S&P Global Rates Sky’s DeFi Protocol at Speculative Grade

Key Points:

  • S&P Global rates Sky at a speculative B-.
  • First DeFi protocol rating by a major agency.
  • Signals institutional interest in DeFi credit risk.

On August 8, S&P Global issued a B- credit rating for Sky, a DeFi protocol on Ethereum, highlighting both risks and stable revenues.

Magacoin Fiancne

This rating reflects mainstream financial scrutiny in DeFi, signaling institutional interest but also emphasizing preventive approaches against credit risks and foundational governance centralization concerns.

S&P Global Assigns B- to DeFi Protocol Sky

S&P Global’s credit rating for Sky marks a notable development in the intersection of decentralized finance and traditional financial standards. This B- rating, analogous to high-risk sovereign debt, addresses several concerns related to high depositor concentration, reliance on founder Rune Christensen, and the opacity surrounding DeFi regulation. The rating is limited to Sky’s USDS and DAI stablecoins and their associated savings derivatives.

In response to the rating’s implications, Sky asserted that it represents an initial step towards bridging the conventional and decentralized finance sectors. External analysts evaluate this as an institutional acknowledgment of DeFi protocols, indicating possible future enhancements in rating assessments as awareness deepens within traditional finance circles.

“The issuance of a first ever credit rating on a DeFi protocol represents a significant milestone in the evolution of decentralized finance. It underscores our commitment to enhancing transparency in the DeFi ecosystem, providing investors with high quality insights to make informed decisions in this rapidly evolving market.” — Jonathan Manley source

Hasu, a DeFi analyst, mentioned that while the B- is not investment-grade, it stands as a milestone highlighting the compatibility of DeFi systems with the rigorous standards set by major ratings agencies.

DeFi’s Financial Recognition and Market Performance

Did you know? This is the first instance of a major rating agency evaluating a DeFi protocol, which illustrates the growing importance of stablecoin credit conditions within traditional financial systems.

CoinMarketCap reports detail Dai (DAI) is trading at $1.00 with a market cap of $5.37 billion and a dominant market slice of 0.14%. Trading volume reached $22.36 billion, indicating volatile but significant market activities. The 24-hour price shows a slight dip of 0.04%, with minimal changes over longer terms. [Data sourced from CoinMarketCap]

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Dai(DAI), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 22:37 UTC on August 8, 2025. Source: CoinMarketCap

Experts anticipate significant regulatory and financial outcomes as the DeFi industry garners further attention from conventional financial bodies. Should governance decentralization and capital reserves improve within the ecosystem, protocol credibility could escalate. Such developments hint at a gradual shift towards potential DeFi mainstream adoption, fostering further integration between traditional frameworks and decentralized systems.

Source: https://coincu.com/news/s-and-p-global-defi-rating/