15% annual returns sound incredible.

When someone first discovers they can earn that much on their cash while their bank account pays 0.01%, it feels like stumbling upon a secret that banks don't want you to know.

But here's what we've learned after helping thousands of everyday people at Nook: those high rates are actually scaring away the very people we're trying to help.

When we tested two different earning rates, one offering 12% per year and another offering 7%, the lower rate got 42% more engagement, which was not the result the team was expecting. This forced us to rethink our approach right then and there.

Here's what that actually means for you: if you're trying to help friends or family get started with earning better returns on their money, leading with the highest possible rate might be the worst strategy.

Why your brain says "no" to high rates

Think of it like this: imagine you're walking down the street and someone offers you a completely legitimate way to earn 15% per year on your cash. Your first thought probably isn't "great,” it's more like, "what's the catch?"

That's what happens when everyday people encounter high-yield crypto products. Most people anchor their expectations to what they know. Right now, a good high-yield savings account pays 4% per year. Coinbase offers 4.1%. Robinhood offers 3.5% for example, if you're a Gold member.

So when someone sees 6-7% with no minimums or lock-up periods, they think, "That's competitive." When they see 15%, they think it's fraudulent.

We found that over 72% of people with traditional banking backgrounds become skeptical when they see rates more than double what their current savings account offers. The 6-8% range is actually the sweet spot where people feel like they're getting a great deal without feeling like they're being tricked.

What are we selling is trust

When people encounter rates above 8%, they end up in a research mode that can leave them in a state of "analysis paralysis."

They spend an average of 4.6 days researching before making a decision, compared to 2-3 days for rates in the 4-6% range. They ask more questions, seek more second opinions, and often give up.

Even more telling: people try to withdraw their money multiple times more often after initially signing up for higher rates. It's like they're constantly second-guessing themselves, wondering if this is real or fraudulent. That second-guessing is natural.

The reason this matters is simple.

Earning and working with customer funds is about trust. Over 82% of our customers engage with our educational material and need detailed explanations of how the high rates work. We are not just building a product that's easy to use.

We are building a high-trust message and community for those looking to go deeper into the complexity behind higher earning rates.

Technology is not trust. We are selling trust, not technology

The crypto industry's response to skepticism has been to provide more education around the technology. Proof of stake (PoS), smart contracts, permissionless design and structure, etc.

All of these are fundamental to crypto and what we are building, but not critical for everyone to understand, just as most people don't understand the mechanics of their bank account or mortgage. At some point, it's inside baseball.

Information that we will always provide, if interested, but not necessarily critical to build trust.

Over time, we have built trust in foundations like our banking system not by an understanding of the mechanics, but through the tone, messaging, repeated assurances like FDIC, and most importantly, past performance.

You trust your bank because you know it's FDIC insured, regulated, and that millions of other people use it safely. Even if you don't know where your funds are stored and how they are secured.

I have come to learn that people don't actually need to have a comprehensive understanding of the underlying technology, but they do need to feel safe. And counterintuitively, lower rates often create more psychological safety than higher ones.

Smooth is steady, and steady is fast

When we present these more "moderate" rates to people, we can focus the conversation on what really matters: how easy it is to get started, how quickly they can access their money, and how Nook fits into their existing behavior.

Instead of spending 20 minutes explaining why 15% is legitimate, we spend 5 minutes showing someone how to set up automatic transfers and check their balance.

The result? More people actually start using the service. In an era of low trust, we think making that initial connection is fundamental. More important than getting the highest rate is having a smooth, high-trust experience to build upon.

That consistency, we think, will lead to mainstream growth rather than building for a select few.

Building trust that lasts

When evaluating different crypto earning options, pay attention to how they present their rates. Many platforms are offering airdrops, points, and boosted yields. Are they building for the long term? Or are they building to raise their token price?

We are focused on the relationship and not just the rate. This allows us to build a long-term bond.

Sustainable rates mean people don't have to check their positions on the weekend or while on vacation.

They don't have to be up to date on crypto news.

23% of our customers have a background in crypto. They have some experience with buying crypto, lending protocols, staking, or yield farming. And the risk/stress/reward experience was not worth it.

So we are rebalancing the scales between effort, reward, and trust to give our customers peace of mind.

The path forward

We in the crypto industry have an incredible opportunity to help millions of people earn better returns on their money. But we can only do that if we meet people where they are, not where we want them to be.

That means leading with rates that feel competitive but not suspicious. Designing products that are on par with consumer-grade apps like Cash App and Robinhood. And building trust through consistency and transparency. Not through promises of maximum returns.

If you're someone who's been curious about crypto earnings but felt overwhelmed by the complexity or skeptical of the rates, look for products offering 6-7% per year with clear explanations of how they work. A

sk standard questions about how quickly you can access your money, what the risks are, and look at prior performance. Lean on trusted sources like Exponential.fi and DeFi Lama.

And if this all sounds too complex, that's OK - Nook is a good place to get started.

Let's meet people where they are to build a brighter future.

Check Out Nook:
https://nookapp.xyz/