In what is a first for DeFi, if not the entire crypto sector, the DeFi protocol Compound Treasury announced that it has received a credit rating of B- from S&P Global Ratings. According to Compound, this is the first time a major credit agency has issued a rating for an institutionalized DeFi protocol.
The S&P Global Ratings provides a scale of investment suitability, ranging from AAA (extremely strong) to D (in default). A score of B- indicates, “the issuer can meet financial commitments, though vulnerabilities to business, financial and economic conditions persist.”
S&P revealed that in arriving at Compund’s rating they had to consider “the uncertain regulatory regime for stablecoins, such as USDC. stablecoin-to-fiat convertibility risks and the Compound Treasury’s “limited capital base” along with a 4.00% per annum return obligation” in making the decision. However, the rating agency also said that the Compound protocol’s record of zero losses measured in USDC partially mitigates the risks of the offering.
Compound Treasury’s general manager Reid Cuming commented, “S&P’s rating helps our institutional clients more easily understand the opportunity and risks of crypto-powered cash management.” It is continuing to have discussions with S&P regarding the rating and said, “Compound Treasury’s ratings could be upgraded in the event of greater regulatory clarity for digital assets or a longer track record of solid performance.”
The Compound Treasury and its yield is supported by its underlying DeFi lending Compound protocol. To date, some 301,650 liquidity providers have deposited $6.94 billion worth of digital assets into the protocol, while 9,275 borrowers have taken out $1.83 billion worth of loans. Compound Treasury’s yield is above that of savings accounts at major US banks, however at the moment, the yield from Compound Treasury is only available to accredited investors or those meeting significant income and net worth thresholds.