Makina Finance — Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Makina Finance, our DeFi execution engine, yield strategies, security model, and how to maximize your risk-adjusted returns onchain.
General Questions
Makina Finance is the most advanced DeFi Execution Engine designed to empower sophisticated Operators to execute onchain yield strategies that maximize risk-adjusted returns.
At its core, Makina Finance provides a fully non-custodial infrastructure layer that bridges institutional-grade risk management with the composability of decentralized finance. Operators — whether human traders, algorithmic systems, or AI agents — can define, deploy, and manage complex multi-protocol strategies through the Makina Finance engine.
The platform operates through a system of vaults and strategy modules. When you deposit assets into a Makina Finance vault, those assets are allocated by a designated Operator across various DeFi protocols according to pre-defined risk parameters and yield targets.
- Non-custodial architecture: you always retain ownership of your assets
- Operator-driven: expert strategists manage allocation on your behalf
- Risk-constrained: strict exposure limits prevent over-concentration
- Atomic execution: positions can be unwound instantly in emergencies
Makina Finance currently offers several live yield strategies across major asset classes, each operated by vetted and sophisticated Operators.
Dialectic USD (DUSD) — A stablecoin yield strategy offering a Live APY of approximately 23.21%, combining a 3.48% base yield with 19.73% in $MAK rewards. Capacity is capped at 75 million DUSD to maintain strategy efficiency.
Dialectic ETH (DETH) — An ETH-denominated strategy with a Live APY of approximately 14.67%, composed of 3.84% base yield and 10.83% $MAK rewards. Designed for ETH holders seeking enhanced returns without leaving the ETH ecosystem.
Dialectic BTC (DBIT) — A BTC-denominated strategy with approximately 12.99% Live APY, offering 4.73% base yield plus 8.26% in $MAK rewards. Ideal for long-term BTC holders who want productive exposure.
Steakhouse USD (usdSHFmk) — A high-yield stablecoin strategy operated by Steakhouse Financial, delivering approximately 26.37% Live APY through a 6.64% base yield and 19.73% $MAK rewards.
All strategies are subject to capacity limits and may evolve as Makina Finance onboards new Operators and protocols. Visit the Explore page for real-time data.
Makina Finance is built around a multi-layered security architecture that prioritizes user asset protection without compromising on yield performance.
Non-Custodial Design: Makina Finance never takes custody of your assets. All funds are held in audited smart contracts on-chain, and you can verify the state of your position at any time through a standard blockchain explorer.
Strict Risk Parameters: Each strategy on Makina Finance operates under pre-defined exposure limits. Operators cannot exceed concentration thresholds set by the protocol, ensuring high diversification across underlying yield sources.
Security Module: Makina Finance features a Security Module that allows DUSD holders to stake their tokens and earn an additional boost yield (up to +35.83%). The Security Module also acts as a backstop mechanism in extreme scenarios.
Atomic Unwind Mechanism: A novel feature of Makina Finance is the ability to atomically unwind all strategy positions in a single transaction. This allows for instant de-risking in cases of detected threats or emergency situations.
Audited Smart Contracts: All Makina Finance smart contracts undergo rigorous third-party security audits. Audit reports are publicly available in the documentation.
- No counterparty custody risk — assets stay on-chain
- Real-time risk monitoring by Operators and the protocol
- Emergency atomic exit mechanism always available
- Publicly verifiable positions and allocations
$MAK is the native governance and rewards token of Makina Finance, designed to align incentives between users, Operators, and the protocol itself.
Yield Boost: A significant portion of the displayed Live APY across all Makina Finance strategies is denominated in $MAK rewards. For example, the Dialectic USD strategy offers 19.73% of its ~23% total APY in $MAK, making token accumulation a core part of the value proposition.
Governance: $MAK holders participate in on-chain governance decisions that shape the future of Makina Finance, including the addition of new Operators, strategy parameter adjustments, and protocol upgrades.
Security Module Staking: Users who hold strategy tokens (such as DUSD) can stake them in the Makina Finance Security Module using $MAK, earning an additional yield boost in return for providing protocol backstop coverage.
Season 2 Points Program: Makina Finance currently runs a Points program where users accumulate Season 2 Earnings. These points are expected to play a role in future $MAK distributions and protocol incentives.
To maximize your exposure to $MAK rewards, deposit into any active Makina Finance strategy. Rewards accrue in real-time and can be claimed or compounded.
Operators are the sophisticated strategy managers who power Makina Finance. They are responsible for executing onchain yield strategies within the risk parameters set by the protocol.
Current Operators on Makina Finance include established DeFi teams such as Dialectic — which manages the DUSD, DETH, and DBIT strategies — and Steakhouse Financial, which operates the usdSHFmk Steakhouse USD strategy.
Operators on Makina Finance can be:
- Human traders and portfolio managers with specialized DeFi expertise
- Algorithmic systems executing rule-based or quantitative strategies
- AI Agents — Makina Finance is purpose-built to support AI-driven execution of complex DeFi strategies with security and reliability
- DAOs and institutional desks seeking onchain yield infrastructure
If you are interested in becoming an Operator on Makina Finance, the platform provides the execution engine, risk framework, and user distribution. Operators bring their strategy logic and expertise. To apply, reach out through the official Makina Finance Discord or submit an inquiry via the documentation portal.
Operator eligibility requires passing a review process that assesses strategy quality, risk management approach, and track record. The Makina Finance team works closely with prospective Operators during onboarding to configure appropriate parameters and capacity limits.
Getting started with Makina Finance is straightforward. You need a compatible Web3 wallet and the assets you wish to deposit into one of the available strategies.
Step 1 — Connect your wallet: Visit the Makina Finance app and click "Connect Wallet". Makina Finance supports all major Web3 wallets including MetaMask, WalletConnect-compatible wallets, Coinbase Wallet, and hardware wallets.
Step 2 — Bridge assets if needed: If your assets are on a different chain, use the Makina Finance Bridge feature (accessible from the main navigation) to transfer them to the supported network.
Step 3 — Explore strategies: Navigate to the Explore page to browse all available strategies. Each strategy card shows the Live APY breakdown, current TVL vs. capacity, and the Operator managing it.
Step 4 — Buy and earn: Select the strategy that matches your asset type and risk appetite. Click "Buy and earn" on any strategy card. You will be guided through the minting or purchase process specific to that strategy token.
Step 5 — Track your portfolio: Once deposited, monitor your positions, accrued yield, and $MAK rewards from the Portfolio section.
- No minimum deposit for most strategies
- Yield accrues continuously in real-time
- You can withdraw at any time subject to strategy liquidity
- Points accumulate automatically for Season 2 rewards
For detailed technical documentation, visit the official docs.makina.finance.
Makina Finance is deployed on EVM-compatible networks chosen for their security, liquidity depth, and low transaction costs. The platform is designed to minimize friction for users while maintaining the highest execution standards.
The Makina Finance Bridge feature allows users to move assets seamlessly between supported chains, ensuring you can always access the strategy of your choice regardless of where your assets currently reside.
Gas costs on Makina Finance depend on the underlying network and current congestion. Strategy deposits and withdrawals are standard ERC-20 token interactions and are optimized for minimal gas overhead. The atomic execution mechanism, while more complex, is designed to be gas-efficient even under high-load conditions.
For the most current information on supported networks and any chain-specific considerations, please refer to the official Makina Finance documentation at docs.makina.finance or ask in the community Discord.
- EVM-compatible network support
- Built-in Bridge for cross-chain asset movement
- Gas-optimized smart contract architecture
- No protocol fees on deposits for early users
Yes — in fact, AI agent compatibility is one of the core design principles of Makina Finance. The execution engine is purpose-built to support AI-driven DeFi strategy execution securely and reliably.
The Makina Finance execution engine provides AI agents with a safe, constrained environment in which to operate. Risk parameters and exposure limits are enforced at the smart contract level, meaning an AI agent operating through Makina Finance cannot exceed pre-approved risk thresholds even if its decision-making logic would otherwise attempt to do so.
Key features that make Makina Finance ideal for AI agents include:
- Permissioned execution scope: AI agents can only execute within the bounds defined by the strategy's risk parameters
- Atomic rollback: If an AI agent detects an anomaly, it can trigger an atomic unwind of all positions in a single transaction
- On-chain verifiability: Every action taken by an AI agent is recorded on-chain and can be audited in real-time
- Modular strategy components: AI agents can compose strategies from pre-audited building blocks, reducing the attack surface
As the DeFi landscape evolves toward greater automation, Makina Finance is positioned as the infrastructure layer that enables AI agents to participate in sophisticated yield strategies with the same security guarantees as human Operators.
While Makina Finance is designed with security and risk management as foundational principles, all DeFi protocols carry inherent risks that users should understand before participating.
Smart Contract Risk: Despite rigorous auditing, smart contracts can contain undiscovered vulnerabilities. Makina Finance mitigates this through multiple audits and a formal bug bounty program.
Operator Risk: Strategy performance depends on the quality of the Operator's decisions. Makina Finance vets all Operators and enforces risk parameters at the protocol level, but past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
Market Risk: Underlying yield sources across DeFi protocols can fluctuate. APY figures displayed represent current rates and will change over time based on market conditions, liquidity, and protocol dynamics.
$MAK Token Risk: A significant portion of displayed APYs includes $MAK token rewards. The value of $MAK can fluctuate, and the real-dollar value of your yield depends on $MAK's market price.
Liquidity Risk: Strategy tokens may have limited liquidity on secondary markets. While Makina Finance allows withdrawals from strategies, there may be timing constraints depending on the underlying protocol's liquidity conditions.
Always review the Terms of Service and do your own research before depositing assets into any Makina Finance strategy. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Makina Finance maintains an active presence across multiple channels to keep the community informed about protocol updates, new strategy launches, Operator additions, and ecosystem developments.
Follow Makina Finance across all official channels:
- X (Twitter): @makinafi — Protocol announcements, strategy updates, and community highlights
- Discord: discord.gg/makinafi — Real-time community discussion, support, and governance participation
- Telegram: t.me/makinafinance — News and updates for the broader community
- Substack: makinafi.substack.com — In-depth research, strategy deep-dives, and protocol analysis
- Dune Analytics: dune.com/makinafi/makina — On-chain data dashboards and TVL tracking
- GitHub: github.com/MakinaHQ — Open-source smart contract code and technical documentation
Subscribe to the Substack newsletter directly from the Makina Finance homepage to receive updates straight to your inbox without needing to monitor social channels constantly.
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