Every yield product you've used made the same trade-off: Give us your keys, and we'll pay you 5-15% APY. But then you don't own your crypto anymore—they do. Here's how to earn real yield while keeping 100% control.
You have two choices with crypto today:
You: Full custody. No yield. Your Bitcoin sits earning zero while inflation eats your returns.
You: Earn 8-15% APY. But FTX, Celsius, and BlockFi took custody—and then went bankrupt and froze your assets forever.
Neither option works. You're either paranoid and poor, or yielding and broke.
What if you could have both?
Tangem just solved the unsolvable. Here's what changed:
You deposit $10,000 in USDC. Aave pays 5% APY (variable rate). You earn $500 per year before market and protocol risks. Tangem takes no cut. Your keys stay on your device. You still retain self-custody, while accepting smart-contract and protocol-level risk.
Setup (2 minutes):
The mechanism: Your deposit goes directly to Aave smart contracts. Aave lends it out, collects interest, and pays you a percentage. Your keys sign the transaction from your card (or your phone's secure enclave). No middle man. No custody intermediary. No "trust us."
Liquidity: Withdraw anytime. The money lands back on your card within minutes (Ethereum mainnet) or seconds (Polygon). No "7-day wait." No "pending withdrawal fee."
For 12 years, crypto had the same choice: custody or zero yield. Every serious investor had to pick one.
FTX, Celsius, Voyager, BlockFi—they all promised the same thing: "We'll secure your assets and pay you yield." Many users still lost significant funds relying on custodial yield models.
Tangem's Yield Mode reduces custodial trust assumptions. You're not trusting Tangem with custody (they don't hold your keys). You're directly interfacing with Aave contracts, while still accepting protocol and smart-contract risk. Aave is an established, audited DeFi protocol, and TVL changes over time.
That's a different universe.
| Feature | Tangem Yield Mode | Centralized Yield (Celsius, etc.) | Manual DeFi (Aave direct) |
|---|---|---|---|
| You Keep Your Keys | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Setup Time | 2 minutes | 5 minutes | 15 minutes (web3 setup) |
| APY Rate | Variable (market-dependent) | 8-15% (unsustainable) | Variable (market-dependent) |
| Liquidity | Instant | Frozen in bankruptcy | Instant |
| Bankruptcy Risk | Lower (self-custody model) | Critical | Low (protocol-level) |
| Custody Risk | Lower (self-custody) | 100% | Lower (self-custody) |
Tangem is running a Yield Rewards campaign right now:
How it works: Deposit a minimum of $100 in USDC, USDT, or DAI. Keep it in Yield Mode for 30 calendar days. Tangem offers a $10 reward where available. Terms, eligibility, and campaign availability can change.
Pool is limited. Tangem allocated a fixed amount for this campaign, so it ends when the pool is exhausted. If you're interested, now is the time.
This campaign is less about a fixed reward and more about testing your setup. It's about building the right foundation.
Most people keep crypto in one of three broken ways:
Tangem Yield Mode is the fourth way: Self-custody + real APY + zero complexity. Your money is yours. It's earning. It's liquid. It's secure.
Many users prefer this model once they experience the workflow.
Option A: Start with the mobile wallet (free, right now)
Open the Tangem app. Create a self-custody wallet. Enable Yield Mode. Deposit stablecoins. Start earning. Cost: $0. Speed: 2 minutes.
Option B: Use a Tangem card (ultimate security + yield + inheritance)
Get a physical Tangem card (pricing varies by package and region). The card holds your keys with no battery and a 25-year design lifespan (per manufacturer). Mobile wallet enables Yield Mode. Card enables inheritance workflows. Cost and delivery times vary by region and vendor terms.
Most people do Option A first (free, instant), then upgrade to Option B after feeling confident.
The Tangem Yield Rewards availability varies by date, region, and terms. Deposit $100+ in the mobile app or card, hold for 30 days, and earn campaign rewards plus APY where eligible.
Your crypto should earn while you sleep. And you should sleep knowing you still own it.
Get Tangem Mobile Wallet (Free) → Get Tangem Card →Disclosure: We earn affiliate commissions on Tangem card purchases and yield activity through the mobile wallet. We recommend Tangem Yield Mode because it solves the custody-vs-yield problem, not because of the commission.
Freshness note: Features, pricing, campaign rewards, supported assets/networks, and compliance interpretations can change. Verify current details with official vendor documentation before making operational or investment decisions.