Recently, many people have been asking about the meaning of annual interest rates, especially when discussing crypto staking and bank savings. I’ve noticed that many actually confuse APR and APY; these two concepts seem similar, but they can significantly impact your actual returns.
First, let’s talk about APR, which is the annual percentage rate. The calculation is straightforward—interest is calculated only on the principal. If you borrow or invest money and the bank or platform tells you the annual rate is 5%, that means you will earn or pay that interest based on the principal over a year.