
Briefing
Usual Protocol has launched its innovative DeFi framework, featuring USD0, a fiat-backed stablecoin collateralized by US Treasury Bill tokens, and a governance token, $USUAL, designed to redistribute 90% of protocol revenue back to its community. This strategic move directly addresses the prevailing centralization and inequitable value capture within the stablecoin market, positioning Usual as a foundational primitive for sustainable, user-owned finance. The protocol currently commands a Total Value Locked (TVL) of over $631 million, demonstrating significant early traction and market confidence in its unique economic model.

Context
The decentralized finance landscape has long grappled with stablecoin designs that, while offering stability, often replicate the centralized value accrual patterns of traditional banking. Existing fiat-backed stablecoins frequently operate with opaque reserves and concentrate economic benefits away from users, creating a product gap for a truly decentralized, transparent, and user-aligned alternative. Furthermore, many DeFi tokenomics models have struggled to establish sustainable value capture mechanisms that genuinely reward long-term participation over speculative short-term gains. This environment necessitated a protocol that could offer both the security of real-world assets and a robust, equitable distribution of generated value.

Analysis
Usual Protocol fundamentally alters digital ownership models and user incentive structures within DeFi. The introduction of USD0, a stablecoin backed by diversified short-term US Treasury Bills, establishes a bankruptcy-remote and permissionless asset, providing a critical alternative to traditional bank-linked stablecoins. This system ensures full collateralization and includes an insurance fund for systemic risk mitigation. The accompanying $USUAL governance token is intrinsically linked to protocol revenue, with a substantial 90% distributed to the community.
This mechanism creates a powerful flywheel ∞ increased USD0 adoption drives protocol revenue, which in turn enhances the value of $USUAL, aligning the incentives of users, governors, and the protocol’s long-term success. Competing protocols face a challenge in matching this integrated value redistribution model, as Usual cultivates a deeply engaged and economically vested user base. The liquid staking derivative, USD0++, further enhances capital efficiency, allowing users to earn rewards on their RWA-backed stablecoin holdings.

Parameters
- Protocol Name ∞ Usual Protocol
- Core Stablecoin ∞ USD0 (Fiat-backed by US Treasury Bills)
- Governance Token ∞ $USUAL (90% revenue distribution to community)
- Liquid Staking Derivative ∞ USD0++ (4-year lock-up with rewards)
- Current Total Value Locked (TVL) ∞ $631,758,023
- Yearly Protocol Revenue ∞ $25.46M
- Staking APY ∞ 15%
- USD0++ Locking APY ∞ 37%
- Integrated Projects ∞ +30
- Supported Chains ∞ 4

Outlook
The strategic outlook for Usual Protocol involves continuous expansion of its RWA collateral base and further ecosystem integrations. The protocol’s revenue-sharing model establishes a strong competitive moat, making it a compelling target for other dApps seeking to integrate a truly decentralized and yield-bearing stablecoin. This innovation could serve as a foundational building block for a new generation of DeFi applications that prioritize equitable value distribution and transparent, real-world asset backing.
Competitors may attempt to fork the protocol’s technical architecture, but replicating the community-centric value alignment and robust insurance mechanisms will present a significant challenge. The next phase will likely focus on scaling liquidity across more chains and introducing additional yield optimization strategies for USD0 and USD0++.