Maple Introduces First Perpetual Trading Use Case for syrupUSDC on Drift Protocol

Maple Finance has launched syrupUSDC as collateral for perpetual futures trading on the Drift Protocol, marking a significant advancement in decentralized finance (DeFi). This integration allows traders on the Solana-based platform to earn attractive returns while actively engaging in the market.

Key Takeaways

Maple Finance integrates syrupUSDC as collateral for trading on Drift Protocol.
Traders can earn an APY of 7% to 8% on margin collateral.
The initiative includes a $100,000 incentive program and a $50 million supply cap for syrupUSDC on Drift.
SyrupUSDC is the fastest-growing yield-bearing stablecoin in DeFi, with $1.9 billion in assets under management (AUM).
This move aims to enhance capital efficiency and broaden trading possibilities for users within the DeFi space.

Maple launches first perpetual trading use case for syrupUSDC on Drift Protocol

Main Content

Maple Finance, known as the leading on-chain asset manager by assets under management, has made a significant move by introducing syrupUSDC as collateral for perpetual futures trading on Drift Protocol.

In a press announcement on August 13, it was revealed that this integration allows traders on the Solana-based decentralized exchange to earn an annual percentage yield (APY) ranging from 7% to 8% on margin collateral while engaging in active trading.

Drift Protocol

Drift Protocol, the second-largest perpetuals decentralized exchange (DEX) on Solana with a total value locked of $1.21 billion, is now capable of supporting syrupUSDC alongside its existing cross-collateral system. This update addresses a long-standing issue in decentralized finance by enabling traders to earn passive income or offset funding costs without having to shift assets out of their positions.

To promote the adoption of syrupUSDC, Maple (SYRUP) has allocated $100,000 in incentives and set an initial supply cap of $50 million for syrupUSDC collateral on the Drift platform. This launch follows Maple’s previous expansion of syrupUSDC to Solana in June, which was introduced on platforms like Kamino and Orca with $30 million in liquidity.

Driven by Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol, this deployment saw an impressive $60 million minted on Solana within just two weeks.

Sid Powell, the CEO of Maple, emphasized that this integration offers "otherwise unavailable possibilities for traders to do more with their capital," allowing them to trade, earn, and compound returns simultaneously.

The cross-margin architecture of Drift enables syrupUSDC to be utilized jointly with other collateral types, a feature rarely seen on decentralized exchanges where collateral is typically restricted to USD or USD Coin (USDC).

SyrupUSDC has emerged as the fastest-growing yield-bearing stablecoin in DeFi, boasting $1.9 billion in assets under management (AUM). The stablecoin generates yield from Maple’s institutional lending pools, which reported an average annual yield of 5.2% on Bitcoin yield products and 9.2% on high-yield offerings in the second quarter of 2025.

Currently, Maple manages an impressive $3.24 billion in assets, surpassing BlackRock in on-chain AUM, and has raised its year-end target to $5 billion. With this launch, Maple is poised to enhance its presence in Solana’s evolving DeFi ecosystem and set a benchmark for the integration of yield-bearing stablecoins into leveraged trading scenarios.

Moreover, this position sets the stage for syrupUSDC to serve as margin collateral in upcoming listings on various other protocols.