Euler (EUL)

Overview

Euler (EUL) is a decentralized lending protocol that lets people lend and borrow crypto assets on the Ethereum network. Instead of a single pool for all assets, Euler v2 uses modular “vaults” that can be tailored to different tokens, risk levels, and use cases. The EUL token powers governance and certain protocol mechanics, making it central to how the platform evolves over time. Although Euler runs on Ethereum rather than its own chain, many users still talk about the “Euler blockchain” experience to describe its on-chain, smart‑contract system. For readers tracking the EUL price, remember that it moves with supply, demand, and protocol activity, not just broader market swings. (docs.euler.finance)

Key idea in one line

Euler aims to be the credit layer of onchain finance—open, modular lending markets that anyone can build on or use. (euler.finance)

History & Team

Early build and launch

Euler Labs began building the protocol in 2020 after university hackathons and early incubator support. The team launched Euler v1 on Ethereum in late 2021 with a focus on permissionless listings for long‑tail ERC‑20 assets. Co‑founders are Michael Bentley (CEO), Doug Hoyte, and Jack Prior—an academic‑to‑DeFi founder, a seasoned blockchain engineer, and a full‑stack developer, respectively. (crypto-reporter.com)

Funding and backers

Euler has raised from well‑known crypto investors across several rounds, including Lemniscap (seed, 2020), Paradigm (Series A, 2021), and a $32M round in June 2022 led by Haun Ventures with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Jump Crypto, Jane Street, Variant, and Uniswap Labs Ventures. In July 2025, M31 Capital announced an additional investment in Euler. These backers have supported Euler’s push to modular lending in v2. (chainbroker.io)

Setback and comeback

On March 13, 2023, Euler v1 suffered a major exploit. After negotiations and public pressure, the exploiter returned essentially all recoverable funds by early April 2023, allowing Euler to open redemptions to affected users. The project then focused on a ground‑up redesign, leading to Euler v2’s 2024 launch. (theblock.co)

v2 relaunch and expansion

Euler v2 went live in September 2024 with a modular architecture centered on the Euler Vault Kit (EVK) and the Ethereum Vault Connector (EVC). In 2025, Euler v2 deployed on Base and introduced Euler Prime, a curated lending market with Gauntlet as risk manager. (euler.finance)

Technology & How It Works

Modular vaults (EVK)

At the heart of Euler v2 is the Euler Vault Kit, a toolkit for building ERC‑4626 “credit vaults.” Each vault can define how it handles interest rates, oracles, fees, and liquidations. Because vaults are smart‑contract modules, developers can create governed vaults for blue‑chip assets or more experimental vaults for innovative markets—all while tapping into shared infrastructure. (github.com)

The Ethereum Vault Connector (EVC)

EVC is the coordination layer that makes these vaults work together. It links collateral vaults to borrowing vaults, batches actions, defers solvency checks until the end of a transaction, and supports sub‑accounts and operators for advanced strategies. The design lowers integration complexity and opens the door to vaults that accept unusual collateral types, including RWAs and NFTs. (evc.wtf)

Interest rate models

Euler uses on‑chain interest rate models (IRMs) to balance supply and demand in each vault. Common models include the Linear‑Kink IRM and Adaptive/Reactive approaches. Borrowers pay interest per second, and rates tend to rise as utilization climbs—encouraging healthy liquidity for lenders. Because IRMs live as separate contracts, a vault’s governor can upgrade models without rebuilding the vault. (docs.euler.finance)

Fee Flow and protocol revenue

A portion of borrowing interest becomes protocol fees. In v2, these fees are auctioned in “Fee Flow” auctions where bidders pay with EUL. This converts non‑EUL revenue into EUL and sends the EUL to the DAO treasury, which can later vote to burn, redistribute, or redeploy it. The mechanism ties protocol activity to the EUL token economy. (docs.euler.finance)

Cross‑chain design

EUL is multichain via LayerZero’s OFT standard using a dual‑hub model on Ethereum and Base. Mainnet uses a lock‑based adapter, while Base and other networks use mint/burn adapters for efficient bridging. Official addresses are published by Euler to help users verify they are interacting with the correct token contracts. (docs.euler.finance)

Curated vs. permissionless markets

Euler v2 supports both curated markets like Euler Prime—focused on high‑quality collateral—and permissionless “edge” markets for broader experimentation. This lets builders move fast while keeping a conservative option for larger pools of liquidity. (euler.finance)

Tokenomics & Utility

Supply and role

The total EUL token supply is 27,182,818 (a nod to Euler’s number, e). EUL is an ERC‑20 governance token used to vote on upgrades, risk parameters, and treasury actions. It’s also the bidding currency for Fee Flow auctions and can be distributed as user incentives. (docs.euler.finance)

Distribution highlights

The EUL distribution has been adjusted through governance, but the high‑level picture includes allocations to the Euler DAO/treasury and users, the Euler Foundation (ecosystem support and protocol‑owned liquidity), strategic partners (including early incubators and venture backers), and Euler Labs team/advisors subject to vesting. Documentation pages provide up‑to‑date, proposal‑linked breakdowns and treasury wallet references. (docs.euler.finance)

rEUL rewards

To kickstart v2 usage, Euler introduced rEUL, a locked form of EUL that vests over six months on a non‑linear schedule. Users earn rEUL by supplying or borrowing in supported vaults, then unlock EUL over time. Unvested portions can be forfeited and burned if redeemed early, reinforcing long‑term alignment. (docs.euler.finance)

What could influence EUL price?

Because the protocol converts fees into EUL via auctions, more on‑chain activity can translate into additional EUL demand over time. Governance decisions (like burning or distributing treasury EUL), network expansions, and integrations also affect sentiment. While no article can predict markets, it’s useful to understand these drivers when thinking about the EUL price in the context of Euler tokenomics. (docs.euler.finance)

Ecosystem & Use Cases

Core lending

Users deposit assets to earn yield and borrow against collateral for trading, hedging, or liquidity needs. Unlike monolithic money markets, Euler’s isolated vaults allow risk to be segmented by asset and strategy, which can help support a wide mix of tokens, from majors to long‑tail ERC‑20s. (docs.euler.finance)

Builders and new markets

Developers can launch governed vaults for blue‑chip collateral or permissionless edge markets for faster iteration. EVK makes it straightforward to stand up ERC‑4626 credit vaults, while EVC provides a common interface for collateral checks, batching, and cross‑vault composability. This enables Euler DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and even synthetic asset designs—all inside a shared credit layer. (github.com)

NFTs, RWAs, and synthetics

Because the EVC doesn’t force specific asset properties, vault designers can consider irregular collateral like NFTs or tokenized real‑world assets. Documentation and whitepapers show how escrow‑style vaults, synthetic assets, and nested vaults can be assembled with the kit. These building blocks support use cases ranging from credit lines for NFT treasuries to RWA‑backed lending products. (evc.wtf)

Partnerships and integrations

Euler v2’s comeback drew new partners. For example, Gauntlet joined as risk manager for Euler Prime, and the protocol has shipped to additional networks like Base. The broader design encourages integrations by other DeFi apps, including yield tokenization platforms, which can plug into Euler liquidity and credit primitives. (euler.finance)

Advantages & Challenges

Advantages

• Modular and extensible: EVK + EVC make it easy to build specialized markets with isolated risk. (github.com)
• Governance‑aware tokenomics: Fee Flow auctions convert protocol fees into EUL, aligning activity with the token economy. (docs.euler.finance)
• Flexible interest models: Vaults can pick IRMs that match their asset risk, with upgradable logic. (docs.euler.finance)
• Curated and permissionless options: Euler Prime for conservative liquidity, plus permissionless edge vaults for innovation. (euler.finance)

Challenges

• Learning curve: Modular credit systems and IRMs are powerful but can feel complex at first. (docs.euler.finance)
• Historical exploit: The 2023 incident is part of the project’s history, even though funds were largely returned and the architecture was rebuilt for v2. (theblock.co)
• Market competition: Euler competes with established money markets and emergent modular credit layers across multiple chains. (blockworks.co)

Where to Buy & Wallets

If you’re wondering where to buy EUL, start with the basics: EUL is an ERC‑20 token with official addresses published by Euler. On decentralized exchanges, you can swap ETH or stablecoins for EUL by selecting the verified contract. On centralized exchanges, many leading platforms list EUL in spot markets—search for the EUL ticker in your account interface. (docs.euler.finance)

For wallets, any Ethereum‑compatible wallet works: MetaMask, Rabby, Trust Wallet, and Ledger/Trezor via WalletConnect. Because EUL supports an omnichain token standard, you’ll also find bridged EUL on networks like Base; always match the network and token address shown in the official addresses page before you transact. (docs.euler.finance)

Regulatory & Compliance

Euler is open‑source lending infrastructure deployed on Ethereum and other EVM networks; it is not a bank or broker. Governance happens through the Euler DAO using the EUL token. The developer company, Euler Labs, is based in the United Kingdom, while users participate globally through self‑custody wallets. In major jurisdictions like the U.S. and U.K., DeFi protocols are monitored under existing market integrity and consumer‑communications rules, but they typically don’t come with formal “licenses” like traditional lenders. The project’s public filings around fundraising (and counsel involved) show it has operated with mainstream advisors. (pitchbook.com)

Halal/Shariah perspective

Is Euler crypto halal? There’s no universal ruling. Some scholars note that interest (riba) is a concern in lending, while others point out that DeFi building blocks can, in principle, be arranged to share profit and loss or avoid explicit interest in certain vault designs. As of October 2025, the project does not advertise an official Shariah certification. So the best description is that “EUL shariah compliant” status is undecided and depends on vault design and individual interpretation—hence searches for “Euler halal” bring mixed views. The flexibility of the Euler toolkit, which can support different asset classes and configurations, is what keeps the discussion open. (evc.wtf)

Takeaway on Euler regulatory status

Given the DAO structure and cross‑chain deployments, “Euler regulatory status” is best understood as protocol governance plus local user obligations. EUL is documented as a governance token with on‑chain utility in Fee Flow auctions and incentives, rather than a claim on cash flows. Rules vary by country and evolve over time, so most teams host detailed docs and governance forums rather than offering jurisdiction‑specific guarantees. (docs.euler.finance)

Future Outlook

The big bet behind Euler v2 is modular credit. Expect more curated markets (like Euler Prime), new vault classes, synthetic‑asset designs, and integrations that route collateral across DeFi. Expansion to L2s and rollups such as Base can keep costs low while preserving Ethereum security, and risk specialists like Gauntlet can help tune parameters as markets grow. You’ll likely also see more experiments around protocol‑owned liquidity, omnichain EUL distribution, and builder tools that hide complexity for end users. Euler’s own roadmap content—like v2 launch notes and later blog posts—emphasizes the goal of becoming a “lending super app” for onchain finance. (euler.finance)

Summary

Euler brings a fresh, modular approach to onchain credit. With the EUL token at its core, the protocol combines flexible vaults (EVK), a powerful connector layer (EVC), and governance‑driven tokenomics (Fee Flow) to support a wide range of assets and strategies. The team’s path—from early research and a 2023 exploit to a full v2 rebuild—has shaped a design that welcomes both conservative, curated markets and open, permissionless innovation. Whether you’re exploring Euler DeFi, NFTs, gaming ideas, or simply seeking efficient lending, Euler’s architecture aims to make credit programmable and composable across the Ethereum ecosystem. For those tracking the EUL price or searching where to buy EUL, keep the fundamentals in view: real usage, thoughtful governance, and the expanding network of builders choosing Euler as their credit layer. (github.com)