#Prisma

Prisma Finance is a decentralized borrowing protocol on Ethereum that allows users to mint mkUSD, an overcollateralized stablecoin, by depositing liquid staking tokens (LSTs) such as stETH, rETH, wstETH, or cbETH as collateral. The core problem it addresses is capital inefficiency: users who stake Ethereum earn passive yield through their LSTs, but those assets sit largely underutilized on-chain. Prisma unlocks that dormant capital by letting users borrow against it without selling, enabling them to participate in other DeFi opportunities simultaneously while continuing to earn staking rewards on their collateral. This model is similar in structure to earlier collateralized debt position systems but is specifically architected around the liquid staking token ecosystem that grew significantly after Ethereum transitioned to proof-of-stake.

Prisma accepts a range of Ethereum liquid staking tokens as collateral, reflecting the protocol's design goal of serving the post-Merge staking derivatives ecosystem. Supported collateral types have included wstETH (Lido's wrapped staked ETH), rETH (Rocket Pool's staked ETH), cbETH (Coinbase's staked ETH), and other comparable LST assets. Each collateral type has its own risk parameters set by protocol governance, including minimum collateralization ratios and liquidation thresholds. Because different LSTs carry different smart contract risk profiles and liquidity depths, Prisma's governance mechanism allows token holders to vote on adding or adjusting collateral types over time, making the collateral set dynamic rather than fixed at launch.

PRISMA is the native governance token of the Prisma Finance protocol. Its primary function is to give holders voting power over key protocol parameters, including which collateral types are accepted, how stability pool rewards are distributed, fee levels charged on borrowed mkUSD, and other risk management settings. Beyond governance, PRISMA is also distributed as an incentive to users who participate in the protocol's stability pool — a reserve mechanism that absorbs liquidations and helps maintain mkUSD's peg stability. The token's value proposition is therefore linked to the overall activity and health of the protocol: as more collateral is deposited and more mkUSD is minted, governance over those flows becomes more consequential, which in theory increases the relevance of holding PRISMA. Investors tracking the token should note that governance token valuations in DeFi are subject to high volatility and protocol-specific risk factors.

Using Prisma Finance carries several categories of risk that users should understand before depositing collateral. Smart contract risk is the most fundamental: as with any DeFi protocol, a bug or vulnerability in Prisma's code could result in loss of funds, and no audit eliminates this possibility entirely. Liquidation risk is also significant — if the value of a user's collateral falls relative to their mkUSD debt and their collateralization ratio drops below the minimum threshold, their position can be liquidated, resulting in partial or full loss of the collateral. Oracle risk is a related concern, since Prisma relies on price feeds to determine collateral values; a manipulated or malfunctioning oracle could trigger incorrect liquidations. Additionally, the mkUSD stablecoin itself carries depeg risk if the stability mechanisms are stressed by extreme market conditions. Users should also be aware that governance decisions made by PRISMA token holders can change protocol parameters in ways that affect existing positions.

mkUSD, the stablecoin minted on Prisma Finance, maintains its dollar peg through a combination of overcollateralization and a stability pool mechanism. Because every mkUSD in circulation must be backed by collateral worth more than the borrowed amount, there is always a theoretical surplus of value supporting the supply. When mkUSD trades below its peg, arbitrageurs are incentivized to buy mkUSD cheaply on the open market and use it to repay Prisma debts at face value, reducing supply and pushing the price back up. When mkUSD trades above peg, users are incentivized to mint more and sell it, increasing supply and pushing the price back toward one dollar. The stability pool plays a complementary role by absorbing liquidated collateral: depositors in the pool use their mkUSD to cover undercollateralized positions in exchange for the discounted collateral, which supports demand for mkUSD and reinforces the peg. Like all decentralized stablecoins, mkUSD's peg stability depends on continued market participation and healthy collateral values.