APY
Annual percentage yield reflects compounding under stated assumptions. It is most useful for deposit products when the balance remains in place for the modeled period.
Rate normalization
Yield Rate Lab: Compare the Number Behind the Number
Yield labels answer different questions. The Rate Lab helps you identify the metric, its time period, compounding assumption, liquidity terms, and risk source before comparing percentages across cash, funds, Treasury products, digital assets, and staking.
Decision layers
What the headline leaves out
Use the same comparison order every time: define the rate, translate it into dollars, map access, subtract friction, and identify the risk engine.
SEC yield
A standardized recent-income measure used by many bond funds. It is not the same as a trailing distribution rate or a forecast.
Distribution rate
Recent cash distributions annualized against a price or net asset value. The payment source and total return still require review.
Treasury yield
A security yield tied to price, maturity, and quote convention. Compare dollar outcomes over the same dates, not unrelated annualized labels.
Staking reward
A variable native-token reward for proof-of-stake participation. Token price, validator fees, penalties, and exit timing remain separate.
DeFi APY
A compounded estimate that can combine borrowing demand, trading fees, incentives, leverage, and assumptions that may change quickly.
Comparison matrix
Normalize the wrapper
These fields turn unlike product pages into a common worksheet. The table is educational and contains no live quotes.
| Metric | Best used for | What it can hide | Normalize with |
|---|---|---|---|
| APY | Deposits and fixed cash products | Penalties, caps, qualification rules | Term, balance tier, net fees |
| SEC yield | Bond-fund income comparison | Price volatility and future rate changes | Duration, credit, expenses |
| Distribution rate | Cash payout review | Return of capital and NAV erosion | Total return, payment source |
| Staking reward | Native-token accumulation | Token price, custody, exit delay | Net tokens, validator risk |
| DeFi APY | Protocol scenario analysis | Incentives, leverage, contract risk | Base yield, fees, loss cases |
Yield Mask checklist
From advertised rate to decision yield
- Copy the exact metric label and its as-of date.
- Translate the rate into estimated dollars over the same time period.
- Subtract disclosed fees and qualification costs without double counting.
- Describe when principal can be accessed and what can delay an exit.
- Name the entity, borrower, portfolio, validator, or protocol creating the yield.
- Compare the net result with a lower-risk alternative serving the same job.
Research library
Go deeper
Each guide uses one authoritative external reference and links the mechanism back to practical comparison fields.
Yield Income Calculator Guide: Turn APY Into Monthly Cash Flow
Learn how to translate APY into estimated monthly income, distinguish simple yield from compounding, and model fees, taxes, rate changes, and withdrawals.
Read the guide
Dividend ETF Yield: Distribution Rate, SEC Yield, and Total Return Explained
Learn why a large distribution rate is not the same as investment return, and how to compare income ETFs using yield definitions, fees, holdings, and total return.
Read the guide
Stablecoin Yield: USDC, USDT, Platform Rewards, and the Full Risk Stack
A layer-by-layer method for evaluating USDC and USDT income offers without confusing token reserves, platform rewards, lending risk, and DeFi incentives.
Read the guideFAQ
Common questions
Is APY always better than APR?
No. APY and APR describe different contexts and assumptions. A higher number is not automatically a better product when fees, compounding, term, and risk differ.
Can I compare a dividend yield with a savings APY?
Only after separating principal risk, distribution source, liquidity, taxes, and the possibility that share prices or payments change.
Does YieldMask publish live rates?
No. The site provides educational frameworks and illustrative scenarios. Verify current rates and terms directly with the product provider.