Uncollateralized Lending Risks
Uncollateralized lending risks refer to the potential for systemic failure when protocols allow users to borrow assets without depositing sufficient collateral, relying instead on trust or reputation. In the context of governance, this risk manifests when attackers use these loans to gain outsized influence for a fleeting moment.
Because the capital is not truly at risk, the borrower has no incentive to act in the best interest of the protocol. This creates an environment where malicious behavior is incentivized if the potential gain from a governance exploit exceeds the cost of the flash loan fee.
Protocols must carefully balance the accessibility of credit with the risk of enabling governance manipulation. Managing these risks requires sophisticated risk engines that account for the potential impact of sudden changes in voting power distribution.