerstone in decentralized finance, with billions in total value locked (TVL) across DeFi platforms. Its combination of stability, decentralization, transparency, and utility positions it as a reliable solution for both retail users and institutions seeking a digital dollar alternative.
From its inception to its current role as a leading decentralized stablecoin, Dai $DAI demonstrates the transformative potential of DeFi. Its collateral-backed issuance, community governance, and integration across decentralized applications highlight DAI as a vital component of the blockchain financial ecosystem. The introduction of Sky Dollar (USDS) shows MakerDAO’s commitment to regulatory alignment and broader adoption, complementing the decentralized principles pioneered by DAI.
The Maker Vault system allows users to lock cryptocurrencies as collateral in smart contracts, enabling the secure minting of DAI.
DAI maintains its peg through over-collateralization, smart contract automation, and the Target Rate Feedback Mechanism, balancing supply and demand.
DSR enables DAI holders to earn interest on deposits, encouraging holding and supporting ecosystem stability.
DAI is widely used for lending, borrowing, yield farming, payments, and hedging, providing a stable and decentralized asset within the DeFi ecosystem.
USDS is a more regulated stablecoin that maintains decentralized governance while complying with global financial frameworks. It is less centralized than traditional fiat-backed stablecoins but complements DAI’s decentralized model by enabling broader institutional adoption and compliance.
DAI stands out for its soft peg to the U.S. dollar, its highly collateralized and decentralized issuance through the Maker Protocol, and decentralized governance via MakerDAO's MKR tokens, providing stability and transparency in the volatile world of cryptocurrencies.
Rune Christensen is the founder of MakerDAO.
You can buy Dai (DAI) on Binance, BitgetMEXCBybitOKX cryptocurrency exchanges.