How DeFi is transforming the financial industry
Individuals and institutions are starting to investigate decentralized finance as cryptocurrency investments have skyrocketed (DeFi). Let's take a closer look at this emerging market.
What exactly is DeFi?
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is based on the peer-to-peer concept, which eliminates the need for intermediaries in the system. DeFi democratizes finance and replaces traditional centralized institutions such as banks, brokerages, and NBFCs by relying on peer-to-peer philosophy and self-executing "smart contracts" on the blockchain network (Non-Banking Financial Companies).
DeFi operates on the blockchain network using smart contract technology with no human intervention. This reduces the possibility of errors and boosts efficiency.
How does DeFi function?
DeFi protocol makes use of computer code known as smart contracts, which run on the blockchain network. The source code for the majority of DeFi projects is available for anyone in the world to inspect and audit. Users of the DeFi protocol can use their wallets to communicate with these smart contracts in order to transfer funds, borrow, lend, or use any of the DeFi services.
DeFi projects on the blockchain network offer simple and inexpensive access to capital, as well as efficient lending and borrowing, as well as decentralized crypto and synthetic stock exchanges. Because of their decentralized nature, some DeFi projects, such as Uniswap, have evolved into highly efficient global financial markets that cater to both individuals and institutions. Furthermore, DeFi eliminates middlemen, allowing for more efficient financial services at lower costs.
Because DeFi operates on a blockchain network and is generally open source, anyone with an internet connection can view, audit, and view all transactions. Blockchain data is immutable, which means that once it is on the blockchain network, it cannot be changed. This results in a trustless financial system based on code. A Decentralized Exchange is one such example (DEX).
DEX's growing popularity
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has managed to bring about significant change in the financial world in recent years. Transactions on DeFi and Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs) on the blockchain network have grown in popularity, with disintermediation as the guiding philosophy.
DEXs can have deep liquidity by providing asset-specific liquidity pools instead of order books in centralised exchanges, thanks to a technology known as "Automated Market Makers" (AMM). Users can provide liquidity for those assets in these liquidity pools and earn substantial passive income through trading fees.
In contrast to centralized financial services such as traditional banking, DeFi firms do not require intermediaries or custodians to provide services such as buying, selling, lending, and borrowing of crypto assets. DEX users can interact with the blockchain protocol directly to execute trades or obtain services. A DEX's non-custodial framework allows users to keep their cryptocurrency ownership and complete control over their assets in their wallets. DeFi and DEXs rely on self-regulating computer code called “smart contracts” that run on a blockchain network.
Most DeFi projects are built on the Ethereum blockchain network because it was the first to provide an infrastructure that allows developers to create such decentralized applications (DApps). However, new blockchain networks such as Solana, Cardano, Polkadot, and others are in the works, gradually creating a more competitive DeFi space.
Although DEXs and decentralised finance projects are fairly complex and have a steep learning curve, they are gradually becoming a profitable option for SMEs and startups in the FinTech space around the world. DeFi and DEXs around the world provide easier access to cheaper credit, easy lending and borrowing activities, and are changing the landscape of traditional financial systems due to their low entry barriers.
Including the insurance industry
One of the most significant DeFi use cases has been in the insurance industry. While the current insurance system is plagued by complex audit systems, paperwork, and bureaucratic claiming procedures, the use of smart contracts has the potential to make it much more efficient. Insurance coverage for cryptocurrency on the blockchain network is also provided by DeFi projects such as Nexus Mutual, Opyn, and VouchForMe. Inflationary pressures and falling interest rates in fiat currencies have made it difficult for middle-class people around the world to save and invest. DeFi projects such as PoolTogether, Dharma, and Argent have created alternative solutions for risk-free savings and investments through no-loss saving strategies.
Borrowing and lending protocols have become one of DeFi's major applications since it has replaced traditional banking systems. Several DeFi projects, including Compound and PoolTogether, are focused on the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and borrowing market. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) has accelerated transactions, particularly in the case of cross-border payments, where transaction costs and delays created bottlenecks for both senders and receivers. DLT has democratized banking by allowing anyone to take out loans and even lend money in exchange for cryptocurrency. Furthermore, the DeFi ecosystem has enabled tokenization, which allows digital assets to be created, issued, and managed on a blockchain network. This has resulted in the birth of a new type of economy. To create, store, or trade value, digital assets, for example, are being tokenized in the form of NFTs. The growth of DeFi-based prediction platforms, where users can trade value by forecasting the outcome of future events, has resulted from the increased adoption of DeFi. For example, digital assets are being tokenized in the form of NFTs to create, store, or trade value. The increased adoption of DeFi has resulted in the growth of DeFi-based prediction platforms, where users can trade value by forecasting the outcome of future events.
Revolutionizing the gaming industry
DeFi, through platforms such as Augur, enables users to place wagers on global events. Games and eSports have also emerged as significant markets for DeFi technologies. DeFi tokens can now be used by game developers for in-app purchases and loot box features in games. Collectible and trading games have become popular genres on blockchain by allowing players to trade unique tokens and allowing developers to create their own ecosystems and economies.
The aforementioned benefits of using DeFi explain why it has seen meteoric growth in recent years, earning a market capitalization of $128 billion. However, while decentralized exchanges provide many game-changing benefits, they also pose some risks. Unlike traditional banking, there is no regulation or insurance for DeFi investments. Other crypto assets are used as collateral for DeFi loans. However, if the economy suffers a downturn, the value of these assets may plummet and even be liquidated. Furthermore, lost data and account information, such as passwords, can be recovered using centralized systems. When trading on DEXs, if the seed phrase is lost, the user information and thus the funds may be irretrievably lost. As a result, as with any investment decision, users must first vet the applications they are considering to ensure they are safe and thoroughly audited.
To summarize, while centralized systems continue to dominate market activity due to user-friendly interfaces, security, regulatory oversight, and insurance, the growth of DeFi has created space for decentralized crypto exchange protocols. DeFi will need to expand its capabilities and become more robust in terms of security and scalability as more people enter the digital asset space. This has already begun with the Ethereum network's upgrade to Ethereum 2.0. DEX is certain to make cryptocurrency trading more fair, private, and independent in the near future, thereby accelerating the growth of decentralized finance and its supporting mechanisms. The most recent developments and trends in cryptocurrency investments appear to be promising for Decentralized Exchanges.