Nexo Launches Zero-interest Credit for BTC and ETH Holders Across 150 Jurisdictions
Nexo formally launched Zero interest Credit on April 12, 2026, extending a structured lending model to retail users across 150 jurisdictions after the product had previously been available only through private over the counter channels. The company says the offering allows Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) holders to borrow against their assets at a 0% interest rate, with fixed terms and no risk of liquidation before maturity. From Private Channels to Retail Access The product's commercial roots lie in Nexo's OTC desk, which processed more than $140 million in structured loans during 2025 before the company decided to open the model to its broader user base. That transition represents a meaningful shift in how crypto backed credit is being positioned: not as a high yield vehicle for institutions, but as a cost free liquidity tool for individual holders who want to access capital without selling their digital assets. Under the terms of Zero interest Credit, borrowers select both the loan size and the duration at the outset. The loan carries no ongoing interest charges and cannot be liquidated before the agreed maturity date. At term's end, repayment is made in stablecoins or through the collateral itself, depending on prevailing market conditions. Borrowers whose circumstances change may also choose to renew under a fresh set of terms at maturity rather than closing the position entirely. | Feature | Detail | | | | | Interest Rate | 0% | | Eligible Collateral | BTC, ETH | | Pre maturity Liquidation | Not permitted | | Repayment Options | Stablecoins or collateral | | Loan Term | Fixed; selected by borrower at origination | | Renewal | Available under new terms at maturity | | Jurisdictions Available | 150 | | OTC Volume Facilitated (2025) | $140 million+ | The Structured Lending Rationale "Zero interest Credit gives holders of Bitcoin and Ether a way to access liquidity without selling their assets, without paying interest, and without the threat of sudden liquidation." Nexo [1] Nexo's decision to build Zero interest Credit around fixed terms and predetermined repayment conditions reflects lessons drawn from the 2022 crypto lending crisis. Companies including Celsius and BlockFi operated open ended lending books with mismatched liabilities, a structure widely cited as having amplified the market contagion that followed the FTX collapse. By locking both the borrower and the lender into terms agreed at origination, Zero interest Credit eliminates the variable rate exposure and uncertain liquidation triggers that contributed to those failures. Nexo was founded in 2018 and has operated as a fully collateralized lender throughout its history. The company withdrew from the United States in late 2022 and settled a case with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for $45 million in early 2023. It announced plans to reenter the US market in April 2025 and completed that reentry in February 2026 , positioning Zero interest Credit as part of its expanded domestic and international product lineup. Broader Market Context The launch arrives as centralized and decentralized crypto lending markets both show renewed momentum following the contraction of 2022 and 2023. According to DefiLlama data, total value locked in decentralized finance lending protocols grew from approximately $48.15 billion on January 1, 2025, to a peak of $91.98 billion on October 7, 2025. Although TVL declined after the October 10 crypto liquidation event, activity stabilized and stood at roughly $66 billion heading into 2026 [1]. The decentralized lending sector is led by Aave , which holds more than $22 billion in outstanding loans backed by over $55 billion in deposited assets, followed by Morpho with approximately $3.6 billion in outstanding loans and $10 billion in supplied liquidity, according to DefiLlama [1]. Centralized lenders including Ledn , Xapo Bank and Coinbase have also expanded their crypto backed credit offerings under conservative, fully collateralized frameworks during the same period. Nexo's positioning of Zero interest Credit at 0% is unusual even within that conservative cohort. The company has not disclosed how it offsets the absence of interest income on the product, though the structured repayment terms, including the collateral settlement option, suggest the economics are tied to asset appreciation and term matched funding rather than a traditional net interest margin. The Nexo Card Integration For users in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, Zero interest Credit complements the Nexo Card , which operates in both debit and credit modes. The dual mode card allows holders to choose at the point of sale whether to spend directly from their crypto or fiat balances or to draw against their Nexo credit line, effectively bringing the zero cost borrowing concept into everyday consumer spending. The card is not currently available in the United States following the company's February 2026 reentry, though Nexo has signaled continued product expansion in the North American market. Implications for Crypto backed Lending Zero interest Credit represents a structural bet that holders of large BTC and ETH positions prioritize capital access and asset preservation over yield. By removing the interest rate variable entirely, Nexo is targeting a segment of the market that may have previously avoided crypto lending due to rate unpredictability or liquidation risk rather than an unwillingness to pledge collateral. The product's fixed term architecture also aligns with the growing preference among institutional and high net worth retail participants for treasury style loan structures that match liabilities to planned cash flows. With the global rollout covering 150 jurisdictions and a demonstrated $140 million in prior OTC volume validating demand, the launch gives Nexo a differentiated position in a crypto credit market that is growing more competitive as both centralized platforms and DeFi protocols compete …