Nexo’s Zero-Interest Credit, or ZiC, has picked up a lending-category honor at the 2026 FinTech Breakthrough Awards. The product is built around two features that stand out in crypto-backed borrowing: zero interest and no mid-term liquidations.
Fixed-term structure replaces liquidation-driven mechanics
According to the source material, ZiC uses a fixed-duration framework with predefined terms and clear price boundaries set at the start of the loan. That marks a break from the standard crypto lending model, where positions are usually managed through liquidation thresholds. In those setups, if collateral falls too far, the loan can be closed automatically.
Nexo’s model handles the risk differently. Rather than relying on margin calls during the life of the loan, ZiC is designed to carry the position through to maturity under a preset structure. Risk is still present. The difference is that borrowers are given a clearer view of how the loan may resolve before they enter it, instead of being exposed to sudden changes triggered by short-term market swings.
Recognition comes as crypto lending shifts toward clarity
The article places ZiC within a broader move across the crypto lending market. After several market cycles, volatility has exposed weaknesses in reactive risk models, pushing both platforms and users toward tighter collateral discipline and more transparent loan design. In that context, products with fixed outcomes are drawing more attention.
The award reflects that change in emphasis. The source frames it less as a marketing milestone and more as a sign that lending structures themselves are being reevaluated. In a more competitive credit market, differentiation may come from how a product behaves under stress, not just from the headline borrowing cost.
Repeat usage is part of the story
Nexo says ZiC has generated more than in volume since launch. The company also reports a and says users complete just over four loan cycles on average. Some concrete figures in the source were omitted, so the available facts are limited, but the point is clear: user retention is being presented as a sign that the product’s structure is resonating with a segment of borrowers.
That pattern suggests a different borrowing style than short-term loans tied to market timing. Fixed terms and predefined outcomes may fit borrowers looking for a more repeatable strategy. Whether that model becomes more widely adopted will depend on how these structures hold up in the next bout of market volatility.