Maple (SYRUP), launched in 2021 as Maple Finance and rebranded with the SYRUP token in November 2024, is a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform on Ethereum focused on institutional lending and yield products. Maple Finance offers transparent on-chain financing for borrowers and sustainable yields for lenders through diversified liquidity pools. The native token, SYRUP, powers governance, staking, and protocol growth. With a market cap of ~$570M and $1.6B in assets under management (AUM).

Key Features

  • Institutional Lending: Provides under-collateralized loans to institutional borrowers, with over $7B in total loan originations and 700 active lenders.
  • syrupUSDC Yield: Offers permissionless yield products like syrupUSDC, generating high yields from secured lending pools on Solana and Ethereum.
  • Multi-Chain Support: Operates on Ethereum, Solana, and Base, with collateral including BTC, ETH, and XRP.
  • Ecosystem: Trades on 46+ exchanges (e.g., Binance, Coinbase) and 56+ markets, with wallet support like MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet.

SYRUP Token

  • Purpose: Used for governance, staking, fee sharing, and accessing Maple’s yield products.
  • Supply: ~1.1B SYRUP in circulation, with a maximum supply of 1.2B.
  • Contract Address: On Ethereum, SYRUP’s contract is 0x643c4e15d7d62ad0abec4a9bd4b001aa3ef52d66 (addable to MetaMask) CoinGecko CMC.

Who Are the Founders of SYRUP?

Maple was co-founded by Sidney Powell and Joe Flanagan in 2021, blending traditional finance expertise with DeFi innovation. Backed by Circle Ventures and Alameda Research, Maple transitioned from MPL to SYRUP tokens (1 MPL = 100 SYRUP) by April 2025. Governance is led by a DAO and SYRUP holders.

What Makes SYRUP Unique?

Maple stands out in Web3:

  • Institutional DeFi Bridge: Combines TradFi compliance with on-chain transparency, serving 85+ institutional borrowers.
  • Secured Lending Pools: Blue Chip (BTC/ETH) and High Yield pools offer diversified yields, with rigorous KYC/AML and collateral checks.
  • syrupUSDC Growth: Reached $100M TVL in four months, with a single $100M deposit in June 2025.

SYRUP Network Upgrades (2025)

  • syrupUSDC on Solana (Q2 2025): Launched liquid yield product with $500K in incentives, boosting TVL by 10%.
  • XRP Collateral (Q1 2025): Added XRP-backed USDC loans, expanding collateral options and lender yields.
  • Base Chain Expansion (June 2025): Optimized lending pools on Base, reducing fees by 15% and enhancing accessibility .

How Is SYRUP Secured?

Maple and SYRUP are secured through:

  • Ethereum PoS: Leverages Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake for transaction and contract security.
  • Smart Contract Audits: Regular audits (auditors undisclosed) ensure protocol integrity across chains.
  • Pool Delegate Diligence: Institutional-grade KYC/AML and collateral analysis by Pool Delegates mitigate risks.
  • DAO Governance: SYRUP holders vote on upgrades, ensuring decentralized control.

Conclusion

Maple (SYRUP) is a leading DeFi platform for institutional lending, with 1.1B circulating supply. Listed on 46+ exchanges, its $7B in loan originations, $1.6B AUM, and 2025 upgrades like Base chain expansion position it as a bridge between TradFi and DeFi. While its permissioned model may limit retail access, Maple’s robust risk management, institutional adoption, and high yields make it a standout in Web3.