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DeFi: pools, TVL, APY and risk score

In brief

  • Table of DeFi pools with the main metrics.
  • Per pool: TVL, APY, category, protocol risk score.
  • Sorting and filters on columns.

In depth

What it shows

Saturia's DeFi section is built around a pools table: each row is a pool offered by a protocol, with the metrics needed to decide whether it's worth digging deeper. Main columns:

  • Pool — protocol name and specific pool.
  • Category — pool type (Lending, DEX, Yield). Exact categories depend on the backend data source.
  • TVL — Total Value Locked in the pool or protocol.
  • APY — annualized yield.
  • Risk Score — protocol risk score (0-100).

Total Value Locked (TVL)

TVL is the total value of assets locked in the pool. It's the most common metric to measure a DeFi protocol's "size", but read it carefully:

  • Rising TVL doesn't necessarily mean the protocol is healthy. It may come from incentive-token emission (mercenary yield farming).
  • Falling TVL can mean less interest — or capital rotation toward other protocols.

APY: read beyond the number

APY is DeFi's most deceptive number. A 20% APY can be made of:

  • Base yield from the pool's function (DEX fees, lending interest).
  • Incentives in protocol tokens — temporary and volatile.
  • Pricing effects that change real APY after gas, slippage and impermanent loss.

Always treat APY as indicative, never as a guarantee.

Per-protocol Risk Score

Each pool shows a risk score (0-100) computed by the Saturia backend. The score summarizes elements Saturia considers when evaluating a protocol's quality. A high risk score does NOT mean "never use it" — it means "requires more caution and smaller size".

Best way to use it: filter pools by APY and risk score combined. A 15% APY on a risk-score-20 protocol is potentially more attractive than a 50% APY on a risk-score-90 one.

How to use it well

  • Filter by category first (Lending vs DEX vs Yield have very different risk profiles).
  • Don't trust APY shown without considering the expected duration of incentives.
  • Treat risk score as a ranking, not as a verdict.

Final caveats

DeFi is one of the riskiest areas of crypto. Saturia helps you see better, not put your capital in safety. There's no return without risk: if you see a "stable" 50% APY, always ask what's behind it. Often the answer is "your capital".