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Asian Review of Financial Research Vol.37 No.4 pp.1-32 https://www.doi.org/10.37197/ARFR.2024.37.4.1
The Terra-Luna Collapse and the Role of the Anchor Protocol : A Bird's Eye View of the Crash
Jaewon Choi Professor, Seoul National University, Department of Economics
Shu-Feng Wang Associate Professor, Ajou University, Business School, Suwon, Korea
Key Words : Cryptocurrency,Stablecoin,Financial fragility,Terra(UST)-Luna Crash,Decentralized Savings Protocol

Abstract

This paper explorers the contributing factors to the Terra (UST)-Luna crash in May 2022. We argue that the crash was primarily fueled by the unsustainable interest rates offered by the Anchor Protocol. Initially, Terra was designed to facilitate fee-free payments and ensure stability through a diversified demand base from payment services. However, the launch of the Anchor Protocol in 2021, with its 19.45% interest rate, shifted UST's focus towards speculative demand. This change led to an unsustainable increase in UST's supply, ultimately triggering a run from Terra. We discuss flaws in the governance mechanism for setting Anchor Protocol's interest rates. The exorbitant yield offered by the Anchor Protocol significantly contributed to undermining Terra's long-term stability. The speculative demand incited by the Anchor Protocol's high interest rates was likely a major factor in the Terra collapse in May 2022.
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