Uniswap
est. 2018
The largest decentralised exchange — the foundational swap layer of Ethereum DeFi.
DeFi
dexethereum
View profile
DeFi
Fact-checked 2026-08-14
Curve
Established 2020
The liquidity backbone for stablecoins — minimal-slippage swaps and yield for liquidity providers.
Curve specialises in swaps between similarly-priced assets (stablecoins, liquid staking tokens) with near-zero slippage, making it the settlement layer much of DeFi routes through. Liquidity providers earn trading fees plus CRV emissions, and veCRV governance is a famous battlefield of DeFi politics.
Quick facts
Founded
2020
Category
DeFi
Platforms
Web
Key facts
Non-custodial, Stableswap AMM, CRV governance
Pros
- Best rates in crypto for stablecoin swaps
- Deep, battle-tested pools
- Fee revenue plus CRV rewards for LPs
Cons
- 2023 exploit of certain pools damaged confidence
- CRV emissions dynamics are complex
- Governance drama is a spectator sport — and a risk
Best for
Stablecoin traders and sophisticated yield farmers
Fees
Pool-dependent, typically 0.04–0.4%, plus gas.
Security notes
Core contracts audited repeatedly; the 2023 Vyper exploit hit specific pools, not the core. Diversify across pools if providing liquidity.
stablecoinsdeep-liquidityyield
Frequently asked questions
What is Curve?
Curve is The liquidity backbone for stablecoins — minimal-slippage swaps and yield for liquidity providers. Curve specialises in swaps between similarly-priced assets (stablecoins, liquid staking tokens) with near-zero slippage, making it the settlement layer much of DeFi routes through. Liquidity providers earn trading fees plus CRV emissions, and veCRV governance is a famous battlefield of DeFi politics.
Is Curve safe to use?
Core contracts audited repeatedly; the 2023 Vyper exploit hit specific pools, not the core. Diversify across pools if providing liquidity. As always, verify details on the official site before trusting funds to any service.
How much does Curve cost?
Pool-dependent, typically 0.04–0.4%, plus gas. Figures change — confirm current pricing on the official site before deciding.
