What Are Yield Aggregators?
Yield aggregators are DeFi protocols that automatically optimize your yield farming strategies. Instead of manually claiming rewards, swapping tokens, and redepositing, aggregators handle everything—compounding your returns with maximum efficiency.
Think of them as automated fund managers for DeFi. You deposit your assets, and the aggregator's smart contracts continuously work to maximize your yields by compounding rewards, moving between strategies, and optimizing for gas efficiency.
Manual Farming vs. Yield Aggregators
Manual Yield Farming
- • Claim rewards manually
- • Pay gas each transaction
- • Miss compound opportunities
- • Research strategies yourself
- • Time-consuming management
Using Aggregators
- • Auto-compound rewards
- • Gas costs shared/optimized
- • Frequent compounding
- • Professional strategies
- • Set-and-forget simplicity
The Power of Compounding
The math behind aggregators is simple but powerful. A 50% APR compounded daily yields ~64.8% APY, while compounded weekly yields ~63.2% APY. More frequent compounding captures more gains—and aggregators compound far more frequently than you could manually.
Use our yield calculator to see how compounding frequency affects your returns.
How Auto-Compounding Works
Auto-compounding aggregators execute a simple but powerful loop continuously:
The Auto-Compound Cycle
Harvest Rewards
Claim accumulated reward tokens from the underlying protocol
Swap to Base Asset
Convert rewards to the LP token or asset you deposited
Redeposit
Add converted rewards back to your position
Repeat
Cycle runs multiple times daily, maximizing compound effect
Gas Optimization
Aggregators batch transactions across all depositors, sharing gas costs. If compounding costs $10 in gas and there are 1,000 depositors, each user effectively pays $0.01. This makes frequent compounding economical even on Ethereum mainnet.
On L2s like Arbitrum or cheap chains like Polygon, aggregators can compound even more frequently—sometimes multiple times per hour—maximizing the compound interest advantage.
Top Yield Aggregator Platforms
The yield aggregator landscape includes several battle-tested platforms, each with unique strengths:
Yearn Finance
The OG yield aggregator. Yearn's vaults deploy sophisticated strategies designed by professional DeFi strategists. Best for Ethereum mainnet with complex multi-step strategies.
Beefy Finance
The multi-chain champion. Beefy offers simple auto-compounding vaults across 20+ chains. Best for users wanting broad coverage and straightforward compounding.
Convex Finance
The Curve specialist. Convex aggregates CRV voting power to boost yields for Curve LPs. Essential for serious Curve farmers.
Aura Finance
The Balancer booster. Similar to Convex but for Balancer ecosystem, aggregating veBAL voting power.
| Platform | Best For | Strategy Type | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearn | Sophisticated ETH strategies | Complex multi-protocol | High |
| Beefy | Multi-chain farming | Simple auto-compound | Low |
| Convex | Curve LP boosting | Vote aggregation | Medium |
| Aura | Balancer LP boosting | Vote aggregation | Medium |
Yield Aggregation Strategies
Different aggregators employ various strategies to maximize returns. Understanding these helps you choose the right vault for your risk tolerance.
Simple Auto-Compounding
The most straightforward strategy. Deposit LP tokens, receive auto-compounded returns. Beefy specializes in this approach across many chains and protocols.
Leveraged Yield Farming
Some vaults borrow assets to increase exposure. For example, depositing ETH, borrowing stablecoins, and farming with both. Higher yields but with impermanent loss and liquidation risks.
Vote-Boosted Strategies
Convex and Aura aggregate voting power to boost rewards for all depositors. Individual farmers benefit from the combined voting weight of the entire protocol.
Delta-Neutral Strategies
Advanced vaults hedge market exposure using shorts on perpetual protocols. Earn yields while minimizing directional risk—but with added complexity.
Understanding Fee Structures
Yield aggregators charge fees that can significantly impact your returns. Understanding the fee structure is essential for calculating true yields.
Common Fee Types
Fee Example Calculation
Scenario: $10,000 deposit, 30% APY, 20% performance fee
- Gross yield: $10,000 × 30% = $3,000
- Performance fee: $3,000 × 20% = $600
- Net yield: $3,000 - $600 = $2,400
- Effective APY: 24%
Still beats manual farming if gas savings and better compounding exceed the fee.
Risks of Yield Aggregators
Yield aggregators add a layer of risk on top of underlying protocol risks. Understanding these risks is essential for proper risk management.
Aggregator-Specific Risks
- Smart Contract Risk: Bugs in the aggregator contract can drain funds
- Strategy Risk: Complex strategies can fail in unexpected ways
- Composability Risk: Failures cascade through interconnected protocols
- Admin Key Risk: Compromised keys could change strategies maliciously
Risk Mitigation
- Use audited protocols: Yearn, Beefy, Convex have extensive audit histories
- Diversify: Don't put all funds in one vault or aggregator
- Understand the strategy: Know what the vault does with your funds
- Monitor positions: Check your positions regularly for unexpected changes
- Consider insurance: DeFi insurance can cover some risks
How to Choose an Aggregator
Choosing the right aggregator depends on your chain preference, risk tolerance, and yield expectations:
Decision Framework
Which chain are you on?
Ethereum: Yearn, Convex | Multi-chain: Beefy | Balancer LP: Aura
What assets do you have?
Curve LP: Convex | Balancer LP: Aura | Other: Yearn/Beefy
What's your risk tolerance?
Conservative: Stablecoin vaults | Moderate: Blue chip pairs | Aggressive: Leveraged strategies
Compare fees vs. expected yield
Higher fees acceptable if strategy delivers higher risk-adjusted returns
Maximizing Your Returns
Beyond choosing the right aggregator, these strategies can help maximize your yield farming returns:
- Stack rewards: Use staking + LP + aggregator for maximum yield layers
- Farm new protocols early: Highest yields often at launch (but highest risk)
- Monitor yield decay: Move to new opportunities as yields decline
- Consider governance token value: Some rewards may appreciate significantly
- Tax optimization: Understand tax implications of auto-compounding in your jurisdiction
Summary: Yield Aggregators for DeFi
Yield aggregators simplify DeFi farming by auto-compounding rewards and optimizing strategies. Major platforms include Yearn (Ethereum strategies), Beefy (multi-chain), and Convex (Curve boosts). While fees (10-20% of profits) reduce gross yields, efficient compounding and gas optimization often make aggregators more profitable than manual farming. The key risks are smart contract vulnerabilities and strategy failures—mitigate by using audited protocols, diversifying, and understanding what each vault does with your funds.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Yield aggregators carry smart contract risk and can result in loss of funds. Past yields do not guarantee future returns. Always conduct your own research and consider your risk tolerance before depositing into yield aggregators.