Collateralized Loans

Definition ∞ Collateralized loans are financial agreements where a borrower pledges an asset as security for a loan. If the borrower defaults, the lender can seize the collateral to recoup their losses. In the digital asset realm, this often involves using cryptocurrencies as collateral to borrow other digital assets or fiat currency.
Context ∞ The operation and security of collateralized loan protocols within decentralized finance (DeFi) are frequent topics in crypto news. Debates often concern the robustness of smart contracts, the management of collateral liquidation events during market downturns, and the regulatory implications for these novel financial instruments. Future developments to monitor include the integration of more diverse collateral types and enhanced risk management frameworks.