Exchange Yield

Coinbase ETH Staking (cbETH) lets users earn Ethereum staking rewards through Coinbase, which runs the validators and issues a liquid token representing the staked position. It is a custodial, exchange-operated route to ETH yield, simpler than running a validator but reliant on Coinbase. cbETH scores 83/100 (Tier 3) on the RWTS Trust Score, high for a staking product, reflecting Coinbase's status as a regulated, US-listed operator with strong controls. The trade-offs are custodial and counterparty risk, an unstaking queue measured in days, and the usual validator-slashing exposure beneath the wrapper.

Coinbase USDC Rewards pays eligible users a yield simply for holding USDC on Coinbase, funded from the interest Circle earns on the stablecoin's Treasury reserves rather than from the token itself. There is no lock-up and balances stay fully liquid. This programme scores 82/100 (Tier 2) on the RWTS Trust Score, among the safest yield routes we track, because the underlying is fully reserved USDC and the operator is a regulated, US-listed exchange. The yield is set by Coinbase and can change with policy and rates; it is a platform reward, not a property of USDC.

Kinesis Earn is a fixed-term yield program rather than a token: you pledge an asset you already hold for three, six or twelve months and are paid in that same asset. Eligible assets include KAU and KAG, which score 90/100 each on the RWTS Trust Score, alongside stablecoins and major digital assets. Kinesis Earn scores 76/100 (Tier 2) on the RWTS Trust Score. The backing is the strongest on the exchange shelf, because it is allocated audited metal rather than an exchange IOU, and two things hold the score down: a pledged position has no market at all, so redeemability is 4/15, and the program launched in 2026, so there is almost no track record to weigh. The yield is funded by platform fee share and bullion arbitrage rather than by lending your metal out.

Kraken ETH Staking lets users earn Ethereum staking rewards through the Kraken exchange, which operates the validators on their behalf and returns a staked ETH position. It is a custodial route to ETH yield from an established global exchange. It scores 75/100 (Tier 3) on the RWTS Trust Score: Kraken is a long-running, security-focused operator, but the product carries custodial and counterparty risk, a bonded unbonding period of roughly two to four weeks on exit, and the underlying validator-slashing risk. US availability has been shaped by past regulatory action against exchange staking.

Binance Simple Earn (USDT) pays a yield on USDT deposited with Binance, which lends the balance to margin traders and institutional borrowers on its platform. It offers flexible and fixed-term options at rates that move with borrowing demand. It scores 66/100 (Tier 3) on the RWTS Trust Score: Binance is the largest exchange by volume with deep liquidity, but the product is fully custodial, the yield depends on opaque internal lending, and counterparty and regulatory risk sit behind it. This is an exchange earn product, not a reserved or on-chain instrument, so funds rely entirely on Binance's solvency.

Currency One USD (C1USD) is a fully reserved, insured US dollar stablecoin from Kinesis, backed one-to-one by dollars held at regulated financial institutions under an insurance wrapper. Unusually for a stablecoin it advertises a yield, paid monthly to verified Kinesis account holders with no lock-up, funded from platform revenue rather than the reserve itself. C1USD scores 65/100 (Tier 2) on the RWTS Trust Score, helped by its insured reserve and regulatory standing but held back by a short track record and lighter third-party verification than the largest stablecoins.

OKX Simple Earn (USDT) pays a yield on USDT deposited with the OKX exchange, which deploys the balance into its lending and structured-product programmes. Flexible and fixed-term options are available at variable rates. It scores 62/100 (Tier 3) on the RWTS Trust Score: OKX is a major global exchange with substantial liquidity, but the product is custodial, the yield depends on internal lending activity, and counterparty and regulatory risk apply. As with all exchange earn products, the return is a platform offering backed by the exchange's solvency, not a claim on a segregated reserve.

Bybit Earn (USDT) pays a yield on USDT held with the Bybit exchange, generated by lending deposits to the platform's borrowers and routing them into structured products. It offers flexible and fixed-term tiers at competitive rates. It scores 57/100 (Tier 3) on the RWTS Trust Score: Bybit is a large derivatives-focused exchange, but the product is custodial, the yield comes from opaque internal lending, and counterparty plus regulatory risk are material. The relatively high rate reflects that depositors are taking exchange credit risk rather than holding a reserved or independently custodied asset.