Driving Traffic to Crypto Loans: 8 Affiliate Programs and Expert Tips

Crypto can confidently be called one of the primary payment methods on the internet. It's used across various niches: from real estate to the affiliate market. Different projects are actively integrating cryptocurrencies into business processes to maximize profit. 

The digital money market is developing so rapidly that non-standard instruments are emerging in the niche — such as crypto loans. Today we're breaking down the mechanics of such loans, sales funnels, and analyzing creative examples. 

Crypto Lending Niche: Key Features

According to data from Coingecko, in Q1 2023 the cryptocurrency market volume was recorded at $1.2 trillion. That's 48.9% higher than the previous year's figures. Daily trading volume increased by 30%.

Many financial analysts say cryptocurrencies are too volatile, but Bitcoin turned out to be the best-performing asset in Q1 2023. The NASDAQ index and gold lag significantly behind it.

The active growth of crypto is opening up new opportunities for users. For example, micro-lending platforms in cryptocurrency have existed on the market for many years. Binance launched such a tool back in September 2019. 

Crypto loans differ little from fiat loans. A borrower takes money for a set period against collateral in digital coins, fiat currency, or other assets, and repays the debt with interest. The lender earns by receiving the loan principal plus interest. 

Looking at Binance Loans as an example, we can see that the interest rate is low and varies depending on the chosen coin. BTC has the lowest rate, while AXS has the highest.

One of the key features of crypto lending platforms is the automatic liquidation of a position when the coin's value reaches a certain threshold. The screenshot below shows a detailed breakdown of loan parameters. To borrow 1 BTC ($30,000), the borrower needs to deposit 184.8 BNB ($43,000). 

As we can see, there's no free money in this niche. Simply taking out loans worth several BTC won't work — you need to lock up assets on the exchange that, in most cases, exceed the loan amount by 30–50%. It's also worth keeping in mind the liquidation risk if the cryptocurrency's value drops significantly. 

The target audience for crypto investment offers is men and women aged 35–60. You can try targeting younger ages, but as a rule, the younger the audience, the lower the likelihood of a deposit. The 18–25 segment, for instance, makes no sense to use at all. 

As for crypto loans, unfortunately I don't see a model under which offers could work in CPA networks. That's why this product category only exists in the form of direct affiliate programs from various crypto services. 

Milito, CEO of the Crypto vertical at Moonstar

How Media Buyers Can Profit from Crypto Loans

The core superpower of a successful affiliate is the ability to find a profit opportunity in any situation. Crypto loans are no exception — you can earn here too, if you invest the time in building a proper sales funnel. 

Unfortunately, finding offers for crypto loans is very difficult — they're absent from top crypto networks. But that doesn't mean affiliate marketing is dead in this niche. You just need to approach it from a different angle. 

Crypto lending platforms are developing on their own terms and haven't yet brought their products to CPA networks. Some services do have their own affiliate programs that webmasters can take advantage of. Below you'll find a selection of well-known crypto lending platforms along with their working conditions. 

Most crypto lending services offer referral programs rather than full affiliate programs. The most attractive products are Cake DeFi and YouHodler. Cake DeFi pays between $50 and $150 depending on the user's transaction volume. YouHodler offers $130 per loan of $1,990+, with 235 active GEOs on the list. 

Creative and funnel examples

The target audience for crypto lending services consists of users with experience in the world of digital assets. Affiliates should focus on tier 1–2 countries with a high standard of living. Particular attention should be paid to the US, where estimates suggest over 28 million people own crypto (8% of the population). Other research puts that figure at 20%. 

The sales funnel is straightforward:

• creative in an ad network;
• crypto lending platform landing page;
• registration on the service;
• balance top-up;
• loan application. 

Crypto loans are a complex product, and users need to be familiarized with the terms upfront. For example, if a client registers and takes out a loan for less than the amount required by the offer conditions, the affiliate won't receive a payout. 

The target audience for crypto loans partially overlaps with that of conventional microloans. The difference lies in varying levels of crypto literacy among potential clients. Their needs also differ — beyond everyday financial needs, crypto loans are often taken out to invest in online projects. 

Common reasons people take out loans:

• real estate purchase;
• vehicle purchase;
• wedding expenses;
• debt repayment;
• home construction;
• investments.

As for creative approaches, SPY tools predominantly show soft-sell examples focused on low interest rates, fast approval, and a convenient rate calculator. 

The crypto lending niche is highly specific, but competition in ad networks remains low for now. This is an opportunity to test traffic across different GEOs and identify several profitable bundles.