NFT Lending Explained: Unlocking Liquidity from Idle Digital Assets

Introduction

In the highly volatile cryptocurrency market, many investors hold valuable NFTs, but they remain idle for a long time. NFT lending is becoming an on-chain reality, allowing holders to borrow cryptocurrencies using their beloved collectibles as collateral, achieving flexible capital utilization.

What is NFT lending?

NFT lending is similar to traditional DeFi lending, where holders pledge their NFTs to exchange for stablecoins or other crypto assets, and repay within an agreed period to reclaim their NFTs. Unlike using highly liquid tokens like ETH or WBTC as collateral, NFT lending uses high-value NFTs such as Bored Ape and Azuki, allowing the value of collectibles to be unlocked while retaining their appreciation potential.

The operating model of NFT lending

Currently, NFT lending is mainly divided into two types:

• Peer-to-Peer Lending (P2P): The borrowing and lending parties transact directly, with the borrower listing the NFT and setting the borrowing conditions. Lenders can freely choose to fund, and the NFT is locked in a smart contract. Representative platforms include NFTfi, Arcade, etc.
• P2Pool Lending: The platform establishes a fund pool where users can quickly borrow by collateralizing their NFTs. The loan amount is determined by the platform based on the NFT floor price and valuation model. After repayment, the NFT can be redeemed; otherwise, the NFT will be liquidated and sold. Representative platforms include BendDAO, JPEG’d, etc.

The basic process of NFT lending

Users first connect their wallet, select the supported NFT for collateral (mostly blue-chip projects), confirm the borrowable amount and interest rate, then sign a contract to collateralize the NFT, after which the platform issues stablecoins. During the loan period, repayment allows for the retrieval of the NFT; overdue cases may result in liquidation.

NFT Lending Risk Warning

While NFT lending is convenient, the risks cannot be ignored. Market fluctuations may lead to a drop in NFT floor prices, triggering early liquidation; interest rates may fluctuate with market demand and even surge; wallet security issues also require vigilance to avoid authorizing malicious contracts; moreover, insufficient NFT liquidity may affect valuation and lending success rates. Choosing projects with high liquidity and reasonable leverage is key to reducing risks.

summary

NFT lending provides holders with a new way to flexibly utilize funds, making NFTs not just static collectibles but active financial assets. Each collateralization is a risk decision; understanding the lending logic and carefully choosing platforms and strategies is essential to ensure asset security and fully realize the value potential of NFTs.