Vitalik Buterin Says Algorithmic Stablecoins Can Still Be “True DeFi”

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has defended algorithmic stablecoins as a core part of decentralized finance, arguing that properly designed systems meaningfully improve risk structure even if they rely heavily on crypto-native participants.

Responding to criticism on X that there is little reason to use DeFi unless one is already long on cryptocurrencies, Buterin said this view misunderstands both how DeFi started and what it is meant to achieve.

“There is no reason to use DeFi unless you have longs on cryptocurrencies, and want access to financial services while preserving self-custody,” the original post stated.

Buterin agreed with that framing, saying it accurately describes how DeFi was bootstrapped.

“This is why and how DeFi got bootstrapped, and all the other applications are cargo cults,” he replied.

ETH-collateralized algorithmic stablecoins still matter

Buterin argued that algorithmic stablecoins should not be dismissed outright, particularly when they are backed by ETH and designed around collateralized debt positions, or CDPs.

He explained that even if the vast majority of liquidity comes from CDP holders who effectively hold negative algorithmic dollars while holding positive dollars elsewhere, the structure still offers an important benefit.

“Easy mode answer: if we had a good ETH-backed algorithmic stablecoin, then even if 99% of the liquidity is backed by CDP holders who hold negative algo-dollars and separately positive dollars elsewhere, the fact that you have the ability to punt the counterparty risk on the dollars to a market maker is still a big feature.”

According to Buterin, the ability to shift dollar counterparty risk away from users and onto market makers represents a real financial improvement over centralized stablecoin models, even if the system appears circular at first glance.

How RWA-backed models can still qualify

Buterin said real-world asset-backed stablecoins can also work, but only under strict conditions.

“Hard mode answer: even if an algorithmic stablecoin is backed by RWAs, if it is overcollateralized and diversified to the extent that it would still be collateralized if any single RWA failed (ie. max share of any individual backing asset <= overcollateralization ratio), then that’s also still a meaningful improvement to the risk properties experienced by a holder.”

He emphasized that overcollateralization and diversification are non-negotiable, noting that reliance on a small number of assets or issuers undermines the risk benefits such systems aim to provide.

Priority should be ETH-backed designs

Buterin said development efforts should prioritize ETH-collateralized stablecoins first, followed by highly diversified RWA-backed models.

“I feel like that sort of thing (ideally the former, failing that the latter) is what we should be aiming more towards.”

From there, he argued, DeFi should begin moving away from strict reliance on the US dollar.

“And then from there, move away from the dollar as the UoA, and toward some kind of more generalized diverse index.”

Why “USDC Yield” is not DeFi

Buterin also rejected claims that yield strategies built on centralized stablecoins qualify as decentralized finance.

“Though of course, current ‘put USDC into Aave’ gadgets do not qualify under either of my categories.”

Anticipating common pushback, he added: “inb4 ‘muh USDC yield’, that’s not DeFi”

According to Buterin, such products preserve many of the same counterparty risks found in traditional finance and fail to improve the trust assumptions that DeFi was originally designed to challenge.

What this means for DeFi

Buterin’s comments draw a clear boundary between crypto-native financial systems and applications that simply wrap traditional finance in smart contracts.

His position suggests that DeFi’s long-term value lies not in dollar yield or accessibility for non-crypto users, but in building systems that redistribute risk, minimize trust, and operate without dependence on centralized issuers.

By reaffirming support for ETH-collateralized and carefully structured algorithmic stablecoins, Buterin has signaled that DeFi’s future, in his view, remains firmly rooted in crypto-native design rather than fiat-backed convenience.

Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Funds Zcash Crosslink to Boost Blockchain Security

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