Clearstar vs Gauntlet: Which Fits Your DeFi Needs?

The main difference is what you are engaging them to do. Clearstar sells DeFi risk advice and operational support to institutions, asset issuers and chains. Its work can include assessing protocols and collateral, helping design or launch an onchain product, and supporting risk management after launch. It is not a consumer vault where you connect a wallet and deposit funds.

Gauntlet curates yield strategies that users can access through vaults, and also supplies yield programs to partner apps. Its offerings include lending, restaking and multi-strategy approaches. If you are an individual deciding where to put crypto, Gauntlet is the relevant option to investigate—but a vault is still an onchain strategy with risks, not a guaranteed savings account. If you represent an organization that needs a risk assessment or launch support, Clearstar is the closer fit.

Clearstar does not publish standard rates for advisory, diligence, launches or ongoing management. The price may depend on the engagement and its scope, so get a written quote that specifies the work, duration, billing schedule and any additional integration costs. If Clearstar would have operating responsibility, clarify exactly what authority and duties that includes.

Gauntlet has no single published price list covering every vault or partner program. Charges may differ by vault or the app through which you access it; check for management, performance or other fees before depositing. Direct onchain transactions may also incur network gas, which varies by chain and transaction. Yield rates can change with lending demand, rewards, allocations and market conditions, so do not treat an advertised APY as a promised return. Neither option has a universal, published price you can compare without first defining the service or vault.

Neither lists audits, so you should not assume that either project’s software or every underlying strategy has been independently audited. Clearstar describes a risk process and its VALIS analysis platform, but those descriptions do not replace independent assurance. It also does not publish its custody arrangements, so clarify whether it can access or control assets under the mandate and document that responsibility before signing.

Gauntlet describes its vaults as non-custodial, but non-custodial does not mean risk-free. Vault contracts, underlying protocols, assets and strategy decisions can all expose you to losses. Security measures such as monitoring are not guarantees. Before using a vault, review its specific contracts, any linked security documentation, underlying protocols and withdrawal conditions. With either project, only commit funds or authority you can afford to put at risk.

For an individual, Gauntlet is more direct: you may use its vault app or encounter a vault through a partner’s product. A direct interaction generally requires a compatible wallet, the correct network and the asset that the selected vault accepts. Confirm the vault’s withdrawal process and any partner-specific eligibility requirements first; there is no single published KYC rule or withdrawal timeline for every route.

Clearstar is aimed at organizations, not casual wallet users. Its public-facing route is to discuss a mandate, rather than connect a wallet and start depositing. You will need a defined business or product need and agreement on the engagement before the work begins. Clearstar lists 11 networks, while Gauntlet lists 14, but a network appearing on either list does not by itself confirm that a particular asset, protocol or service fits your intended use. Ask about the exact chain and use case.

Clearstar’s advantage is the combination of risk research, product support and possible ongoing market management for organizational clients. Its APB ratings and reports, along with the in-house VALIS risk intelligence platform, give clients material to discuss when assessing DeFi opportunities. But the engagement is bespoke: you need to agree on fees, scope, custody responsibilities and operating authority rather than expect standardized consumer terms.

Gauntlet’s advantage is that it turns risk-curation work into accessible vault strategies and partner yield programs. That can suit experienced users who want a curated lending, restaking or multi-strategy approach, as well as platforms adding onchain yield. The trade-off is that vault terms vary and the underlying risks remain. In short, choose based on the job: organizational advice and product execution point to Clearstar; access to curated onchain yield points to Gauntlet.