Purchase Dai (DAI) with Japanese yen (JPY) easily at Switchere and benefit from fast, secure transactions.
DAI (DAI) stands as a pioneering decentralized stablecoin soft-pegged to the US Dollar, operating on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC-20 token. Its primary purpose is to provide a censorship-resistant and transparent digital asset that maintains a stable value, offering a crucial building block for the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Governed by the MakerDAO community through the MKR governance token, DAI's stability is achieved through a sophisticated system of over-collateralization. Users generate DAI by locking up approved crypto assets, such as ETH or WBTC, into smart contracts known as Maker Vaults (formerly Collateralized Debt Positions or CDPs). This process ensures that every DAI in circulation is backed by a greater value of collateral, mitigating volatility risks.
The core technology relies on Ethereum's smart contract capabilities to manage these Vaults, automate liquidations if collateral value drops below a certain threshold, and maintain the peg through various stability mechanisms, including Stability Fees and the Dai Savings Rate (DSR). The DSR allows DAI holders to earn yield on their holdings directly on-chain. DAI's utility token function is primarily as a stable medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value within countless DeFi applications, including lending protocols, decentralized exchanges, and yield farming strategies. As one of the most widely integrated crypto-backed stablecoins, DAI is a foundational element of Web3 infrastructure, enabling peer-to-peer transactions and complex financial instruments without reliance on traditional intermediaries.
The JPY/DAI pair represents the exchange rate between the Japanese Yen (JPY) and Dai (DAI), a decentralized stablecoin built on the Ethereum blockchain. Unlike centralized stablecoins, Dai's value is soft-pegged to the US Dollar through a system of over-collateralization managed by the Maker Protocol. Users deposit other crypto assets into Maker Vaults (smart contracts) to mint DAI, ensuring its stability and transparency within the DeFi ecosystem.
A key advantage of DAI is its decentralization. It is not issued or controlled by a single company, but is governed by the MakerDAO community through MKR token holders. This transparency and resistance to censorship are highly valued in the DeFi space. For Japanese users looking to interact with a wide range of DeFi protocols, holding a truly decentralized stablecoin like DAI aligns with the core principles of the ecosystem and can be seen as a more robust digital asset for on-chain activities.
The Maker Protocol maintains Dai's peg to the USD (which JPY/DAI traders rely on) through autonomous smart contracts. Stability is achieved via over-collateralization, where users must lock up more value in crypto assets (like ETH) than the Dai they generate. Key mechanisms include the Stability Fee (interest for borrowing Dai) and the Dai Savings Rate (DSR), which are adjusted by MKR token holders via governance votes to manage Dai's supply and demand, keeping its value stable against its target price.
To purchase DAI with JPY, you typically need a fiat on-ramp service, most commonly a regulated Japanese cryptocurrency exchange. The process involves creating an account, completing KYC/AML verification as required by Japan's FSA, and then depositing JPY via a domestic bank transfer. Once your JPY balance is credited, you can place an order on the JPY/DAI order book to acquire the digital asset. Some platforms might also support debit or credit card purchases.
Since DAI is an ERC-20 token on the Ethereum network, you need an Ethereum-compatible digital wallet to securely store it after purchase. This can be a hardware wallet for maximum security, or a software wallet like MetaMask. To use DAI within DeFi protocols, you'll need this wallet to connect to dApps. Be aware that sending DAI or interacting with smart contracts will require a small amount of ETH in the same wallet to pay for blockchain transaction fees, known as gas fees.
Yes. Fees include exchange trading fees for the JPY/DAI transaction and potential JPY deposit/withdrawal fees via bank transfer. A key risk is smart contract risk; as Dai is governed by the Maker Protocol, any vulnerability in its code could impact the system. Another consideration is regulatory risk within Japan concerning DeFi assets. Lastly, while Dai is highly stable, it is not immune to extreme market volatility which could theoretically affect its peg, and as an ERC-20 token, network congestion can lead to high gas fees for transfers.