Start with safety, not the highest rate
Stablecoin earn products can look similar to bank deposits, but they are not bank accounts. You are usually taking exchange custody risk, product risk, and rate-change risk.
A beginner should compare the platform first, then the product. Deep liquidity, clear Proof of Reserves, a clean incident response history, and simple withdrawal terms matter more than a slightly higher APY.
Use simple products first
For a first deposit, focus on Simple Earn, Flexible Earn, Savings, or similarly plain exchange products. Avoid structured products, dual investment, leverage, futures, and anything that requires predicting market direction.
Flexible products are easier to understand because you can usually redeem sooner. Locked products can pay more, but the lock-up period and early redemption terms must be clear.
Compare the full offer
Do not compare only the advertised rate. Check whether the rate is APR or APY, whether there are deposit caps, how often rewards accrue, whether the rate is promotional, and which asset is actually being deposited.