It has been five years since Sid and I began Maple’s journey, incorporating our first entity in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. The journey since then has been a unique adventure that only the combination of startup life and crypto markets can deliver. The highs have been memorable and exciting while the lows have welcomed deep reflection and growth. We are proud of everything we have achieved, the journey we have taken to get here and Maple’s position in the market today.

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On the eve of the SYRUP token launch, I find it the perfect moment to reflect on the rich history of credit markets, explore the immense opportunity Maple holds for shaping the future of finance, and share bold predictions for where Maple will be by 2030 as we embark on the next five years of growth and innovation.

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Credit is the Engine of Civilization

Lending didn’t just accompany the rise of civilization—it enabled it. Societies thrive when they can invest in agriculture, infrastructure, housing, and trade. Throughout history, credit has been the driving force behind the growth of cities, economies, and technological breakthroughs. Structured use of debt has enabled cities to prosper, monumental structures to rise, and cultures to flourish.

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One of the earliest recorded forms of debt comes from the ancient Mesopotamian city-state of Ur, around 2400 BCE. Sumerians documented loans—often involving grain or silver—on clay tablets, fueling trade and economic growth.

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Today, financial markets continue this essential function, providing the capital needed for humanity’s greatest innovations—from renewable energy to artificial intelligence and space exploration. Maple builds on this tradition, using blockchain technology to modernize institutional credit, making lending faster, more transparent, and more efficient. By facilitating access to capital, Maple empowers entrepreneurs and innovators to build the future and solve the challenges that matter most.

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‍The Future of Institutional Lending

By 2030, the global financial system will be transformed by the widespread adoption of blockchain technology. Assets of all kinds—real estate, equities, commodities, and intellectual property—will be tokenized and moved onchain, enabling instantaneous transfers and global access. However, tokenizing assets alone does not create value; value is unlocked when these assets are put to productive use through loans, bonds, and structured credit.

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Maple’s technology will create new lending markets, bridging institutions into DeFi and unlocking liquidity in ways traditional finance cannot match. Blockchain-based financial products must offer clear advantages over legacy systems for capital to flow onchain, and Maple is positioned to lead that shift. Imagine a world where a credit portfolio in Singapore is collateralized in a decentralized pool, securing financing from a pension fund in Canada, while individuals pension fund members track, in real time, how their capital is allocated, the yield it generates, and the security protecting their capital.

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Through transparency, automation, and global accessibility, Maple will provide the infrastructure needed for these transactions to occur seamlessly. We are building an ecosystem where institutions, businesses, and individuals can access lending markets previously out of reach, driving the flow of capital that fuels economic growth.

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Maple’s Role in Shaping the Future

Maple aims to become the largest facilitator of onchain credit worldwide by 2030. We envision a future where accessing institutional lending markets is frictionless. Capital markets are the engine of innovation, funding everything from the earliest trade routes to modern space exploration. Maple will power the next generation of innovation by providing capital to sectors beyond digital assets including AI, robotics, space programs, and sustainable infrastructure.

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Our goal is to empower everyone—from institutional investors to retail users—to earn consistent yields through transparent lending markets funding the future. At Maple, we believe that access to credit should not be limited by geography or legacy systems. We are making borrowing and lending as seamless as any modern digital service, democratizing institutional credit markets for everyone.

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Five Bold Predictions for Maple by 2030

Prediction 1: Maple Will Manage $100 Billion+ in Annual Loan Volume

By creating innovative credit products and expanding our borrower network, Maple will power transformative businesses and connect institutions with scalable, efficient financing opportunities.

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Prediction 2: SYRUP Will Become the Reserve Token for Onchain Credit Markets

SYRUP will align community incentives and governance, becoming the cornerstone of institutional credit markets and capturing the full value of Maple’s growth.

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Prediction 3: AI Agents Will Manage Lending Pools on Maple

AI-driven automation will issue loans, monitor risks, and execute liquidations in real time, creating a seamless blend of machine efficiency and human expertise.

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Prediction 4: Maple’s Yield Will Be Embedded in Every Major Fintech Application

Maple will power yield opportunities across digital wallets, robo-advisors, and neobanks, integrating DeFi seamlessly into everyday financial experiences.

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Prediction 5: Maple Will Facilitate the First Decentralized Corporate Bond Market

Through Maple’s decentralized bond market, companies will issue tokenized bonds directly to investors, lowering operational costs, increasing transparency, and reshaping fixed-income markets.

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The Road to 2030: Full Alignment with SYRUP

The launch of the SYRUP token represents a pivotal moment in our journey. All value created by the Maple ecosystem will accrue to SYRUP token holders, aligning incentives across stakeholders. Governance participation will empower community members to guide Maple’s development, and staking rewards will incentivize network growth.

By consistently delivering yield outperformance with conservative risk management, we expect to grow our network of customers and partners. As our lending platform expands, SYRUP holders will share in the value generated by the ecosystem—creating one of the most aligned and incentivized communities in crypto.

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Build the Future Together

We believe accessible capital markets are the foundation of human progress. By moving the long tail of capital markets onchain, Maple is not just transforming finance—it is creating the conditions for the innovations of tomorrow to thrive. From AI to space exploration, from renewable energy to biotechnology, the future will be funded by Maple’s lending markets.

With SYRUP as the cornerstone of our community and AI enhancing our scalability, we are positioned to become a global leader in lending. Together, we can build a future where credit flows freely, capital markets are globally accessible, and the innovations of tomorrow are funded today.

By 2030, $500M in TVL will feel like a distant memory. The future is bright, and we are just getting started. Join us on 13 November 2024 when we launch the SYRUP token and begin the next five years of our journey.

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Joe Flanagan, Maple Co-Founder & Executive Chairman

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