Skip to main content

What Are the Mechanics of a Credit Default Swap (CDS) in the Context of Crypto?

A credit default swap (CDS) in crypto is a financial derivative that allows a buyer to hedge against the risk of a specific credit event, such as a DeFi protocol getting hacked or a stablecoin de-pegging. The buyer makes periodic payments to a seller, who agrees to compensate the buyer if the credit event occurs.

In DeFi, these agreements are managed by smart contracts, which hold the collateral and automatically trigger a payout if the predefined credit event is verified by an oracle. This creates a decentralized way to transfer and price credit risk.

What Is the Difference between the ‘Pay-Per-Share’ (PPS) and ‘Proportional’ (PROP) Reward Systems in Mining Pools?
What Are the Primary Motivations for a Hedge Fund to Sell CDS Protection?
What Constitutes a “Credit Event” That Would Trigger a CDS Payout?
What Was “The DAO Hack” and What Were Its Consequences for Ethereum?