Frequently asked questions

Loan structure

What are the types of loans that I can take out?

Currently Arch offers two types of loans:
1. Interest-Only  
2. Interest + Principal (Amortizing Loan).

Both loans have monthly payments. To learn more on each structure, please see the “What is an Interest-Only Loan” and “What is an Interest + Principal (Amortizing) Loan” questions.

What is an Interest-Only Loan?

An Interest-Only Loan is one in which the monthly payment solely consists of only the interest amount of the loan. The principal of the loan is repaid in full at the end of the loan.

What is an Interest + Principal (Amortizing) Loan?

An Interest + Principal (Amortizing) loan is one in which the monthly payment is used to not only pay the interest but also pay a portion of the principal balance.

What are the interest rates on the loans?

Currently, APRs (Annual Percentage Rates) range between 10%-15% based on the specific collateral. This is subject to change based on the Effective Federal Funds Rate.

Are there any origination fees or other fees?

There are no origination fees. The only fee that may be applicable is a liquidation Fee, which only occurs in the event that your collateral has to be liquidated. See more about liquidation in “What is a liquidation event?”

What is the eligible collateral?

a. Cryptocurrencies - AAVE, APE, AVAX, BCH, BTC, ETH, FTM, LINK, LTC, MANA, MATIC, QNT, SAND, SOL, UNI, WBTC.

b. NFTs - CryptoPunks, BoredApes, Mutant Apes, CloneX, MoonBirds, Doodles, BoredApe Kennel Club

c. Other assets and asset classes are continuously being added

Which currency is my loan denominated in?

Currently, you can take out a loan in either USD (fiat) or USDC (stablecoin). We instantly send the USD to your bank account and the USDC to your crypto wallet address.

How quickly do I get my loan?

Loans are approved instantly and funded right away. If you choose a loan in stablecoin (USDC), the money should appear in your account within minutes. If you choose a loan in fiat (USD), the money should appear in your bank account within minutes if approved before 5 pm EST, or at the beginning of the next US business day if approved after 5 pm EST.

What currency do I need to make the loan repayments in?

You can make the loan repayments in either USD (fiat) or USDC (stablecoin).

What if I have cryptocurrencies & digital assets that aren’t supported for collateral?

You can request that the specific collateral be supported by reaching out to us at support@archlending.com.

Can I pay off the loan early?

Yes, you can pay off the loan early without any penalties or fees.

What is the supported length for loans?

Currently the maximum loan duration is 1 year. We are working to increase this.

Can I withdraw some or all of my collateral if the underlying value goes up a lot?

Depending on the amount the collateral has increased, you may be able to withdraw some of the collateral or take out another loan. In order to request a withdrawal of excess collateral, please send an email to support@archlending.com.

If I have an interest only loan, can I roll-over the loan once the term ends?

For inquiries related to this, please email support@archlending.com. We are happy to work with each borrower on their specific needs.

Collateral Storage

Where is my collateral stored?

Your collateral is stored safely at BitGo. We do not further lend out your collateral.

What happens with airdrops during storage?

If you are expecting your NFT/holdings to be eligible for an airdrop in the near future, consider whether it makes sense to use that asset for a loan right now. We will work with customers to try to ensure that any airdrops are returned to their rightful owners.

Liquidation

What is liquidation?

Our loans are over-collateralized. In the event that the collateral value drops and you do not add additional collateral, you may risk liquidation which means that we will sell your assets to pay off your loan.

How can I avoid liquidation?

You can preemptively deposit additional collateral if the value of the collateral decreases. We send out a number of email/text notifications prior to any liquidation, so you will have ample time to avoid liquidations.

What is the liquidation fee?

In the event of a liquidation, Arch charges a fee of 2% on the liquidated amount.

Product Usage

Are there any restrictions on what I can do with the loan?

No, there are no restrictions. That being said, the most common use cases we see are to make additional investments, make large purchases and to pay for large expenses.

Why do individuals get a loan as opposed to sell?

You can preemptively deposit additional collateral if the value of the collateral decreases. We send out a number of email/text notifications prior to any liquidation, so you will have ample time to avoid liquidations.

Security

Where are customer assets stored?

Customer assets are held 1:1 at BitGo, which is a qualified custodian. Arch never lends out customer assets. Read more about our security practices here.

How is Arch legally and regulatory complaint?

Arch’s business is legally compliant and regulatory first. We are currently able to support customers in 31 U.S. states (AK, AZ, AR, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, PA, SC, TX, UT, VA, WV, WI, WY) and are working to support the remainder. If you would like to use Arch but don’t see your state/country supported, please email us at support@archlending.com.

How does Arch store customer data?

Arch stores customer data in secure cloud databases. All sensitive data is encrypted at object (or column) level before being written to the database. Master encryption keys will be stored separately from the encrypted data. Access to the database is strictly gated by usernames, passwords, and 2-factor authentication. If you would like us to request/delete your account data, please reach out to us at support@archlending.com.