Arch (Deferred) vs SALT
No-monthly-payment deferred interest against a freshly repriced lender with multi-year terms.
Rates as of July 2026 · Verified weekly · By Borrow on Bitcoin
Arch (Deferred)Exclusive rate
$100k loan, 50% LTV · Max LTV 60%
SALT$100k loan, 50% LTV · Max LTV 70%
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The bottom line
Arch (Deferred) lets you skip monthly payments while interest capitalizes, with Anchorage qualified custody at around 8.0%. SALT recently cut rates to a 7.49% starting APR with no origination fee and offers 1, 3, and 5-year terms, but it holds collateral in its own pool. Rather than a traditional liquidation, SALT stabilizes an uncured margin call by converting your bitcoin to USDC (a 3% fee, plus 2% to convert back), which keeps the loan open but locks in a downturn price. Choose Arch for independent custody and deferred payments; choose SALT for the lower rate and long fixed terms.
Conditional guidance, not a recommendation. The right pick depends on your loan size, LTV, state, and what you value most. Rates can change; the table below is the live source.
Arch (Deferred) vs SALT, side by side
| Arch (Deferred) | SALT | |
|---|---|---|
| Effective APR$100k loan, 50% LTV, all-in | 10.99% | 8.75% |
| Starting APR | 8% | 7.49% |
| Origination fee | 1.49% | None |
| Liquidation fee | 2% | None stated |
| Max LTV | 60% | 70% |
| Custody model | Qualified custodian (Anchorage Digital) | Lender-held |
| Rehypothecation | No | No |
| Margin-call cure window | 24 hours | 48 hours |
| Funding speed | Same day to 1 day | 1–2 days |
| Minimum loan | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Maximum loan | No stated maximum | No stated maximum |
| Loan terms | 1 to 12 months; deferred interest; settle at maturity or roll accrued interest into a new loan's principal | 1, 3, or 5 years; rates increase with term length; 70% LTV available on 1-year only |
| Prepayment | No prepayment penalty. Accrued interest can be settled at any time without penalty. | No prepayment penalty and no late fees. |
| Operating since | 2023 | 2016 |
| Availability | 39 states (excludes 11) | All 50 states |
Rates and fees
On a $100,000 loan at 50% LTV, SALT is the cheaper borrow: an all-in effective APR of about 8.75% versus 10.99% at Arch (Deferred), a gap of roughly 2.24 points before fees. SALT charges no origination fee; Arch (Deferred) adds 1.49% up front, which matters most on shorter terms.
Custody and counterparty risk
Arch (Deferred) holds collateral via qualified custodian (Anchorage Digital), while SALT uses lender-held. Neither rehypothecates collateral.
Loan terms and flexibility
Arch (Deferred) offers 1 to 12 months; deferred interest; settle at maturity or roll accrued interest into a new loan's principal; SALT offers 1, 3, or 5 years; rates increase with term length; 70% ltv available on 1-year only. Arch (Deferred) can run with no monthly payments, with interest deferring and capitalizing to the balance, while SALT expects you to service interest along the way. On a margin call, Arch (Deferred) gives a 24-hour cure window and SALT gives a 48-hour cure window, the time you have to add collateral or repay before a forced sale. Neither penalizes early repayment.
Leverage, limits, and speed
SALT allows the higher maximum LTV (70% vs 60%), so you can borrow more per Bitcoin, at the cost of a thinner buffer before a margin call if the price falls. Funding runs same day to 1 day at Arch (Deferred) and 1–2 days at SALT.
Track record and availability
SALT has the longer history, operating since 2016 versus 2023. On availability, Arch (Deferred) is not available in 11 states, while SALT covers all 50 states.
Strengths and trade-offs
Arch (Deferred)
- No monthly payments, interest accrues to maturity
- Option to roll accrued interest into a new loan's principal at renewal
- Anchorage Digital qualified custody
- $100M Lloyd's of London insurance
- Zero rehypothecation, explicit policy
- Carries a ~50 bps APR premium over the Monthly Payment tier; the deferral has a price
- 1.49% origination fee plus 2.00% liquidation fee (origination tiers down at higher loan sizes)
- Not available in 11 states: CA, DE, HI, MS, MT, NV, ND, RI, SC, TX, VT
SALT
- Operating since 2016
- Up to 70% LTV, the highest among general loans on this list
- APR tiered by LTV (9.95% / 10.95% / 14.45%)
- International availability: Australia, Canada, Brazil, Portugal, Switzerland, UK, UAE, Vietnam
- Lender-held custody, not a third-party qualified custodian
- If a margin call goes uncured, Salt stabilizes the loan (converts collateral to USDC, a 3% fee, with a 2% fee to convert back later) rather than running a traditional liquidation, so you keep the loan and choose how to proceed; the cost is that stabilization locks in a downturn price
- SALT Shield (a paid downside-protection add-on) can forbear margin calls and market-triggered stabilization for the life of the loan
About each lender
Arch (Deferred)
Bitcoin-backed loan with Anchorage Digital qualified custody, segregated wallets, $100M Lloyd's of London insurance, and explicit no-rehypothecation policy. The Deferred Interest variant (launched May 2026) carries no monthly payments, interest accrues to maturity or rolls into the next loan.
SALT
Operating since 2016. APR tiered by LTV: 9.95% at 30% LTV, 10.95% at 50%, 14.45% at 70%. Loan agreement states it does not rehypothecate (no third-party lending of collateral). California DFPI consent order in 2024; SEC fined in 2020 for unregistered ICO; paused withdrawals Nov 2022.
Frequently asked
Is Arch (Deferred) or SALT cheaper?
On a $100,000 loan at 50% LTV, SALT is cheaper, with an all-in effective APR of about 8.75% versus 10.99%. SALT also charges no origination fee, while Arch (Deferred) adds 1.49% up front.
Which has lower custody risk, Arch (Deferred) or SALT?
Arch (Deferred) uses qualified custodian and SALT uses lender-held. Neither rehypothecates pledged collateral.
Can I borrow more with Arch (Deferred) or SALT?
SALT allows the higher maximum LTV (70% versus 60%), so you can borrow more per Bitcoin pledged. The trade-off is a thinner buffer before a margin call if Bitcoin's price drops.
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borrowonbitcoin.com is a comparison publisher, not a lender or financial advisor. Rate data verified July 6, 2026. How we verify rates · Full disclosures.