99.87% was stuck for four days, both the borrower and the depositor are uncomfortable, so they quickly moved to address the issue.

Summary: Circle proposes an emergency Aave V3 USDC overhaul, lifting Slope 2 to ~40% to restore healthy utilization (target ~85%), with max rate rising to ~48%, arguing borrowers ignore rates; also suggests pausing the USDC risk oracle.

Abstract: Circle has urged an emergency overhaul of Aave V3's USDC pool after four days at near-6% idle liquidity and 99.87% utilization following the KelpDAO exploit. The plan would immediately raise Slope 2 for USDC deposits from about 10% to 40%, followed by governance ratification of a 50% target within a week. The aim is to attract supply and restore balanced utilization, with a move to a higher max supply rate (about 48%) at full utilization. Liao argues current borrowers use USDC borrowing as a queue-bypass mechanism and are insensitive to current rates, making supply-focused incentives essential. The proposal also recommends pausing the USDC Risk Oracle due to past underperformance. Circle’s stance is notable because a stablecoin issuer is essentially saying the market for its asset on Aave is broken.