> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.pinto.money/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.pinto.money/why-pinto/why-pinto-overview.md).

# Why Pinto? Overview

Pinto is founded on the convictions that

1. centralized stablecoins pose an existential threat to the sovereignty of the Ethereum network;
2. fiat is the best currency model, if the power of the printer is used wisely and fairly; and
3. a properly designed set of incentives has the potential to sufficiently minimize the volatility of an on-chain fiat currency to outcompete centralized stablecoins and free Ethereum from the threat of centralized stablecoins.

The following essays give high-level color and context to Pinto from various relevant perspectives.

[Announcing Pinto](/why-pinto/announcing-pinto-leviathan-free-low-volatility-money.md) is the declaration of the start of the next chapter algorithmic stablecoins from Pinto’s launch in November, 2024.

[Pinto: Prints for the People](/why-pinto/pinto-prints-for-the-people.md) explains Pinto as an evolution of fiat currency.

[Ethereum at 10 ](/why-pinto/ethereum-at-10-an-existential-threat.md)explains Pinto as a response to the existential threat posed by centralized stablecoins to the Ethereum network.

[Credit vs Collateral](/why-pinto/credit-vs-collateral.md) explains why credit based stablecoins have intrinsic economic advantages over collateralized stablecoins.

[Terrable Design: Lessons from Terra's Collapse on the Path to a Scalable Network Native MoE & UoA ](/why-pinto/terrable-design-lessons-from-terras-collapse-on-the-path-to-a-scalable-network-native-moe-and-uoa.md)responds to the biggest and most frequently cited FUD when it comes to algorithmic stablecoins: “what about Terra!?”

[4 Years of Beanstalk](/why-pinto/4-years-of-beanstalk.md) recaps the journey thus far to create an algorithmic on-chain fiat currency since Beanstalk, the predecessor to Pinto, was deployed on Ethereum mainnet in 2021.

[Economic Principles](/why-pinto/economic-principles.md) explains the economic convictions behind the Pinto model.

[Classifying Stablecoins](/why-pinto/classifying-stablecoins.md) presents a holistic framework to understand the various stablecoin models.

[Why Pinto Contributor Articles](/why-pinto/why-pinto-contributor-articles.md) are pieces written by contributors to Pinto, past and present, on why they are working on algorithmic on-chain fiat currency.

Pinto Roadmap (coming soon) expounds on important development updates made since the protocol was deployed in November, 2024 and the plans for future development in 2026.

[Values and Properties](https://app.gitbook.com/o/vaU8RboRkIPnZEKgwwZ8/s/E6o3oJ1UvNLq82fMCMG5/~/changes/60/why-pinto/values-and-properties) defines and briefly explains essential elements that ground Pinto's vision, and how Pinto implements them.