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Ahmed Barakat
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There’s a well-known frustration in crypto: you’re sitting on a large BTC position and need liquidity, but the moment you sell, you’ve created a taxable event as well as given up future upside on whatever you disposed of.
That’s why Clend has created a collateralized lending service built around exactly that problem, letting users borrow USDC or JPYC against more than 25 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, and a range of altcoins and stablecoins.
Rates start at 6.0% APR for Bitcoin, fixed, with no need to buy any platform tokens like other similar services. There are no monthly payments, with interest accruing automatically and added to the loan balance before the total is settled in full at repayment.
Full repayment is available from day 61 onward (with partial repayments allowed during the loan), and terms running up to 12 months. CryptoNews recently covered the platform in an in-depth Clend review.
Why might you want to take a loan out against your crypto? Well, the tax angle is likely the best reason, depending on your local tax laws. Because crypto is pledged rather than sold, no disposal occurs at the moment of borrowing – and in most jurisdictions, no disposal means no capital gain is recognized.
As an example, if a BTC holder needs $100,000 for a real estate deposit, a tax bill, or a business opportunity, they can access that liquidity without touching the underlying position – meaning taxable events can get deferred and the upside stays intact.
Liquidation only occurs when the outstanding loan amount – principal plus all accumulated interest – reaches 90% of the collateral’s current market value, or 95% for stablecoin collateral. So a sudden 20% drop in a cryptocurrency is unlikely to trigger anything.
Rates are competition-beating. As an example, a similar service with Nexo sees the most competitive rates gated behind NEXO token holdings, meaning the advertised rate carries an implicit additional exposure: the price of NEXO itself.
Clend’s rates are also fixed and require nothing beyond the collateral. On the four largest lending assets – BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL – Clend also offers higher LTV ratios. A BTC or ETH borrower gets 60% LTV, and XRP and SOL loans come in at 40%.
Things to Know Before You Apply
The minimum loan is 30,000 USDC, with a minimum collateral requirement of approximately 33,000 USD. Natural users may be long-term holders with a large unrealized position, or a Web3 company looking to use its crypto treasury as working capital without triggering gains on the balance sheet.
The application process runs in four stages: online application, KYC, digital contract signing, and collateral deposit, followed by disbursement. Same-day disbursement is possible once the collateral deposit is confirmed on-chain. There are no origination fees, no withdrawal fees on disbursed funds, and no prepayment penalties.
The full rate runs from 6.0% APR on BTC to 7.20% on ETH, 8.40% on XRP and SOL, and 16.80% on lower-tier altcoins, including BNB, ADA, DOGE, and SHIB.
Clend is also available in Japanese, with a dedicated site for that market, where the tax-efficiency argument carries particular weight: crypto gains in Japan are currently taxed at up to 55%.
Custody is handled through Fireblocks, and Clend does not rehypothecate or lend out collateral. Assets are held in custody, not deployed.
For BTC and ETH holders with a clear use case and a repayment timeline in mind, 6.0% fixed, same-day funding, institutional-grade custody, and no monthly payment obligations make a compelling case.
Visit Clend
Clend is operated by R0 Inc. (U.S.-based entity). The service is not subject to Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act or crypto asset exchange business registration requirements. Digital asset prices are highly volatile. Collateral can be liquidated at set LTV thresholds. Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances; consult a qualified tax professional. This article does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice.
