Maker (MKR) is the governance token of the Maker Protocol, the issuer of the leading stablecoin. MKR holders enjoy rights to participate in MakerDAO governance, gaining voting rights on policies related to the DAI coin, collateral types, and overall operations of the DeFi platform.

The MKR is an ERC-20 token designed on the Ethereum blockchain. Some of the critical decisions the Maker community votes on include updates to parameters such as Stability Fees, DSR, and Debt Ceilings, as well as non-technical decision-making related to the platform.

The Maker Protocol is a well-established decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), reflecting the true success of the power of DeFi. The MKR token is the key to driving engagement among the Maker community, encouraging token holders to have a say in how the protocol operates and manages DAI, a collateral-backed stablecoin.

MKR token holders are the stakeholders of the MakerDAO and are responsible for on-chain governance. As primary participants making up the Maker community, these users participate in voting through this on-chain governance system, contributing to how the Maker Protocols policy shapes up and evolves. Maker Protocol also depends on its community to vote on Governance Polls, seeking consensus on proposals for updating the platform or policy.

Rune Christensen established the Maker Protocol as a peer-to-peer, decentralized lending platform on Ethereum. The MakerDAO concept was devised by the Maker team in 2015 and launched in December 2017.

The Maker Foundation was initially tasked with developing and decision-making responsibilities around the project. In 2021, it started the process of its dissolution in the spirit of enabling true decentralization via MakerDAO.

It initially offered a platform where crypto investors could receive over-collateralized loans by locking their ETH holdings and minting Dai tokens in exchange. The DAI enjoys a soft peg to the US dollar and can be used as a payment method or invested in DeFi platforms to earn passive income.

The Maker system initially had a single-collateral Dai (SCD) backed by collateral in Ether. In November 2019, MakerDAO transitioned to multi-collateral Dai (MCD), supported by collateral in Ether and Basic Attention Token (BAT). Since then, more digital assets have been voted on and approved by MakerDAO as collateral to back MCD.

The Maker token was designed as an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum blockchain, offering a way to manage the Maker Protocol and MakerDAO. MKR tokens allowed users to participate in the platform's governance and form part of the Maker Treasury.

MakerDAO is a decentralized platform governed by its community of MKR token holders. It was set up to drive financial stability and transparency within the global economy.

MakerDAO is responsible for generating Dai stablecoins using smart contracts. The Maker Protocol is one of the oldest, largest, and most established DeFi protocols in the world and has the distinction of being one of the most popular Ethereum-based dApps.

MakerDAO uses digital assets as collateral locked into the Maker Protocol through smart contracts. This collateral can be audited and is completely visible to the public. The collateral thus locked in the Maker Protocol is then used to generate DAI stablecoin tokens.

Since DAI is backed by extra collateral, its peg to the US dollar is maintained even during extreme volatility in the crypto market. The over-collateralized feature makes it possible for MakerDAO to ensure that severe price fluctuations of digital assets do not impact the price-stability mechanism of DAI.

The Maker token has several uses within the Maker Protocol and MakerDAO and outside the platform. Lets take a look at some of the use cases for MKR:

Governance Token

The MKR is the governance token of the MakerDAO. Token holders participate in the governance process of the Maker Protocol, deciding on the types of collateral that can back DAI, adjusting the protocols policy, and more.

Recapitalization Source

MKR is also used for recapitalization whenever the Maker Protocol experiences a deficit in operating. In such instances, the MakerDAO dilutes the supply of the MKR token. The MakerDAO system also destroys MKR tokens by auctioning DAI from Maker Protocols excess surplus, offering higher incentives to MKR holders to participate in the decentralized governance process.

Crypto Asset to Trade and HODL

As a native token of MakerDAO and Maker Protocol, one of the oldest DeFi projects in the industry, the MKR token enjoys high demand among crypto traders and investors worldwide. You can buy or sell MKR or hold it long-term if you believe in the potential of the Maker ecosystem. Check the current Maker price, MKR market cap, and 24-hour trading volume, and perform technical, sentiment, and fundamental analysis on the MKR price chart before placing a new trade.

Earn Passive Income

In addition to participating in governance via MakerDAO and earning incentives, BYDFi offers a risk-free and convenient way to grow your crypto holdings through MKR. Head to our Crypto Lending section to lend liquidity in MKR to the exchange and earn more MKR attractive daily interest over seven days, 14 days, or 28 days.

MKR is the governance token of one of the most popular DeFi platforms on Ethereum, making it a popular digital asset to invest in. As one of the top 50 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, it is backed by a stellar reputation of the project and the popular DAI stablecoin, which enjoys high usage, especially among DeFi investors.

The MKR price could experience an uptrend amid the rising adoption of DAI and increased participation within the Maker community. As a result, the Maker token could be considered a worthy investment to include in your portfolio.

In addition to an uptick in using stablecoins in general and DAI in particular, a higher interest in DeFi could also increase the MKR price. As the token of one of the world's biggest and oldest DeFi projects, the MKR price statistics could enjoy considerable support from a higher interest in decentralized finance, especially among mainstream and institutional investors.

Finally, the Maker price could also tick higher amid a bullish sentiment in the crypto market. When there is more buying interest in digital assets among investors, all tokens across the board turn more valuable as investor confidence in the market increases.

At the time of MakerDAOs launch, 1 million MKR tokens were created. Since then, the DAO generates or destroys MKR tokens based on various factors.

Since MKR functions as the recapitalization source for the Maker Protocol, its community votes to destroy tokens and adjust its circulating supply whenever there is a deficit in collateral backing the DAI coin. On the other hand, the total supply is diluted by creating new MKR tokens whenever there is an excess supply of DAI in the market.

As of July 2022, the circulating supply of MKR coins stands at just over 977,000 tokens. The max supply of the cryptocurrency stands at a little more than 1 million. You can find the most updated information on MKR circulating supply on Etherscan.

There are numerous ways to increase your crypto portfolio by investing in Maker coins. Here are a few of them:

Trade MKR

Buy or sell Maker tokens against other cryptocurrencies based on market price movements. However, trading MKR requires a solid understanding of fundamental, technical, and sentiment analysis to increase the chances of placing successful orders and minimizing losses. It can also be risky due to the volatile nature of the crypto market.

Hold MKR

The value of MKR has grown over the years as the Maker Protocol and its DAI stablecoin gain popularity among crypto investors. You can buy and hold MKR for the long term to reap the rewards.

However, patience is required to see your crypto investment grow, as it may take time. Additionally, you must be willing to take risks as the value may decrease during bearish cycles or temporary market corrections.

Lend MKR

You can lend your MKR tokens on platforms like BYDFi to increase your crypto holdings in a risk-free and secure manner. Conduct thorough online research to find platforms that offer attractive returns for locking in your MKR tokens.

Participate in MakerDAO Governance

As a community member, you can actively participate in the governance of the Maker Protocol. Your votes can influence profitability and contribute to the overall growth of the Maker ecosystem. Being proactive and engaged is an excellent way to support the development of the Maker Protocol and potentially increase the value of MKR.

Stake MKR

Some CeFi exchanges and DEXs provide the option to stake MKR on their platforms in exchange for APYs. Consider utilizing the Stake and Earn feature on supported exchanges to stake your Maker tokens and earn attractive interest.