Yield aggregators offer many ways to earn passive income, but most strategies fall into two broad categories: single asset vaults and liquidity pool (LP) vaults.
Both can generate yield, but they behave very differently under stress.
Choosing the wrong vault type for your risk tolerance is one of the most common DeFi mistakes.
This guide explains how single asset vaults and LP vaults work, their risks, and how to decide which fits your portfolio.
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What Are Single Asset Vaults?
Single asset vaults allow you to deposit one token and earn yield without pairing it with another asset.
Common examples include:
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Stablecoin lending vaults
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ETH liquid staking vaults
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Token lending or staking strategies
You deposit one asset, and the vault deploys it into yield-generating strategies.
Single asset vaults prioritize simplicity and capital clarity.
How Single Asset Vaults Generate Yield
Yield usually comes from:
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Lending interest
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Staking rewards
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Validator incentives
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Protocol revenue sharing
There is no price pairing involved.
Your balance remains denominated in the same token you deposited.
Returns are easier to track and easier to reason about.
What Are Liquidity Pool Vaults?
Liquidity pool vaults require depositing two assets into a pool, typically in a fixed ratio.
Examples include:
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ETH–USDC
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BTC–ETH
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Stablecoin–stablecoin pairs
The vault automates liquidity provision, reward harvesting, and compounding.
LP vaults aim for higher yield at the cost of complexity.
How LP Vaults Generate Yield
LP vault returns usually come from:
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Trading fees
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Incentive rewards
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Emissions from DEXs
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Sometimes lending or leverage layers
Your yield depends on both market activity and price movement.
Returns are variable and path-dependent.
The Core Difference: Price Exposure
The most important difference between single asset and LP vaults is price exposure.
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Single asset vaults track one token
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LP vaults track the relative price between two tokens
This difference defines risk, volatility, and outcome.
LP vaults introduce relative price risk that single asset vaults avoid.
Impermanent Loss Explained Simply
Impermanent loss occurs when the prices of the two assets in a liquidity pool move apart.
Even if both assets increase in price, you may still underperform simply holding them.
Key points:
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It is not a bug
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It cannot be audited away
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High APY does not prevent it
Impermanent loss is the hidden cost of LP vaults.
Risk Comparison: Single Asset vs LP Vaults
Understanding risk requires looking beyond APY.
Below is a high-level comparison.
| Feature | Single Asset Vaults | LP Vaults |
|---|---|---|
| Impermanent loss | None | Yes |
| Complexity | Lower | Higher |
| Return predictability | Higher | Lower |
| Dependency count | Fewer protocols | Multiple protocols |
| Best use case | Capital preservation | Yield maximization |
Complexity increases failure probability.
Single Asset Vault Risks
Single asset vaults are simpler, but not risk-free.
Common risks include:
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Smart contract exploits
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Lending protocol insolvency
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Stablecoin depegs
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Validator slashing (for staking vaults)
You still rely on external systems.
Single asset vaults reduce risk, they do not eliminate it.
Stablecoin Vault Risk
Stablecoin vaults appear conservative, but failures still happen.
Risks include:
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Depeg events
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Liquidity freezes
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Oracle errors
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Concentrated borrower exposure
Stable yield should still be sized conservatively.
Stable does not mean guaranteed.
LP Vault Risks
LP vaults stack multiple risk layers.
In addition to smart contract risk, you face:
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Impermanent loss
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Volatility risk
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Incentive decay
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Liquidity migration risk
APY often drops as TVL increases.
LP vault risk is nonlinear and often underestimated.
Yield vs Risk Trade-Off
LP vaults usually advertise higher APYs.
However:
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Yield is variable
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Losses are permanent
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Timing matters
Single asset vaults offer lower APY, but more stable outcomes.
Higher yield does not equal higher return.
Capital Efficiency and Opportunity Cost
Single asset vaults:
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Preserve directional exposure
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Work well for long-term holdings
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Reduce monitoring requirements
LP vaults:
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Trade upside for yield
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May underperform in trending markets
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Require closer monitoring
Opportunity cost matters as much as yield earned.
When Single Asset Vaults Make More Sense
Single asset vaults are usually better when:
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You want long-term exposure to one asset
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Market volatility is high
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You prioritize capital preservation
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You are managing larger position sizes
They are common core portfolio holdings.
Core capital belongs in simpler strategies.
When LP Vaults Make More Sense
LP vaults can be useful when:
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Markets are range-bound
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Incentives are strong and temporary
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You are allocating speculative capital
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You actively monitor positions
They are better suited for tactical allocation.
LP vaults work best when volatility is controlled.
Portfolio Allocation Best Practices
Many experienced users combine both vault types.
A balanced approach might look like:
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Single asset vaults for core capital
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LP vaults for yield experimentation
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Smaller sizing for higher complexity
Avoid placing all funds in one vault type.
Diversification should reflect risk differences, not just token count.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
Avoid these frequent errors:
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Assuming LP APY is guaranteed
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Oversizing LP vault positions
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Ignoring impermanent loss math
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Treating stablecoin vaults as risk-free
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Chasing yield without understanding strategy mechanics
Most mistakes come from misunderstanding structure.
Structure determines outcome.
How Audits Apply Differently
Audits can verify:
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Contract logic
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Known vulnerability classes
Audits cannot:
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Prevent impermanent loss
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Stop market-driven losses
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Guarantee protocol solvency
Audits matter equally for both vault types, but risks differ.
Audited does not mean safe from economic loss.
Choosing the Right Vault for Your Goals
Ask yourself:
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Am I optimizing for yield or preservation?
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Can I tolerate underperforming spot price?
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How much time will I monitor this position?
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Is this core or speculative capital?
Your answers determine the correct vault type.
The best vault is the one aligned with your objectives.
Key Takeaways
Single asset vaults and LP vaults serve different roles.
Remember:
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Single asset vaults reduce complexity and impermanent loss
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LP vaults increase yield potential and risk
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APY alone is not a decision metric
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Position sizing matters more than strategy choice
In DeFi, simpler strategies usually scale better.
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About the Author: Alex Assoune
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