Convex vs Yearn Finance: booster or auto-compounding vault?
Written by Convex Guide Editorial Team
· Fact-checked · 5 min read
Convex vs Yearn: how Yearn vaults use Convex under the hood, auto-compounding vs manual claiming, yCRV vs cvxCRV and which suits you.
Different layers
Convex is a booster: you stake Curve LP tokens and claim rewards yourself. Yearn is a yield aggregator: its vaults run strategies that harvest and reinvest rewards automatically. Many Yearn Curve vaults have historically routed deposits through Convex to get its boost.
Auto-compounding vs manual
On Convex you receive CRV and CVX and decide what to do with them. A Yearn vault sells rewards and compounds them into more LP tokens, which saves gas and time but adds strategy and fee layers.
cvxCRV vs yCRV
Both are liquid wrappers around locked veCRV. They differ in how rewards are distributed and how each protocol votes. Compare current yields and peg before choosing.
Fees and risk
Using Yearn on top of Convex stacks smart contract risk and fees from both protocols. In exchange, you get automation.
Key takeaways
- Convex = boost, you manage rewards.
- Yearn = automation, often built on Convex.
- More layers = more convenience and more risk.
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