# The Backbone of DeFi

> import GuideCardGrid from '@site/src/components/GuideCardGrid'
import ProtocolCardGrid from '@site/src/components/ProtocolCardGrid'
import ThemedImage from '@theme/ThemedImage'
import ChainPresence from '@site/src/components/ChainPresence'
import GhostPosts from '@site/src/components/GhostPosts';

Curve enables **endless possibilities** to be used or built on top of. Whether it is simply deploying a liquidity pool or lending market, or building an entirely new stack on top of Curve. Its **incredible neutrality and permissionless nature** do not discriminate or restrict any market participants, and they welcome everyone to use, build, and improve Curve.

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Curve is the definitive platform for building deep, sustainable onchain liquidity for your asset. Whether you're launching a new token, scaling an existing one, or creating innovative DeFi products, Curve provides the complete infrastructure you need:

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## Curve's Chain Presence

Curve runs on **multiple of networks** to meet users and builders where they are. Full DEX deployments deliver the complete Curve experience (gauges, CRV emissions, and full frontend support). **Curve Lite** exists so new rollups have the possibility to launch with production‑grade swapping from day one — automatically rolling out Curve’s core DEX stack (permissionless Stableswap/Cryptoswap factories), direct frontend integration, and CurveDAO ownership/fees/CRV emissions.

<ChainPresence />

## Three Core Pillars, One Unified Platform

Curve is built on three core pillars that work together seamlessly:

### Curve DEX
The core business with which Curve started. It pioneered the exchange of stable-like assets with the **Stableswap algorithm** created back in 2020. To this day, it remains the most efficient, battle-tested, and reliable algorithm, despite other projects calling it a "soon to be obsolete" innovation. Algorithms for volatile pairs, the **Cryptoswap algorithm**, came along later in 2021.

Why Curve over other protocols? Because Curve is your swiss army knife providing:

- **Passive Liquidity Provision** - no range-setting, rebalancing, or manual upkeep required; the LP's liquidity is always in range and used for trading, so LPs always earn trading fees.
- **Specialized and suitable algorithms** for every asset type - not only from pegged stablecoins to volatile crypto pairs but also different token standards like ERC-20, ERC-4626, Rebasing, and more. While other AMMs rob the LPs of the rebases, Curve gives them where they belong: **to the LPs.**
- **Fully Permissionless** - deploy pools instantly without DAO approvals and **no deployment fees.**
- **Fully Onchain Built-in Oracles** - liquidity pools on Curve come with built-in EMA oracles; no need to pay extra for centralized, issue-prone oracles.
- **Routing Integration from Day 1** - liquidity pools are automatically picked up by leading aggregators like 1inch, CowSwap, and Paraswap.

### Llamalend
A permissionless lending system built on crvUSD, enabling sophisticated borrowing and lending strategies:

- **Liquidation Protections** - a new and novel liquidation mechanism which gives users more time and flexibility to react when things go south.
- **Isolated markets** - each lending market is isolated to keep risks as minimal as possible and allow for precise risk management.
- **High LTV ratios** - some of the highest loan-to-value ratios in DeFi.

### Gauges & Incentives
Curve's protocol mechanics makes it easy to bootstrap, maintain, and build liquidity for on-chain assets. Curve's gauge system provides a flexible incentive mechanism that enables you to bootstrap and sustain liquidity for your asset:

- **CRV Emissions** - Direct a portion of Curve's weekly CRV inflation to your pool through gauge weight voting, attracting more liquidity providers.
- **Permissionless Rewards** - Add your own token incentives instantly without governance approval to boost pool attractiveness.
- **Vote Incentives** - Provide rewards to veCRV holders to vote for your gauge, creating sustainable voting power.
- **Flexible Strategies** - Choose between temporary vote renting or permanent veCRV accumulation based on your needs.
- **Custom Combinations** - Mix CRV emissions, custom rewards, and vote incentives to create your perfect liquidity bootstrapping strategy.

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## Getting Started

Ready to deploy a pool or lending market or proliferate your asset across DeFi? Here's how to get started:

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