What Teller Finance does

Teller Finance operates a non-custodial DeFi lending protocol and consumer fintech platform headquartered in San Francisco. The Teller Protocol enables time-based peer-to-peer loans with any ERC20 token or ERC721/ERC1155 NFT as collateral, and is live on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, HyperEVM, and Polygon. Its core architectural choice is fixed-duration, time-based liquidations rather than price-LTV-triggered liquidations, eliminating mid-term margin-call risk for borrowers and enabling structured products such as looped longs/shorts and flash-loan-mediated loan extensions via Aave. Built on the protocol are three product surfaces: Teller Pro (consumer web app, iPhone/Android PWA, Telegram Mini App, and Farcaster Mini App), Teller Credit (an embedded API/Widget for wallets, exchanges, and web3 apps), and the Teller Score (a 0–1000 on-chain credit score derived from six categories of wallet activity, verified income via Argyle/GoCardless, connected exchange/bank data, partner programs, and referrals).

Teller does not originate the loans it markets to consumers; instead, it routes pre-qualified leads to a network of 50+ licensed lenders across 6 countries (US with state-by-state coverage, Netherlands, Singapore, Philippines, Denmark, Australia) and surfaces asset-backed, no-margin-call loans originated directly on-chain from liquidity pools (with a Yearn Vault auto-allocation strategy that sweeps idle capital into Morpho and Aave). Revenue is generated through three streams: a 1% protocol fee on swap volume (built on LI.FI for cross-chain routing), a 0.05% protocol fee on asset-backed loan originations, and affiliate/rev-share revenue from the lender network plus lead-sharing monetization (the latter explicitly disclosed as potentially constituting a "sale" of personal information under CCPA). AI is applied narrowly for document OCR via Anthropic Claude and zero-knowledge identity via Self Protocol; the Teller Score itself is a heuristic rather than a machine-learned model.

The company was founded in 2019 and has raised a $1M seed (Framework Ventures-led, July 2020) and a $6.85M strategic Series A (Blockchain Capital-led, March 2022) with participation from Franklin Templeton, Toyota Ventures, Bessemer, Upstart, Framework, Arrington, Maven11, Signum Capital, and others; XDC Accelerator is also listed as an investor. Other backers include ParaFi Capital and Creative Destruction Lab. Disclosed scale metrics are $80M+ in loans processed, $1.5M+ in yield generated for lenders, and a global footprint across roughly 11–50 employees. Privacy posture covers GDPR and CCPA-aligned disclosures; no formal certification, auditor, or regulatory action is on file.

Name

Teller Finance

Legal name

Teller

Website

https://teller.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Teller Finance is a non-custodial DeFi lending platform and embedded credit API that lets consumers borrow cash without collateral or against crypto/tokenized stocks, using its proprietary Teller Score and a 50+ lender network across 6 countries. It serves crypto holders, web3 wallets, exchanges, and dApps seeking lending, swap, and yield products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

DeFi Lending Protocol

NAICS

Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation (52229), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Personal Credit Institutions (6141)

akta.pro primary industry

Decentralized Lending & Borrowing Protocols (FSADAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Credit Marketplaces, Aggregators & Loan Routing (FSADAFAJ), Lending Protocol Infrastructure (Oracles, Rate Models, Vaults) (FSADAFAN)

Keywords

• Non-custodial DeFi lending protocol
• Time-based crypto-backed loans
• On-chain credit scoring
• Embedded web3 credit API
• No-margin-call fixed-term loans

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Protocol fees on swap and borrow volume: Teller charges a 1% protocol fee on swap volume and borrow originations facilitated through the Platform, recorded on-chain per event. Additionally, asset-backed loans carry a 0.05% protocol fee. These fees fund the score program and are non-refundable once the transaction is broadcast.
2. Affiliate / lender network revenue share: Teller earns affiliate revenue from the lender network: rev-share per funded loan and a per-qualified-application bounty from each lender. Integrators (web3 app partners) can take a configurable cut on top. Pre-qualification leads are shared (and may be sold) to up to 5 lending partners with user consent.
3. Lending partner lead sharing (sale): When a user submits a pre-qualification with consent, Teller shares (and may sell) the lead profile — including name, contact details, income, residency, age, and score information — to up to 5 lending partners so they can contact the user with offers. This may constitute a sale under certain U.S. state privacy laws.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Teller operates a non-custodial DeFi lending protocol that supports time-based loans with any ERC20 or NFT asset as collateral, eliminating mid-term margin-call liquidations. On top of the protocol it offers Teller Pro, a consumer app for no-collateral personal/business/auto/HELOC loans (routed to a network of 50+ licensed lenders) and asset-backed USDC loans against BTC, ETH, and tokenized stocks, plus the Teller Credit API that lets third-party wallets, exchanges, and web3 apps embed in-app credit qualification with KYC, eligibility, and lender routing handled by Teller.

Product overview

Teller Finance is a non-custodial DeFi lending platform and consumer fintech app consisting of multiple integrated products. At its foundation is the Teller Protocol (live since 2019, operating on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, HyperEVM, and Polygon), which enables time-based peer-to-peer loans with any ERC20 or NFT as collateral — eliminating price-triggered liquidations. Built on this protocol are two consumer-facing products: Teller Pro (web app, iPhone/Android PWA, Telegram Mini App, and Farcaster Mini App) and Teller Credit API (loan qualification middleware for third-party wallets and web3 apps). Teller Pro offers three core borrowing paths: (1) No-Collateral Loans via pre-qualification matched to partner licensed lenders, (2) Asset-Backed Loans (no margin call) using BTC, ETH, and tokenized stocks as collateral on the protocol, and (3) protocol-native unsecured 0% USDC loans gated by the Teller Score. Additional features include Swap (LI.FI-powered cross-chain swaps), Earn Yield (Yearn Vaults and lending pool access), and the Teller Score (on-chain credit score 0–1000 used as the unsecured borrowing limit and eligibility signal). Teller Credit API lets third-party developers embed the pre-qualification flow, eligibility engine, and lender network for affiliate revenue. Teller is a technology platform, not a lender; no-collateral loans are originated by third-party licensed lenders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teller Pro: Consumer app built on top of Teller Protocol, enabling users to connect wallets and access no-collateral loans and asset-backed borrowing
• Teller Protocol
• Teller Credit
• Fortune Teller Collection
• Yearn Vault

Products and services

• Teller Protocol Core non-custodial DeFi lending protocol supporting time-based peer-to-peer loans with any ERC20 token or ERC721/ERC1155 (NFT) as collateral. Fixed-term, fixed-rate loans are matched one-to-one between lender and borrower via an order book. Liquidations are time-based rather than price-based, eliminating mid-term margin-call risk on collateral price dips. Defaulted loans enter a 24-hour auction for liquidation. Live on Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, HyperEVM, and Polygon. Underpins Teller Pro and Teller Credit.
• Teller Pro Consumer-facing web and mobile (PWA) application layered on the Teller Protocol. Users connect their wallets and optionally exchange/bank accounts, build a Teller Score, complete a 4-minute no-hard-credit-pull pre-qualification, and access unsecured personal/business/auto/HELOC loans routed to a network of licensed lenders (no-collateral path) or take fixed-term, no-margin-call asset-backed USDC loans against BTC, ETH, and tokenized stocks such as TSLA. Also includes LI.FI-powered swaps, Yearn Vault yield, and Teller Score tracking. Available as a web app, iPhone/Android PWA, Telegram Mini App, and Farcaster Mini App.
• Teller Credit API Loan qualification middleware for wallets, exchanges, and web3 apps. Developers embed a hosted or white-labeled pre-qualification flow (credit tab, card, or deep link) into their app; Teller handles wallet and self-reported identity signals, runs the eligibility engine against lender rules, routes qualified users to a deep-linked pre-filled lender offer, and manages KYC/geo/KYB gates. Integrates with 8+ lender networks, 4 loan categories (personal, debt consolidation, auto, business), and 6 countries. Documented at docs.teller.org. Revenue via affiliate rev-share per funded loan and per-qualified-application bounty.
• Teller Score Proprietary on-chain credit score (0–1000) computed from six categories: Swap (up to 200 pts), Borrow (up to 200 pts), Apply (up to 200 pts), Refer (up to 200 pts), Hold (up to 100 pts), and Income (up to 100 pts). Multi-chain wallet activity across Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum, HyperEVM, and Polygon is aggregated via Alchemy, combined with verified income (Argyle, USDC income detection), exchange balances (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken), and partner program referrals. The score functions as the no-collateral borrowing limit for protocol-native unsecured 0% (30-day) USDC loans and as the eligibility signal for partner lender offers. Not a FICO or regulated credit score.
• No-Collateral Loans Pre-qualification-driven path that matches borrowers to licensed third-party lenders for unsecured personal loans, debt consolidation, business loans, HELOCs, mortgages, auto purchase/refinance, and student refinancing. The 4-minute pre-qualification checks wallet signals, country/state, income, and rough credit tier against partner lender eligibility rules without a hard credit pull. Originated loans are disbursed to the borrower's bank account or, in some cases, to a wallet in USDC. Indicative APR typically 8–36% depending on credit tier, income, and jurisdiction. Teller is the technology platform, not the lender.
• Asset-Backed Loans (No Margin Call) Fixed-term, no-margin-call loans collateralized by BTC, ETH, and tokenized stocks (including TSLA). Borrowers draw USDC against crypto or tokenized equity held in on-chain escrow, with no liquidation triggered solely by mid-term collateral price dips. Default occurs only if the loan is not repaid or rolled over by the due date, at which point the collateral can be liquidated. Indicative APR historically 4–12% for stablecoin borrow against blue-chip collateral; variable APR is set by the lending pool. Aave flash-loan-backed rollover lets borrowers extend into a new loan by paying only accrued interest.

Quantifiable outcome

• $80M+ in loans processed
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability10 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PrivycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides authentication and embedded wallet infrastructure for Teller's platform. Privy handles email/social login and MPC-backed embedded wallet management. Teller does not have access to users' private keys; Privy controls wallet signing under its own controls.
• AlchemycoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides multi-chain balance, transaction, and price data via blockchain indexers. Alchemy supplies the data infrastructure that powers Teller's wallet signal aggregation and portfolio display across Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum, HyperEVM, and Polygon.
• LI.FIcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides swap and bridge quoting and execution. LI.FI aggregates DEX and bridge protocols to route token swaps and cross-chain transfers inside Teller's swap flow. A single LI.FI-powered swap can bridge and trade in one step.
• Self ProtocolcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides zk-passport identity verification (zk-KYC). Self Protocol's zero-knowledge proof flow allows Teller users to verify identity without handing over document scans. Teller reads only the authorized disclosed attributes; full proof contents are not accessible.
• ArgylecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides payroll-direct income verification for Teller's eligibility engine. Users authorize Argyle connections to share employer, pay frequency, gross/net pay, and deductions data — serving as a verified income signal for unsecured loan underwriting.
• AnthropiccoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides AI vision for document OCR processing of W-2s, pay stubs, 1099s, tax returns, and government-issued IDs. Claude-powered extraction produces structured fields from uploaded documents for income and identity verification in Teller's eligibility flow.
• GoCardless / Bank Account DatacoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides PSD2 open-banking connections for EU and UK users. Teller accesses bank account list, balances, and transaction data via GoCardless/Bank Account Data to corroborate income and financial position for unsecured loan eligibility.
• AavecoreTechnology or IntegrationAave is used in two ways: (1) for idle capital allocation via Teller's Yearn Vault during low-demand periods, and (2) as the backend flash loan provider that enables loan extensions/rollovers to execute without requiring full principal repayment.
• Uniswap V3Technology or IntegrationIntegrated with Uniswap V3 for the Loop & Short strategy execution. DEX trade step of the long/short strategy implementation uses Uniswap V3 for token swaps. Teller's time-based loan escrow is paired with Uniswap for position management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Goldfinch: Decentralized credit protocol for uncollateralized lending in emerging markets. Solves the same core problem as Teller — lending without crypto collateral — using a different trust model with on-chain identity and off-chain auditors.
• TrueFi: DeFi uncollateralized lending platform with credit scoring. Direct competitor targeting borrower reputation-based lending; shares Teller's thesis that on-chain reputation unlocks credit without collateral.
• Silo Finance: Isolated lending markets for long-tail assets on Ethereum. Comparable to Teller's lending-pool model that supports any ERC20/NFT as collateral — both target fragmented, asset-specific lending markets.
• Aave: Leading non-custodial DeFi lending protocol. Direct competitor in on-chain lending pools; Teller differentiates by offering time-based loans with no mid-term liquidations and an integrated on-chain credit score.
• Compound: Pioneer DeFi money market protocol. Same product category — algorithmic, over-collateralized on-chain lending — but using LTV-based liquidations instead of Teller's fixed-duration model.
• Morpho: Optimized lending layer for Aave/Compound. Direct competitor for lender capital; Teller integrates Morpho inside its Yearn Vault idle-capital strategy, making them both collaborator and partial substitute.
• MakerDAO: Decentralized credit protocol issuing DAI against crypto collateral. Competes for the same borrower base wanting stablecoin liquidity without selling assets; differs in governance model and CDP architecture.
• Maple Finance: Institutional DeFi credit market with undercollateralized lending pools. Closest peer to Teller's pre-qualification model targeting uncollateralized or partially collateralized loans, focused on crypto-native institutions.

Emerging players

• Credix: DeFi credit marketplace connecting borrowers with lenders. Comparable marketplace model to Teller Credit API but focused on structured credit deals with Solana/credit-rail institutions.

Broad incumbents

• Upstart: AI-driven consumer lending marketplace — Teller investor. Validates the 'alternative-data credit underwriting' approach Teller applies on-chain; comparable customer surface for unsecured personal loans routed to lender networks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/useteller
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teller-finance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors12 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Teller Finance