Top 10 DeFi Protocols on PulseChain: What to Do After Bridging

PulseChain DeFi: Overview

PulseChain launched as an Ethereum fork, which means most popular Ethereum DeFi protocols have native equivalents on PulseChain. Combined with new PulseChain-native innovations, the ecosystem now offers:

• $800M+ Total Value Locked
• 50+ DeFi protocols
• 5-100%+ APY opportunities
• Transaction fees under $0.10

Why PulseChain DeFi is Different

The key advantages of DeFi on PulseChain vs Ethereum:

• 99% lower fees: Execute 100+ transactions for the cost of one on Ethereum
• Higher yields: Less competition = more alpha
• Faster transactions: ~10 second block times
• Growing ecosystem: New protocols launching weekly

Top 10 PulseChain DeFi Protocols

---

🥇 #1: PulseX — The Leading DEX

What is PulseX?

PulseX is PulseChain's largest decentralized exchange, similar to Uniswap on Ethereum. It enables instant token swaps, liquidity pools, and yield farming—all with fees under $0.10.

Key Features

• Token Swaps: Trade any PRC-20 token instantly
• Liquidity Pools: Provide liquidity and earn trading fees
• Yield Farming: Stake LP tokens for additional PLSX rewards
• Buy & Burn: Protocol revenue used to buy and burn PLSX

Yield Opportunities

• PLS/PLSX LP: 15-30% APY
• Stablecoin LPs: 10-20% APY
• New token pairs: 50-200%+ APY (higher risk)

How to Use PulseX

1. Bridge ETH to PulseChain via PulseChain Bridge
2. Navigate to PulseX
3. Connect wallet and switch to PulseChain network
4. Swap tokens or add liquidity

---

🥈 #2: HEX — The OG Certificate of Deposit

What is HEX?

HEX is a blockchain certificate of deposit—stake your HEX tokens for a set period and earn interest. Longer stakes earn higher rewards, with penalties for early unstaking.

Key Features

• Time-locked staking: 1 day to 15 years
• Longer pays better: Bonuses for longer stakes
• Bigger pays better: Bonuses for larger stakes
• No middlemen: Fully trustless, on-chain

Yield Opportunities

• Short stakes (1-6 months): 5-10% APY
• Medium stakes (1-5 years): 10-20% APY
• Long stakes (5-15 years): 20-40%+ APY

Important Considerations

• Early unstaking results in penalties
• Yields are paid in HEX tokens
• Long commitment required for best yields

---

🥉 #3: Liquid Loans — Decentralized Borrowing

What is Liquid Loans?

Liquid Loans is a decentralized borrowing protocol similar to Liquity on Ethereum. Deposit PLS as collateral and borrow USDL (PulseChain's native stablecoin) with 0% interest—you only pay a one-time borrowing fee.

Key Features

• 0% Interest Loans: Only pay a one-time borrowing fee (0.5%)
• 110% Minimum Collateral: Very capital efficient
• Instant Liquidations: Stability pool protects the protocol
• USDL Stablecoin: Algorithmically stable, soft-pegged to USD

Yield Opportunities

• Stability Pool: Deposit USDL, earn liquidation rewards (10-30% APY)
• LOAN Staking: Stake LOAN tokens, earn protocol fees (15-40% APY)

How to Use Liquid Loans

1. Bridge ETH to PulseChain and swap for PLS on PulseX
2. Deposit PLS as collateral on Liquid Loans
3. Borrow USDL (maintain 110%+ collateral ratio)
4. Use USDL in DeFi or stake in Stability Pool

---

#4: Phiat — Stablecoin Protocol

What is Phiat?

Phiat is a stablecoin protocol offering USD-pegged assets on PulseChain. Deposit collateral, mint pUSD, and earn yields through stability mechanisms.

Key Features

• pUSD Stablecoin: Soft-pegged to USD
• Multiple collateral types: PLS, HEX, and more
• Savings rate: Earn yield on pUSD deposits

Yield Opportunities

• pUSD Savings: 8-15% APY
• Collateral rewards: Earn while borrowing

---

#5: Mintra — NFT Marketplace

What is Mintra?

Mintra is PulseChain's leading NFT marketplace—think OpenSea for PulseChain. Browse, buy, sell, and mint NFTs with fees under $0.50.

Key Features

• NFT Trading: Buy and sell PRC-721 NFTs
• Minting: Create your own NFT collections
• Low fees: Minting costs pennies vs $20-100+ on Ethereum
• Auctions: Bid on unique NFTs

---

#6: 9inch — DEX Aggregator

What is 9inch?

9inch is a DEX aggregator that finds the best prices across multiple PulseChain DEXs. Similar to 1inch on Ethereum, it routes your trade through multiple liquidity sources for optimal execution.

Key Features

• Price aggregation: Searches all DEXs for best rate
• Split routing: Splits large orders across DEXs
• Gas optimization: Efficient transaction routing

When to Use 9inch vs PulseX

• Use 9inch for large trades ($10k+) or illiquid tokens
• Use PulseX for standard swaps with good liquidity

---

#7: PulseChain Validators — Native Staking

What is Validator Staking?

PulseChain uses Proof of Stake consensus. You can stake PLS to help secure the network and earn rewards. Options include running your own validator (32M+ PLS) or delegating to staking pools.

Yield Opportunities

• Solo Validator: 5-8% APY (requires 32M PLS minimum)
• Staking Pools: 4-6% APY (no minimum, pooled staking)

---

#8: Pulse Yield Farms — Aggregated Farming

What is Pulse Yield Farms?

Yield aggregators like Pulse Yield Farms automatically compound your farming rewards. Deposit LP tokens, and the protocol harvests and reinvests for you—maximizing APY with zero effort.

Key Features

• Auto-compounding: Rewards reinvested automatically
• Multi-strategy vaults: Different risk/reward profiles
• Gas-efficient: Pooled harvesting saves fees

Yield Opportunities

• Stablecoin vaults: 15-25% APY
• Blue-chip vaults: 20-40% APY
• High-risk vaults: 50-200%+ APY

---

#9: PulseLend — Lending Protocol

What is PulseLend?

PulseLend is an Aave-style lending protocol on PulseChain. Supply assets to earn interest, or borrow against your collateral for leverage or liquidity needs.

Key Features

• Supply & Earn: Deposit assets, earn variable interest
• Borrow: Take loans against collateral
• Variable rates: Interest rates based on utilization
• Multiple assets: PLS, HEX, stablecoins, and more

Yield Opportunities

• PLS Supply: 3-8% APY
• Stablecoin Supply: 8-15% APY
• HEX Supply: 5-12% APY

---

#10: PulseDAO — Governance & Treasury

What is PulseDAO?

PulseDAO is a community-governed treasury that funds ecosystem development. Hold governance tokens to vote on proposals and earn rewards from treasury yields.

Key Features

• Governance voting: Shape PulseChain development
• Treasury yields: Earn from DAO investments
• Grant funding: Support new PulseChain projects

---

DeFi Strategy: What to Do After Bridging

Here's a suggested workflow for putting your bridged ETH to work on PulseChain:

Step 1: Bridge ETH to PulseChain

Use PulseChain Bridge to move ETH from Ethereum to PulseChain. Takes ~3 minutes, costs $10-25 total.

Step 2: Swap for PulseChain Assets

On PulseX, swap your bridged ETH for:

• PLS: Native token, needed for gas
• PLSX: PulseX DEX token
• HEX: Staking/CD protocol
• Stablecoins: USDL, pUSD for lower volatility

Step 3: Choose Your DeFi Strategy

Conservative (5-15% APY)

• Stake PLS via validators or pools
• Supply stablecoins to lending protocols
• Provide liquidity to stablecoin pairs

Moderate (15-40% APY)

• LP farming on PulseX (PLS/PLSX, PLS/HEX)
• Stability Pool on Liquid Loans
• Auto-compounding vaults

Aggressive (40-100%+ APY)

• New token LP farming
• Leveraged yield strategies
• High-risk/high-reward vaults

Beginner's Portfolio Example

If you bridge $1,000 worth of ETH, here's a sample allocation:

Blended APY: ~15-22% with moderate risk diversification

Tips for PulseChain DeFi Success

1. Start Small

Test each protocol with small amounts first. Verify transactions work, understand the interface, then scale up.

2. Keep PLS for Gas

Always maintain a PLS balance for transaction fees. Running out of gas is frustrating. Keep at least $20-50 worth of PLS liquid.

3. Understand Impermanent Loss

LP farming exposes you to impermanent loss when token prices diverge. Learn about IL before providing liquidity to volatile pairs.

4. Harvest Rewards Regularly

With fees under $0.10, you can harvest daily on PulseChain (vs monthly on Ethereum). Compound frequently for better returns.

5. Diversify Across Protocols

Don't put everything in one protocol. Smart contract risk exists—spread across multiple platforms.

6. Watch for New Opportunities

PulseChain is growing rapidly. New protocols often launch with high initial yields. Stay active in the community to catch opportunities early.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best DeFi protocol on PulseChain?

PulseX is the most versatile—it's where you'll swap tokens and can provide liquidity. Start there, then explore specialized protocols based on your goals.

How much can I earn on PulseChain DeFi?

Yields range from 5% (conservative staking) to 100%+ (high-risk farming). Sustainable long-term yields typically fall in the 10-30% range.

Is PulseChain DeFi safe?

All DeFi carries risk—smart contract bugs, economic attacks, and token volatility. Stick to established protocols, start small, and never invest more than you can lose. Many PulseChain protocols are forks of battle-tested Ethereum code.

What do I need to get started?

1. ETH or tokens on Ethereum
2. Bridge to PulseChain via PulseChain Bridge
3. MetaMask with PulseChain network added (setup guide)

Conclusion

PulseChain's DeFi ecosystem offers everything you'll find on Ethereum—DEXs, lending, staking, NFTs—but with 99% lower fees and often higher yields. The key protocols are:

• PulseX: Your gateway to swapping and LP farming
• HEX: Long-term staking rewards
• Liquid Loans: 0% interest borrowing
• And many more...

Start by bridging ETH to PulseChain, swap for PLS and other tokens on PulseX, then explore the protocols that match your risk tolerance and goals.