Market Maker Flowdesk Says Crypto Credit Is Finding a Fragile Balance

Group 1 - Stream Finance disclosed a default and a $93 million loss, coinciding with a $20 billion crypto market crash in October, leading digital-asset lenders to manage risk while maintaining credit lines [1] - Flowdesk noted that leverage is being reduced as traders reassess counterparties, but borrowing demand for cryptocurrencies like SOL, XLM, ENA, APT, and BTC remains robust, primarily for hedging and funding strategies [1] - Yields for low-risk blue chip lending pools such as Maple and Jito have compressed but remain stable and above the Chainlink DeFi Yield Index of 5% and 10-year treasury yields [2] Group 2 - Flowdesk's credit desk observed deleveraging flows as counterparties reposition amid recent price action, with capital rotating out of riskier pools while some counterparties are adding leverage focused on major assets [2] - Overall rates and yields have compressed across the board, with many participants adopting a defensive stance and waiting for a clearer market rebound [2] - CryptoQuant indicates that the market is showing bearish warning signs similar to those in 2022, which could pressure funding rates and further compress yields across DeFi credit pools [3]