Usual Vaults are advanced savings strategies curated by the Usual team. Each vault has a specific goal — maximum yield, minimum risk, or a balance between the two. As the DeFi bank, Usual gives you a single interface to access these strategies without having to manage them yourself.
The core idea
A Usual Vault is a packaged yield strategy. You deposit USD0 (or another Usual asset), and the vault allocates your balance to one or several sources of yield according to a pre-defined policy. You receive a vault token that represents your share. The vault earns yield, and your vault token becomes worth more over time.
Why use a vault instead of a single product
Single products — sUSD0, bUSD0, USD0 Alpha — are straightforward but require you to pick one. Usual Vaults simplify the choice by packaging multiple sources behind a single deposit:
Diversification — one deposit gives you exposure to multiple yield sources
Rebalancing — the vault adjusts the allocation automatically as market conditions change
Simplicity — one token represents your position, one transaction to deposit or withdraw
Typical vault types
Vault compositions evolve over time. Some recurring archetypes:
Vault type | Mix | Who it's for |
Core yield | Heavy sUSD0 + some bUSD0 | Users who want steady USD yield with light USUAL upside |
Enhanced yield | bUSD0 + USD0 Alpha | Users who want higher expected return and can accept more variability |
Conservative | sUSD0 + cash buffer | Users who prioritize liquidity and stability over maximum yield |
Diversified | Mix of sUSD0, bUSD0, USD0 Alpha | Users who want exposure to every yield source without picking one |
The exact set of live vaults is displayed in the app with their current allocation, rate, and risk profile.
How to use a Usual Vault
Go to the Vaults page in app.usual.money
Pick a vault that matches your goal
Review the current allocation and risk notes
Deposit USD0 (or the required underlying)
Receive the vault token in your account
Earn yield as the exchange rate grows
Withdraw any time by redeeming your vault tokens
Risks specific to vaults
Strategy risk — each vault's yield depends on how well the underlying allocation performs. A vault exposed to bUSD0 carries USUAL price risk. A vault exposed to USD0 Alpha carries basis dislocation risk.
Liquidity risk — if the vault holds products with redemption delays (like USD0 Alpha), a large withdrawal request may not settle immediately.
Curator risk — the allocation policy is set by the curator. A policy change can alter the risk profile.
Smart contract risk — the vault contract adds an additional layer of code on top of the underlying products.
Who vaults are for
Users who want exposure to Usual's full yield suite in one transaction
Users who prefer a managed strategy over picking single products themselves
Larger depositors who want automatic rebalancing as allocations shift
Who vaults are not for
Users who prefer full control over every allocation decision
Users who want the lowest possible smart contract surface — use a single product directly instead
Users who need full instant liquidity — check the vault's expected settlement time before depositing
Note: Each vault publishes its current allocation, target allocation, and risk disclosures. Read them before depositing. The risk profile of a vault can change over time as the curator adjusts the strategy.
Technical note (for DeFi users): Usual Vaults typically follow the ERC-4626 standard, with an internal allocator contract that routes deposits to multiple underlying strategies. The allocator is governed by the curator and can be updated via governance or multisig. Composability is full — vault tokens can be used in other DeFi apps that support ERC-4626. See the docs for the live vault registry.
Related articles