As someone who’s been diving into crypto for about 8 years, I’m always on the lookout for where I can get the best stablecoins returns. While I experimented with different stablecoins along the years - including the famous LUNA - at the moment my focus is on HBD where I was getting 20% APR, but I think for quite good months now that's 15% APR. I’ve also been paying close attention to the different APRs (annual percentage returns) offered across various blockchains for stablecoin staking - just today I was looking at DJED on Cardano blockchain which was providing around 19% APR. Thus, the question that popped into my head recently was: Is Hive’s HBD (Hive Backed Dollar) savings rate of 15% still competitive on the current crypto market?
Is HBD Savings still a sweet deal?
First off, if you’re unfamiliar with HBD — it’s Hive’s native stablecoin, pegged to $1 worth of HIVE. Unlike many other stablecoins that live in the Ethereum or BSC ecosystem, HBD is native the Hive blockchain. The real kicker? Hive pays you 15% APR for just holding HBD in a savings account. And it’s not locked behind complicated DeFi protocols or staking platforms; it’s literally as easy as moving your HBD into the savings option in your Hive wallet. No gas fees, no bridging nonsense, and no slippage. Plus, Hive transactions are basically instant. For someone like me who hates friction, it’s super attractive. But the million-dollar question still remains if that 15% APR for HBD is still as good as it sounds compared to what’s out there now...
Stablecoin yields on Ethereum might provide good returns, but also high risk
Let's take a look on Ethereum - it still rules the DeFi kingdom, and there are countless options here for earning on stablecoins like USDT, USDC, and DAI. Depending on the protocol — Aave, Compound, Curve, Yearn — you might see yields anywhere from 2% to 10%. But here’s the trick: while some protocols might flash double-digit APRs, those often come with added risks. Some of them rely on liquidity pool farming, which is far from passive, or offer those high rates only for a limited time. Plus, there are gas fees, which on Ethereum might not be cheap when you needed the most, and smart contract risks that can make or break a protocol overnight.
And while you can get higher APRs in some corners of the Ethereum world, most of them require you to either lock your funds or participate in governance tokens that can be volatile. For someone like me who’s not a DeFi enthusiast, the effort-to-reward ratio often isn’t worth it.
Cardano and other chains move slow and steady
Cardano has been stepping up its DeFi game recently, with protocols like Indigo, Minswap, and Liqwid offering yield farming and staking. You can find yields on stablecoin pairs like iUSD or bridged USDT ranging from 4% to 8% — not bad, but still a far cry from HBD’s 15%. Still, you can find also DJED at around 18% (16% DJED + 2% LIQWID), but that might not be for a long period of time.
One thing I do like about Cardano is its lower transaction fees and focus on security and decentralization. But the ecosystem is still growing, and some protocols feel like they’re in beta mode. Avalanche, Solana, and others also offer staking opportunities, but again, the APRs tend to hover in the 5–9% range for stablecoins and that’s before factoring in impermanent loss or token lockups.
Simplicity still wins for casual investors like me
At the end of the day, I’m not looking to become the next DeFi protocol wizard. I want to hold a stablecoin, earn a decent return, and not worry about hacks, gas fees, or shady liquidity pools. This will help me navigate easier the bear markets as well.
That’s why HBD still feels like the best-kept secret in the stablecoin world. You get 15% APR, it’s paid out every 30 days, and it’s backed by an algorithmic peg that’s held up surprisingly well during market chaos. No extra wallets, no bridging—just earn. Sure, Hive isn’t as “mainstream” as Ethereum or Cardano, and HBD’s liquidity is lower. But if you're not moving millions and you want to diversify a portion of your stablecoin portfolio, it’s hard to argue against the simplicity and returns of HBD.
So, is HBD still competitive?
I still think so! Even with the DeFi space evolving and new protocols popping up daily, HBD’s 15% APR is still one of the best low risk returns out there for passive income with stablecoins. As a crypto amateur, I don’t have time to babysit my funds or chase temporary DeFi trends. I want something that works, pays well, and doesn’t make my head hurt. And for now, HBD checks all those boxes. If you're holding stablecoins and haven’t looked into Hive yet, you might want to give it a serious look. 😉😀