Reserve Rights (RSR) is an ERC-20 utility token designed to support the Reserve Protocol, a decentralized financial infrastructure aimed at creating stable, globally accessible digital currencies. Launched in 2019, RSR plays a vital role in maintaining the stability and governance of Reserve’s ecosystem, particularly through its association with RToken—decentralized stablecoins backed by diversified crypto baskets.
With a fixed total supply of 100 billion tokens and approximately 57.91 billion currently in circulation, RSR has established itself as a key player in the evolving landscape of decentralized finance (DeFi). Its current market price sits at $0.007026841639, resulting in a market capitalization of around $406.94 million. Over the past 24 hours, trading volume reached $22.27 million across multiple active exchanges.
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What Is Reserve Rights (RSR)?
Reserve Rights (RSR) serves two primary functions within the Reserve ecosystem: collateralization and governance. As a governance token, RSR holders can propose and vote on changes to the configuration of RTokens—customizable stablecoins that maintain price stability through algorithmic mechanisms and diversified asset backing.
Unlike traditional fiat-backed stablecoins such as USDT or USDC, which rely on centralized custodians holding dollar reserves, RTokens are secured by baskets of crypto assets managed via smart contracts. This decentralized approach enhances transparency and reduces counterparty risk.
RSR was first introduced through an Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) on Huobi Prime in May 2019, marking one of the early successes in exchange-led token launches. Since then, it has evolved into a foundational component of a broader vision for financial inclusion and economic resilience.
How Does RSR Work? Key Use Cases
Governance and Protocol Management
RSR empowers token holders to participate in the decision-making processes of the Reserve Protocol. Users can submit proposals for changes to RToken parameters—such as collateral composition, risk thresholds, or reward distributions—and vote using their staked RSR tokens.
This decentralized governance model ensures that no single entity controls the direction of the protocol, aligning incentives across developers, investors, and users.
Collateralization Mechanism
One of the most innovative aspects of RSR is its role in providing first-loss capital. In the event that an underlying collateral asset within an RToken basket devalues or defaults, RSR stakers absorb initial losses to protect RToken holders.
In return for this risk-bearing function, RSR stakers earn a portion of the yield generated by the RToken’s underlying assets—such as interest from cUSDC (Compound USD Coin) or aDAI (Aave DAI). The higher the value and performance of the insured RToken, the greater the potential returns for stakers.
Notably, staking RSR does not require locking funds indefinitely. Participants can choose to stake across multiple RTokens or opt out entirely, offering flexibility unmatched by many other staking models.
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Founders and Development Team
Reserve was co-founded by Nevin Freeman, CEO, and Matt Elder, CTO. Freeman, a seasoned entrepreneur focused on solving large-scale coordination problems, leads the strategic vision of making financial systems more inclusive and resilient.
Elder brings deep technical expertise from previous roles at Google and Quixey, overseeing the architecture and implementation of the Reserve Protocol. Under their leadership, the team has grown to over 200 members—including engineers, legal experts, and compliance professionals—dedicated to building a scalable and open stablecoin platform.
What Makes RSR Unique?
While most stablecoins depend on centralized dollar reserves, RTokens are backed by dynamic baskets of crypto assets, which may include stablecoins (like USDC, TUSD), interest-bearing tokens (like cUSDC and aDAI), and eventually even real-world assets such as commodities or securities.
This design allows RTokens to generate passive yield for holders without requiring them to actively stake or lock their funds—a significant advantage over conventional DeFi yield strategies.
Moreover, the long-term roadmap includes expanding into synthetic assets and derivatives, enabling RTokens to track non-crypto indices or real-world economic metrics. This positions Reserve as more than just a stablecoin project—it's a framework for building programmable money.
Tokenomics: Supply and Distribution
- Maximum Supply: 100 billion RSR (fixed)
- Circulating Supply: ~57.91 billion (as of mid-2025)
- Initial Circulating Supply: 6.85 billion at launch
- IEO Allocation: 3% to Huobi Prime participants
- Private Investors: 1%
- Team & Advisors: Locked via vesting schedules
A significant 49.4% of the total supply is held in a "slow wallet"—a time-locked smart contract that releases funds only after a 30-day notice period with public justification. This mechanism enhances trust and prevents sudden market dumps.
Vesting for team, advisor, and investor allocations follows two release schedules: one initiated in January 2022, and another tied to the full deployment of the Reserve Protocol on Ethereum’s mainnet.
Network Security
As an ERC-20 token built on the Ethereum blockchain, RSR inherits Ethereum’s robust security model. It benefits from Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism (post-Merge), which secures the network against attacks such as double-spending or 51% takeovers through economic finality and distributed validator participation.
This reliance on Ethereum ensures high levels of decentralization, immutability, and resistance to censorship.
Market Performance Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Current Price | $0.007026841639 |
| 24h Change | -0.39% |
| 24h Low / High | $0.006752 / $0.007118 |
| 7-Day Low / High | $0.006549 / $0.007380 |
| All-Time High | $0.118946 (April 17, 2021) |
| All-Time Low | $0.001247 (March 16, 2020) |
| Market Cap | ~$406.94M |
| Rank on CoinMarketCap | #173 |
Despite being down over 94% from its peak, RSR remains relevant due to ongoing protocol development and growing interest in decentralized stablecoin solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the purpose of RSR tokens?
RSR tokens are used for governance and risk absorption in the Reserve Protocol. Holders can vote on protocol upgrades and earn yield by staking RSR to back RTokens against potential collateral defaults.
Where can I buy RSR?
RSR is available on major cryptocurrency exchanges including OKX, Binance, and Coinbase. Always verify listing details and trading pairs before purchasing.
Is RSR a good investment?
RSR ranks #173 by market cap with a $406.94M valuation. While it's significantly below its all-time high, its utility in DeFi and unique staking model may present long-term potential. As with any crypto asset, conduct thorough research and assess your risk tolerance.
How many RSR tokens are in circulation?
Approximately 57.91 billion RSR tokens are in circulation out of a maximum supply of 100 billion.
Can I earn yield with RSR?
Yes—by staking RSR to provide first-loss capital for RTokens, users can earn a share of the yield generated by the underlying assets in those baskets.
Is Reserve decentralized?
Yes, Reserve aims to be fully decentralized. RTokens are governed by smart contracts and community voting via RSR staking, reducing reliance on centralized entities.
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