Moonwell — Lending Made Simple
The Moonwell platform lets you supply crypto assets to earn real-time interest and borrow against collateral on Base and Optimism, with no intermediary and no minimums.
Open App Learn MoreHow It Works
The Moonwell protocol operates through a set of audited smart contracts deployed on Base and Optimism. Here is the basic flow — it takes under three minutes to start.
Use any EVM-compatible wallet such as MetaMask or Coinbase Wallet. Switch to Base or Optimism mainnet.
Browse live markets — USDC, ETH, cbBTC, AERO, and more. Each market shows the current supply APY and borrow rate, updated every block.
Supply tokens to earn interest immediately, or post collateral and borrow supported assets. Rates adjust algorithmically based on pool utilisation.
Active suppliers and borrowers may receive WELL token incentives on top of the base APY, distributed continuously on-chain.
Track your position from the portfolio dashboard. Repay borrows or withdraw supplied assets at any time, subject to available liquidity.
Why Moonwell
Plenty of lending protocols exist. The team behind Moonwell focused on three things other platforms get wrong: speed, clarity, and chain coverage.
Running on Base and Optimism means lower gas costs — often under $0.01 per transaction — without sacrificing Ethereum-level security guarantees. The protocol also has a Moonbeam deployment, extending reach to Polkadot users.
Every risk parameter change, new market listing, and contract upgrade goes through a WELL token vote. No admin keys. No multisig surprises. Results are executed automatically by the governor contract.
The Moonwell protocol's smart contracts have been reviewed by multiple independent security firms. All audit reports are public. Foundry is used for the testing suite, giving the team deterministic, gas-accurate test coverage.
The front-end hides complexity behind clean design. Yet advanced users get full market data, historical rates, and governance participation — all from one dashboard.
Key Features
Core markets pool liquidity for major assets like ETH and USDC. Isolated markets contain risk for newer tokens, protecting the broader protocol.
Mamo vaults auto-compound supply positions using pre-set strategies. Set it once. The protocol rebalances continuously.
Stake WELL tokens on Base, Optimism, or Moonbeam to backstop the protocol and earn a share of reserve income plus additional WELL rewards.
xWELL is a bridged representation of WELL that moves governance weight and reward streams across networks without fragmentation.
Supply and borrow rates adjust in real time based on pool utilisation. No fixed terms. No manual rate-setting. See the model explained at ethereum.org.
Two-tier governance: lightweight Snapshot polls for temperature checks, followed by binding on-chain MIPs for protocol changes.
Move assets between wallets or chains from within the Moonwell interface. Cross-chain transfers use audited bridge infrastructure.
The Foundry framework powers the protocol's test suite — over 1,200 unit and integration tests run on every pull request, catching regressions before they reach mainnet. Read more about decentralised lending on Wikipedia's DeFi article.
Moonwell by the Numbers
These figures reflect the scale of activity on the protocol as of mid-2025. All on-chain data is verifiable.
Total Value Locked across Base, Optimism, and Moonbeam deployments
Networks supported: Base, Optimism (OP Mainnet), and Moonbeam
Distinct asset markets listed since the protocol launched in 2022
Unique wallet addresses that have interacted with Moonwell's protocol
FAQ
Still have questions? Visit the support page for 15 detailed answers, or check about us for protocol background.
What is Moonwell?
Moonwell is a decentralized lending protocol deployed on Base and Optimism. Users supply tokens to earn interest or borrow assets by posting collateral, with all rates determined on-chain by an algorithmic model.
How do I start supplying assets on Moonwell?
Connect a compatible wallet, select a market on the Moonwell platform, approve the token spend, and deposit. Interest accrues automatically each block — no staking period, no lock-up.
Is Moonwell safe and audited?
The Moonwell protocol has undergone multiple third-party security audits. Smart contract code is publicly available and tested with Foundry. Governance is on-chain, managed by WELL token holders — no privileged admin keys remain.
Can I borrow on Moonwell if I only hold ETH?
Yes. Deposit ETH as collateral on the Base or Optimism deployment, then borrow supported stablecoins or other listed tokens up to your collateral factor. Maintain a healthy borrow limit to avoid liquidation.
Why should I use Moonwell instead of keeping assets idle?
Idle assets earn nothing. The Moonwell platform routes them into a transparent lending pool where interest is paid by borrowers every block, with no minimum deposit and no lock-up required on your end.
How does Moonwell governance work?
WELL token holders vote on Moonwell Improvement Proposals (MIPs) through the on-chain governor. Proposals cover risk parameters, new market listings, and contract upgrades. Passed proposals execute automatically.