Plain English
APY (Annual Percentage Yield) is the effective annual return on an investment, including the effect of compounding. It is the right number to compare yield products: stablecoin lending, savings accounts, staking, dividend stocks.
How it actually works
APY differs from APR (Annual Percentage Rate) in one key way: APY assumes you reinvest the interest as it accrues. If you earn 5% APR with monthly compounding, your APY is slightly higher than 5% — about 5.12%. The more often interest compounds, the bigger the gap between APR and APY. For continuously compounded rates, APY = e^APR − 1.
What it means for you
For members comparing yield products, always check whether the headline number is APY or APR — they are not the same thing. A protocol advertising “20% yield” might be quoting APR with daily compounding, which is actually about 22% APY. Conversely, some venues quote APY to make rates look better.
We teach the practical math: how to convert between APR and APY, how compounding actually changes realized returns, and the structural difference between advertised yields and what your wallet actually accrues.
Educational content only. Not investment, tax, or legal advice.