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APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?

You must confirm the subscription in your inbox.”,”subscribe_email_required”:”Email required”,”subscribe_email_invalid”:”A valid email address must be provided. “,”shares”:”Total shares”,”views”:”Total views”,”sponsoredBadge”:”stretch_banners.sponsored.badge”}” :post=”{“id”:94246,”seo_title”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”seo_description”:”The key difference between APY and APR is compound interest. Before investing, compare their potential returns.”,”keywords”:”APY, APR “,”canonical”:”https://cointelegraph.com/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”thumb”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/1024_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy80ZGQ3Njg0YjVjZTFiYjRmMTEzYjgxZTdlYzNlNzNjYi5qcGVn.jpeg”,”img”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/2048_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy80ZGQ3Njg0YjVjZTFiYjRmMTEzYjgxZTdlYzNlNzNjYi5qcGVn.jpeg”,”youtube”:””,”og_title”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”og_description”:”The key difference between APY and APR is compound interest. Before investing, compare their potential returns.”,”twitter_title”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”twitter_description”:”The key difference between APY and APR is compound interest. Before investing, compare their potential returns.”,”published”:”2022-09-29T09:05:00+01:00″,”noindex”:0,”modified”:”2022-09-29T09:05:49+01:00″,”title”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”leadtext”:”The key difference between APY and APR is compound interest. Before investing, compare their potential returns.”,”amp”:”https://cointelegraph.com/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference/amp”,”alternates”:[],”alternatesLinks”:[],”url”:”apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”url_full”:”/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”category”:{“id”:65,”url”:”explained”,”priority”:0,”created”:null,”modified”:null,”parent_id”:0,”is_hidden”:0,”created_at”:”-0001-11-30 00:00:00″,”updated_at”:”2022-02-22 18:25:15″,”deleted_at”:null,”admin_weight”:30,”enabled”:1,”is_blog”:0,”relevant”:0,”category_id”:65,”language_id”:1,”title”:”Explained”,”alt”:””,”keywords”:””,”seo_title”:”Explained: articles for beginners about cryptocurrency and blockchain.”,”description”:”

What is Bitcoin? How does blockchain work? How to mine cryptocurrency? We are glad to help you answer these questions with our quick guides in Explained section.

rn”,”seo_description”:”What is Bitcoin? How does blockchain work? How to mine cryptocurrency? We are glad to help you answer these questions with our quick guides in Explained section.”},”words_count”:651,”description”:”The key difference between APY and APR is compound interest. Before investing, compare their potential returns.”,”author”:{“id”:1418,”title”:”Marcel Deer”,”url”:”marcel-deer”,”twitter”:””,”google_plus”:””,”photo”:”https://s3.cointelegraph.com/storage/uploads/view/a427b150b57d0a9ad4054cf042cf01b8.jpg”,”gender”:”male”,”description”:”A qualified journalist with a background in PR and marketing, Marcel has been passionate about crypto since he first read the Cypherpunks Manifesto. As a strong believer in the power of DeFi, decentralization, and the digital economy, when he’s not writing, he’s researching the latest node projects and actively enjoying the crypto community on Twitter.”,”facebook”:””,”email”:””,”linkedin”:””,”created_at”:”2021-11-07 07:02:27″,”updated_at”:”2022-05-04 15:55:37″,”deleted_at”:null,”avatar”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/150_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hNDI3YjE1MGI1N2QwYTlhZDQwNTRjZjA0MmNmMDFiOC5qcGc=.jpg”,”hash”:”aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9hdXRob3JzL21hcmNlbC1kZWVy”,”relativeUrl”:”https://cointelegraph.com/authors/marcel-deer”,”user_id”:1418,”language_id”:1,”name”:”Marcel Deer”,”desc”:”A qualified journalist with a background in PR and marketing, Marcel has been passionate about crypto since he first read the Cypherpunks Manifesto. As a strong believer in the power of DeFi, decentralization, and the digital economy, when he’s not writing, he’s researching the latest node projects and actively enjoying the crypto community on Twitter.”,”seo_title”:””,”seo_description”:””,”enabled”:1,”show_in_authors”:0,”show_in_experts”:0},”category_id”:65,”audio”:”https://s3.cointelegraph.com/audio/94246.972dc60c-1f1e-4079-bdaa-daacd4b7bc0f.mp3″,”tags”:[{“name”:”Cryptocurrencies”,”uri”:”/tags/cryptocurrencies”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Cryptocurrencies News”},{“name”:”Investments”,”uri”:”/tags/investments”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Investments News”},{“name”:”Finance”,”uri”:”/tags/finance”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Finance News”},{“name”:”Lending”,”uri”:”/tags/lending”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Lending News”},{“name”:”Interest Rate”,”uri”:”/tags/interest-rate”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Interest Rate News”},{“name”:”DeFi”,”uri”:”/tags/defi”,”super”:1,”page_title”:”DeFi News”},{“name”:”Trading”,”uri”:”/tags/trading”,”super”:0,”page_title”:”Trading News”}],”tag_title”:”DeFi”,”date”:”39 MINUTES AGO”,”badge”:{“title”:”Explained”,”label”:”default”},”qty”:0,”stats_pixel”:”“,”stats_pixel_url”:”https://zoa.cointelegraph.com/pixel?postId=94246&regionId=1″,”shares”:12,”infographic”:false,”sponsored”:false,”explained”:true,”press_release”:false,”show_referral”:false,”social_description”:”Before investing or staking your crypto, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Choosing between APR and APY is one of your first decisions.”,”social_translators”:{“clipboard_popup_label”:”Link copied”,”socialWechatFooterError”:”WeChat error”,”socialWechatFooterText”:”WeChat share”,”socialWechatHeaderText”:”WeChat share”},”social_shares”:{“post_id”:94246,”post_url”:”https://cointelegraph.com/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”post_titles”:{“normal”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”twitter”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”},”post_text”:{“normal”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference?”,”twitter”:”APR vs. APY: What’s the difference? https://cointelegraph.com/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference via @cointelegraph”},”accounts”:{“twitter”:”@cointelegraph”}},”socials”:{“facebook”:{“url”:”https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”count”:null,”short”:”fb”,”fa”:”facebook”},”twitter”:{“url”:”https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=APR+vs.+APY%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+difference%3F https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference via @cointelegraph”,”count”:null,”short”:”tw”,”fa”:”twitter”},”telegram”:{“url”:”https://telegram.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference &text=APR+vs.+APY%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+difference%3F”,”count”:null,”short”:”tg”,”fa”:”paper-plane”},”whatsapp”:{“url”:”https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=APR+vs.+APY%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+difference%3F&href=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”count”:null,”short”:”wu”,”fa”:”whatsapp”},”gplus”:{“url”:”https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”count”:null,”short”:”gplus”,”fa”:”google-plus”},”reddit”:{“url”:”https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference&title=APR+vs.+APY%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+difference%3F”,”count”:null,”short”:”reddit”,”fa”:”reddit-alien”},”linkedin”:{“url”:”https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcointelegraph.com%2Fexplained%2Fapr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference&title=APR+vs.+APY%3A+What%E2%80%99s+the+difference%3F”,”count”:null,”short”:”li”,”fa”:”linkedin”}},”hide_disclaimer”:false,”elink”:”https://cointelegraph.com”,”etitle”:”Cointelegraph”,”elogo_x2″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/528_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hYjAzYTJhMmNlOWEyMWRjMWYwOTYxZDkxNzMxYzhiYS5wbmc=.png”,”elogo_x1″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/260_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hYjAzYTJhMmNlOWEyMWRjMWYwOTYxZDkxNzMxYzhiYS5wbmc=.png”,”elogo_svg”:false,”content”:[{“id”:3715,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”What is APR in general?”,”content”:”

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the APR or annual percentage rate is the amount paid to borrow money. It’s also known as a credit card interest rate and is generated yearly. 

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For instance, if the APR is 5%, a $100 investment will provide a $5 return a year later. In contrast, if $100 is borrowed at the same interest rate, the initial $100 loan plus $5 in interest must be repaid after a year.

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Understanding APR provides an overview of how much will be owed when borrowing money or how much an investor will get paid. In the context of credit cards, APR is typically not charged when the card is used, but the balance is paid each month by the due date. However, if there is an outstanding balance and the due date passes, the interest is added at the end of each billing period.

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:10″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:53″,”sort”:1,”translations”:{“id”:3708,”explained_post_id”:3715,”title_en”:”What is APR in general?”,”content_en”:”

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the APR or annual percentage rate is the amount paid to borrow money. It’s also known as a credit card interest rate and is generated yearly. 

nn

For instance, if the APR is 5%, a $100 investment will provide a $5 return a year later. In contrast, if $100 is borrowed at the same interest rate, the initial $100 loan plus $5 in interest must be repaid after a year.

nn

Understanding APR provides an overview of how much will be owed when borrowing money or how much an investor will get paid. In the context of credit cards, APR is typically not charged when the card is used, but the balance is paid each month by the due date. However, if there is an outstanding balance and the due date passes, the interest is added at the end of each billing period.

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:10″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:53″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3716,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”What is APR in crypto?”,”content”:”

In cryptocurrency, the APR is the percentage investors can expect to earn as interest on their investment, for lending their crypto or making it available for loans. It considers other fees a borrower needs to pay but does not include compound interest.

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Essentially, the APR is the ordinary interest rate applied to the principal amount of an investment or loan. Since the APR is an annualized rate, prorated interest will be charged if an investment or loan is held for a shorter period. For instance, a six-month investment with a 5% APR will yield only 2.5% of the principal amount.

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The APR is very straightforward. Take, for example, an investment of 1.0 Ether (ETH) in a lending pool on a decentralized finance (DeFi) network. If the expressed APR is 24%, then 0.24 Ether should be earned on top of the initial investment if it is locked in the pool for exactly one year. As a result, the investment should now total 1.24 Ether, made up of the 1.0 Ether principal and the accrued 0.24 Ether in interest (based on 24 % APR).

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:30″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:2,”translations”:{“id”:3709,”explained_post_id”:3716,”title_en”:”What is APR in crypto?”,”content_en”:”

In cryptocurrency, the APR is the percentage investors can expect to earn as interest on their investment, for lending their crypto or making it available for loans. It considers other fees a borrower needs to pay but does not include compound interest.

nn

Essentially, the APR is the ordinary interest rate applied to the principal amount of an investment or loan. Since the APR is an annualized rate, prorated interest will be charged if an investment or loan is held for a shorter period. For instance, a six-month investment with a 5% APR will yield only 2.5% of the principal amount.

nn

The APR is very straightforward. Take, for example, an investment of 1.0 Ether (ETH) in a lending pool on a decentralized finance (DeFi) network. If the expressed APR is 24%, then 0.24 Ether should be earned on top of the initial investment if it is locked in the pool for exactly one year. As a result, the investment should now total 1.24 Ether, made up of the 1.0 Ether principal and the accrued 0.24 Ether in interest (based on 24 % APR).

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:30″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3717,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”How to calculate APR”,”content”:”

Here’s how to calculate the total final amount based on APR:

nn

Formula to calculate APR

nn

Following the earlier example, this would go as follows:

nn

An example illustrating APR calculation

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The calculation changes if the investment is retained for a shorter period. For example, holding for three months is equivalent to a quarter of a year (0.25), which means the calculation will be:

nn

An example illustrating APR calculation in the case of three-month holding period

nn

Holding for three months will earn only 1.06 Ether on top of the initial investment. Another formula to calculate APR is:

nn

An alternative formula to calculate APR

nn

So, what does a 10% APR mean in crypto?

nn

A 10% APR means 10% is earned on the initial investment after a year. 

nn

Using the above calculations, an investment of 10,000 coins at a 10% APR will accrue 1,000 coins in interest after a year.

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:57″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:3,”translations”:{“id”:3710,”explained_post_id”:3717,”title_en”:”How to calculate APR”,”content_en”:”

Here’s how to calculate the total final amount based on APR:

nn

Formula to calculate APR

nn

Following the earlier example, this would go as follows:

nn

An example illustrating APR calculation

nn

The calculation changes if the investment is retained for a shorter period. For example, holding for three months is equivalent to a quarter of a year (0.25), which means the calculation will be:

nn

An example illustrating APR calculation in the case of three-month holding period

nn

Holding for three months will earn only 1.06 Ether on top of the initial investment. Another formula to calculate APR is:

nn

An alternative formula to calculate APR

nn

So, what does a 10% APR mean in crypto?

nn

A 10% APR means 10% is earned on the initial investment after a year. 

nn

Using the above calculations, an investment of 10,000 coins at a 10% APR will accrue 1,000 coins in interest after a year.

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:01:57″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3718,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”What is APY in crypto?”,”content”:”

The APY, short for Annual Percentage Yield, is a way to measure how much money can be earned on an interest-bearing account in a year. In crypto, the APY is the rate of return made on an investment. 

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Unlike the APR, which only considers ordinary interest, the APY includes compound interest. Compound interest is the amount earned on the interest and the principal investment. This is why the APY is more profitable than the APR.

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Investors can earn an APY by staking their coins and using yield farming to supply liquidity to liquidity pools. They can also earn an APY from holding their coins in savings accounts. 

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Investors can use crypto exchanges, crypto wallets or DeFi protocols to start earning an APY on their Bitcoin. Interest is often paid in the same cryptocurrency invested; however, there are instances where a different currency is paid.

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:02:22″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:4,”translations”:{“id”:3711,”explained_post_id”:3718,”title_en”:”What is APY in crypto?”,”content_en”:”

The APY, short for Annual Percentage Yield, is a way to measure how much money can be earned on an interest-bearing account in a year. In crypto, the APY is the rate of return made on an investment. 

nn

Unlike the APR, which only considers ordinary interest, the APY includes compound interest. Compound interest is the amount earned on the interest and the principal investment. This is why the APY is more profitable than the APR.

nn

Investors can earn an APY by staking their coins and using yield farming to supply liquidity to liquidity pools. They can also earn an APY from holding their coins in savings accounts. 

nn

Investors can use crypto exchanges, crypto wallets or DeFi protocols to start earning an APY on their Bitcoin. Interest is often paid in the same cryptocurrency invested; however, there are instances where a different currency is paid.

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:02:22″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3719,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”How is the APY calculated?”,”content”:”

The compound interest can be set to daily, weekly, monthly, annually or continually. 

nn

Calculating the APY is a bit more complex than the APR since interest is added to the principal, and then the interest on that total is calculated, considering the number of periods the amount is adjusted.

nn

Compounding frequency vs. Number of periods in APY
n
nTo calculate the APY, you can use the following formula:

nn

Formula to calculate APY

nn

For example, an investment of 1,000 coins is made at a compound interest of 10% and daily compounding. The following calculation indicates that a total of 1,105 will be collected after one year. In the following year, it should be 1,221. The earnings increase the longer it is held and at higher interest rates.

nn

Every time the computation is updated, the interest should be added to the sum comprising the initial investment and the accrued interest profits. But what does a 10% APY mean in crypto?

nn

Most cryptocurrency projects offer only 1% APY, but some offer 7% on flexible accounts, such as Phemex for Tether (USDT). In the case of fixed saving accounts, they can go as high as 10%. There are also DeFi platforms like PancakeSwap (CAKE) and SushiSwap (SUSHI), which are said to offer very high APYs of over 100% to investors.

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:02:44″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:5,”translations”:{“id”:3712,”explained_post_id”:3719,”title_en”:”How is the APY calculated?”,”content_en”:”

The compound interest can be set to daily, weekly, monthly, annually or continually. 

nn

Calculating the APY is a bit more complex than the APR since interest is added to the principal, and then the interest on that total is calculated, considering the number of periods the amount is adjusted.

nn

Compounding frequency vs. Number of periods in APY
n
nTo calculate the APY, you can use the following formula:

nn

Formula to calculate APY

nn

For example, an investment of 1,000 coins is made at a compound interest of 10% and daily compounding. The following calculation indicates that a total of 1,105 will be collected after one year. In the following year, it should be 1,221. The earnings increase the longer it is held and at higher interest rates.

nn

Every time the computation is updated, the interest should be added to the sum comprising the initial investment and the accrued interest profits. But what does a 10% APY mean in crypto?

nn

Most cryptocurrency projects offer only 1% APY, but some offer 7% on flexible accounts, such as Phemex for Tether (USDT). In the case of fixed saving accounts, they can go as high as 10%. There are also DeFi platforms like PancakeSwap (CAKE) and SushiSwap (SUSHI), which are said to offer very high APYs of over 100% to investors.

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:02:44″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3720,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”APY vs. APR: Key differences”,”content”:”

Both the APY and the APR are used to calculate interest for crypto investments and loans. However, they are not the same. 

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The annual percentage yield refers to the amount of interest earned over a year, while the annual percentage rate is the amount that needs to be paid as interest. When comparing the APR and APY returns, considering that all other factors such as the principal amount, interest rate and period of investment are the same, the key difference is the compound interest. 

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It represents the total return, including the amount earned on the interest and principal investment. Because the APR does not account for compound interest, the APY always yields a larger sum.

nn

Crypto investors can fund liquidity pools on exchanges, keep crypto in savings accounts, stake their coins or invest in yield farms. The difference between the APY and the APR is crucial to understanding where money is best invested. Practically speaking, APRs are advantageous to borrowers. However, individuals wishing to invest funds should consider APY rates to maximize their profits.

nn

Given that more DeFi tools and cryptocurrencies use APRs, investors have to do manual compounding, where they have to reinvest their gains, either daily or weekly, to get a more significant compound interest.

nnnnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:03:06″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:6,”translations”:{“id”:3713,”explained_post_id”:3720,”title_en”:”APY vs. APR: Key differences”,”content_en”:”

Both the APY and the APR are used to calculate interest for crypto investments and loans. However, they are not the same. 

nn

The annual percentage yield refers to the amount of interest earned over a year, while the annual percentage rate is the amount that needs to be paid as interest. When comparing the APR and APY returns, considering that all other factors such as the principal amount, interest rate and period of investment are the same, the key difference is the compound interest. 

nn

It represents the total return, including the amount earned on the interest and principal investment. Because the APR does not account for compound interest, the APY always yields a larger sum.

nn

Crypto investors can fund liquidity pools on exchanges, keep crypto in savings accounts, stake their coins or invest in yield farms. The difference between the APY and the APR is crucial to understanding where money is best invested. Practically speaking, APRs are advantageous to borrowers. However, individuals wishing to invest funds should consider APY rates to maximize their profits.

nn

Given that more DeFi tools and cryptocurrencies use APRs, investors have to do manual compounding, where they have to reinvest their gains, either daily or weekly, to get a more significant compound interest.

nnnnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:03:06″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}},{“id”:3721,”post_id”:94246,”title”:”APR vs. APY: Which is better?”,”content”:”

The APY provides a clear idea of an account’s earning potential. The APR shows what will be owed. Both are calculated over a single year, which provides a more accurate picture than calculating the interest rate alone.

nn

Because the APR is calculated at an annual rate, it can be more advantageous for borrowers seeking the best rates, instead of investing in crypto assets and hoping for a return.

nn

However, because the APY is based on an annualized rate that includes compounding earnings, it’s more beneficial for investing crypto assets—it provides a more accurate representation of what will be earned when money is invested and compound interest kicks in.

nn

Understanding whether profits or payments are based on an APR or an APY is crucial when investing or borrowing. Given the nature of the crypto market, returns are often high compared to the traditional finance sector but so, too, are the risks. 

nn

Purchase a licence for this article. Powered by SharpShark.

nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:03:24″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”sort”:7,”translations”:{“id”:3714,”explained_post_id”:3721,”title_en”:”APR vs. APY: Which is better?”,”content_en”:”

The APY provides a clear idea of an account’s earning potential. The APR shows what will be owed. Both are calculated over a single year, which provides a more accurate picture than calculating the interest rate alone.

nn

Because the APR is calculated at an annual rate, it can be more advantageous for borrowers seeking the best rates, instead of investing in crypto assets and hoping for a return.

nn

However, because the APY is based on an annualized rate that includes compounding earnings, it’s more beneficial for investing crypto assets—it provides a more accurate representation of what will be earned when money is invested and compound interest kicks in.

nn

Understanding whether profits or payments are based on an APR or an APY is crucial when investing or borrowing. Given the nature of the crypto market, returns are often high compared to the traditional finance sector but so, too, are the risks. 

nn

Purchase a licence for this article. Powered by SharpShark.

nnnn”,”title_es”:””,”content_es”:”nnnn”,”title_cn”:””,”content_cn”:”nnnn”,”title_de”:””,”content_de”:”nnnn”,”title_fr”:””,”content_fr”:”nnnn”,”title_it”:””,”content_it”:”nnnn”,”title_ar”:””,”content_ar”:”nnnn”,”title_br”:””,”content_br”:”nnnn”,”title_jp”:””,”content_jp”:”nnnn”,”created_at”:”2022-09-29 09:03:24″,”updated_at”:”2022-09-29 09:05:52″,”title_kr”:””,”content_kr”:”nnnn”,”title_tr”:””,”content_tr”:”nnnn”}}],”is_partner_material”:false,”commentsSection”:{“schemaEntityUrl”:”//cointelegraph.com/explained/apr-vs-apy-whats-the-difference”,”list”:[],”amount”:0,”i18n”:{“addComment”:”Add a comment…”,”amountOnePostfix”:”Comment”,”amountPostfix”:”Comments”,”cancel”:”Cancel”,”delete”:”Delete”,”edit”:”Edit”,”errorBig”:”Comment text cannot be longer than 2000 characters”,”errorDuplicate”:”Duplicate comment”,”errorSmall”:”Comment text must be at least 2 characters long”,”hideButton”:”Hide comments”,”noComments”:” “,”commentOnModeration”:”Comment on moderation”,”postComment”:”Post”,”reply”:”Reply”,”showAllComments”:”Show All Comments”,”showButtonPostfix”:”comments”,”showButtonPrefix”:”Show”,”signIn”:”Sign in”,”update”:”Update comment”,”commentWasDeleted”:”This comment has been deleted”}},”related”:[{“id”:83977,”retina”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/1480_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”img”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/740_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/370_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb370″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/370_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”amp_thumb”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/150_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb150″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/150_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9iOWY1M2NjOWU1NmJhMjk3MjMxMzE4ODc4ZmI2ZjgzZC5qcGc=.jpg”,”url”:”https://cointelegraph.com/explained/the-concept-and-future-of-decentralized-web3-domain-names”,”title”:”The concept and future of decentralized Web3 domain names”,”lead”:”Read this guide to learn about Web3 DNSs like ENS, Web3.0 hostings and how to buy Web3 domains.”,”leadfull”:””,”category_id”:65,”category_url”:”https://cointelegraph.com/explained”,”category_title”:”Explained”,”author_url”:”https://cointelegraph.com/authors/onkar-singh”,”author_hash”:”aHR0cHM6Ly9jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9hdXRob3JzL29ua2FyLXNpbmdo”,”author_title”:”Onkar Singh”,”author_img”:”https://cointelegraph.com/assets/img/icons/author_male.jpg”,”date”:”APR 03, 2022″,”flash_date”:”APR 03, 2022″,”sponsored”:false,”press_release”:false,”sponsored_label”:”Sponsored”,”explained”:true,”badge”:{“title”:”Explained”,”label”:”default”},”published”:{“date”:”2022-04-03 15:00:00.000000″,”timezone_type”:3,”timezone”:”Europe/London”},”stat_uniqs”:0,”rss_date”:”Sun, 03 Apr 2022 15:00:00 +0100″,”publishedW3″:”2022-04-03T15:00:00+01:00″,”show_referral”:false,”isMagazine”:false},{“id”:93316,”retina”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/1480_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”img”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/740_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/370_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb370″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/370_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”amp_thumb”:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/150_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”thumb150″:”https://images.cointelegraph.com/images/150_aHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5jb2ludGVsZWdyYXBoLmNvbS9zdG9yYWdlL3VwbG9hZHMvdmlldy9hMTkzYjRkNTc2OGQxOTk2ZjU1OTFiZTNjNmJhMDdjMy5qcGc=.jpg”,”url”:”https://cointelegraph.com/news/new-to-crypto-but-dont-know-where-to-start-you-can-copy-a-professional”,”title”:”New to crypto but don’t know where to start? 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According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the APR or annual percentage rate is the amount paid to borrow money. It’s also known as a credit card interest rate and is generated yearly. 

For instance, if the APR is 5%, a $100 investment will provide a $5 return a year later. In contrast, if $100 is borrowed at the same interest rate, the initial $100 loan plus $5 in interest must be repaid after a year.

Understanding APR provides an overview of how much will be owed when borrowing money or how much an investor will get paid. In the context of credit cards, APR is typically not charged when the card is used, but the balance is paid each month by the due date. However, if there is an outstanding balance and the due date passes, the interest is added at the end of each billing period.

In cryptocurrency, the APR is the percentage investors can expect to earn as interest on their investment, for lending their crypto or making it available for loans. It considers other fees a borrower needs to pay but does not include compound interest.

Essentially, the APR is the ordinary interest rate applied to the principal amount of an investment or loan. Since the APR is an annualized rate, prorated interest will be charged if an investment or loan is held for a shorter period. For instance, a six-month investment with a 5% APR will yield only 2.5% of the principal amount.

The APR is very straightforward. Take, for example, an investment of 1.0 Ether (ETH) in a lending pool on a decentralized finance (DeFi) network. If the expressed APR is 24%, then 0.24 Ether should be earned on top of the initial investment if it is locked in the pool for exactly one year. As a result, the investment should now total 1.24 Ether, made up of the 1.0 Ether principal and the accrued 0.24 Ether in interest (based on 24 % APR).

Here’s how to calculate the total final amount based on APR:

Formula to calculate APR

Following the earlier example, this would go as follows:

An example illustrating APR calculation

The calculation changes if the investment is retained for a shorter period. For example, holding for three months is equivalent to a quarter of a year (0.25), which means the calculation will be:

An example illustrating APR calculation in the case of three-month holding period

Holding for three months will earn only 1.06 Ether on top of the initial investment. Another formula to calculate APR is:

An alternative formula to calculate APR

So, what does a 10% APR mean in crypto?

A 10% APR means 10% is earned on the initial investment after a year. 

Using the above calculations, an investment of 10,000 coins at a 10% APR will accrue 1,000 coins in interest after a year.

The APY, short for Annual Percentage Yield, is a way to measure how much money can be earned on an interest-bearing account in a year. In crypto, the APY is the rate of return made on an investment. 

Unlike the APR, which only considers ordinary interest, the APY includes compound interest. Compound interest is the amount earned on the interest and the principal investment. This is why the APY is more profitable than the APR.

Investors can earn an APY by staking their coins and using yield farming to supply liquidity to liquidity pools. They can also earn an APY from holding their coins in savings accounts. 

Investors can use crypto exchanges, crypto wallets or DeFi protocols to start earning an APY on their Bitcoin. Interest is often paid in the same cryptocurrency invested; however, there are instances where a different currency is paid.

The compound interest can be set to daily, weekly, monthly, annually or continually. 

Calculating the APY is a bit more complex than the APR since interest is added to the principal, and then the interest on that total is calculated, considering the number of periods the amount is adjusted.

Compounding frequency vs. Number of periods in APY

To calculate the APY, you can use the following formula:

Formula to calculate APY

For example, an investment of 1,000 coins is made at a compound interest of 10% and daily compounding. The following calculation indicates that a total of 1,105 will be collected after one year. In the following year, it should be 1,221. The earnings increase the longer it is held and at higher interest rates.

Every time the computation is updated, the interest should be added to the sum comprising the initial investment and the accrued interest profits. But what does a 10% APY mean in crypto?

Most cryptocurrency projects offer only 1% APY, but some offer 7% on flexible accounts, such as Phemex for Tether (USDT). In the case of fixed saving accounts, they can go as high as 10%. There are also DeFi platforms like PancakeSwap (CAKE) and SushiSwap (SUSHI), which are said to offer very high APYs of over 100% to investors.

Both the APY and the APR are used to calculate interest for crypto investments and loans. However, they are not the same. 

The annual percentage yield refers to the amount of interest earned over a year, while the annual percentage rate is the amount that needs to be paid as interest. When comparing the APR and APY returns, considering that all other factors such as the principal amount, interest rate and period of investment are the same, the key difference is the compound interest. 

It represents the total return, including the amount earned on the interest and principal investment. Because the APR does not account for compound interest, the APY always yields a larger sum.

Crypto investors can fund liquidity pools on exchanges, keep crypto in savings accounts, stake their coins or invest in yield farms. The difference between the APY and the APR is crucial to understanding where money is best invested. Practically speaking, APRs are advantageous to borrowers. However, individuals wishing to invest funds should consider APY rates to maximize their profits.

Given that more DeFi tools and cryptocurrencies use APRs, investors have to do manual compounding, where they have to reinvest their gains, either daily or weekly, to get a more significant compound interest.

The APY provides a clear idea of an account’s earning potential. The APR shows what will be owed. Both are calculated over a single year, which provides a more accurate picture than calculating the interest rate alone.

Because the APR is calculated at an annual rate, it can be more advantageous for borrowers seeking the best rates, instead of investing in crypto assets and hoping for a return.

However, because the APY is based on an annualized rate that includes compounding earnings, it’s more beneficial for investing crypto assets—it provides a more accurate representation of what will be earned when money is invested and compound interest kicks in.

Understanding whether profits or payments are based on an APR or an APY is crucial when investing or borrowing. Given the nature of the crypto market, returns are often high compared to the traditional finance sector but so, too, are the risks. 

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