Borrowing in Blend

Why would I borrow instead of selling my assets?

Selling your assets means closing your position on that particular asset. Hence, if you are long on the asset, you would not be entitled to the potential upside value gain. By borrowing you are able to obtain liquidity (working capital) without selling your assets. Users are mainly borrowing for unexpected expenses, leveraging their holdings or for new investment opportunities.

How do I borrow?

Before borrowing you need to supply any asset to be used as collateral. After this, simply head to the Borrow section and click on “Borrow” for the asset you want to borrow. Set the amount you need based on your available supplies that would be used as a collateral for the loan. Select either stable or variable rate and confirm your transaction. You can always change your rate afterwards as many times as you want.

How much I can borrow?

The maximum amount you can borrow depends on the value you have supplied and the available liquidity. For example, you can’t borrow an asset if there is not enough liquidity or if your health factor doesn’t allow you to. You can find every collateral available and its specific parameters for borrowing in the risk parameter section.

What asset do I need to repay?

You repay your loan in the same asset you borrowed. For example, if you borrow 1 BTC you will pay back 1 BTC + interest accrued. You can also use your collateral to repay in the Blend Protocol. If you want to pay back the loan based on USD price you can borrow any of the available stable coins as USDC, USDT, etc.

What is the difference between stable and variable rate?

Stable rates act as a fixed rate in the short-term, but can be re-balanced in the long-term in response to changes in market conditions. The variable rate is the rate based on the offer and demand in Blend. The stable rate, as its name indicates, will remain pretty stable and it is the best option to plan how much interest you will have to pay. The variable rate will change over time and could be the optimal rate depending on market conditions. You can switch between the stable and variable rate at any time through your dashboard.

When could my stable rate be rebalanced?

In certain conditions, the protocol enables stable rates to be rebalanced to avoid a large percentage of liquidity being borrowed at a stable rate below market variable rate. The exact conditions where stable rates may be re-balanced are different by protocol version.

How do I switch my interest rate type?

To switch your interest rate between stable and variable rate, simply browse to your dashboard and click on the “APR Type” switch button for the asset you wish to apply the rate change.

How much would I pay in interest?

The interest rate you pay for borrowing assets depends on the borrowing rate which is derived from the supply and demand ratio of the asset. Moreover, the interest rate of a variable rate changes constantly, whereas stable interest rate provides stability for the interest rates. You can find your current borrowing rate at any time in the Borrowings section of your dashboard.

What is the health factor?

The health factor is the numeric representation of the safety of your deposited assets against the borrowed assets and its underlying value. The higher the value is, the safer the state of your funds are against a liquidation scenario. If the health factor reaches 1, the liquidation of your deposits will be triggered. A Health Factor below 1 can get liquidated. For a HF=2, the collateral value vs borrow can reduce by 1 out of 2: 50%. The health factor depends on the liquidation threshold of your collateral against the value of your borrowed funds.

What happens when my health factor is reduced?

Depending on the value fluctuation of your supplies, the health factor will increase or decrease. If your health factor increases, it will improve your borrow position by making the liquidation threshold more unlikely to be reached. In the case that the value of your collateralised assets against the borrowed assets decreases instead, the health factor is also reduced, causing the risk of liquidation to increase.

When do I need to pay back the loan?

There is no fixed time period to pay back the loan. As long as your position is safe, you can borrow for an undefined period. However, as time passes, the accrued interest will grow making your health factor decrease, which might result in your deposited assets becoming more likely to be liquidated.