DeFi

DeFi, short for decentralized finance, represents a shift in the financial sector by leveraging blockchain technology, primarily Ethereum, to eliminate traditional financial intermediaries. It enables various financial applications, from simple transactions to complex contracts, through smart contracts that execute automatically under specific conditions. Key DeFi applications include decentralized exchanges (DEXs), stablecoins, lending platforms, and prediction markets. DeFi offers financial services like loans and interest-earning opportunities without traditional identity verification, relying instead on collateral, usually in cryptocurrency. This innovative sector promises increased accessibility and efficiency but comes with risks, such as market volatility and unregulated projects.


Markets

Everything Moves Fast in DeFi, Even Political Action

The controversial DeFi Education Fund will pay off for the whole industry.

"Unicorns in Battle" (1936) by Alfred Oakley and Gilbert Bayes.

Videos

EQIFI CEO: Biggest Challenge for Stablecoins Is 'Loss of Faith'

Responding to El Salvador potentially issuing its own stablecoins, Brad Yasar, CEO of EQIFI, a decentralized protocol for pooled lending and borrowing, says the biggest risk of stablecoins is "loss of faith" and "proving to the users that it is truly stable." Plus, what to expect from the presidential working group's meeting on stablecoins and "game-changing" DeFi projects to watch for.

Recent Videos

Videos

Grayscale CEO on New DeFi Fund, DeFi Risks, GBTC Unlockings

Michael Sonnenshein, CEO of digital asset manager Grayscale Investments, discusses the launch of a new institutional-grade decentralized finance (DeFi) fund and index providing investors with exposure to a portfolio of DeFi protocols. Plus, his take on DeFi’s risks and its regulatory path ahead.

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Videos

Crypto and Security: Tips to Prevent Hacks for Exchanges to Nations Embracing Bitcoin

Kris Constable, CEO of bitcoin wallet app CoinOS, discusses how his company is helping to combat the “perpetual problem” of crypto exchanges falling victim to hacks. Meanwhile, NextWorldLeader’s Shannon Allen shares his take on the DeFi sector becoming a prime target for hackers. “Code auditing is key,” Allen said.

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Markets

Grayscale Unveils DeFi Fund Linked to New CoinDesk Index

The new fund joins a growing number of offerings seeking to help investors easily bet on growth in decentralized finance (DeFi).

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote on decentralization during the 1800s.

Videos

Are GBTC Unlockings Bullish or Bearish for Bitcoin?

As investors anticipate one of the largest Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) unlocking periods due this weekend, CoinDesk's Christie Harkin and Brad Keoun discuss whether the unlock will be bearish or bullish for bitcoin's price. "In all things being equal, it's probably positive for bitcoin," Keoun said. Plus, Square is potentially launching a new bitcoin platform for decentralized financial services.

Recent Videos

Videos

Square to Create New Bitcoin Platform for Decentralized Financial Services

Payments services firm Square will open a new business focused on creating an “open developer platform” to make it easier to provide non-custodial, decentralized financial services, CEO Jack Dorsey said Thursday in a series of tweets. The division’s “primary focus” would be bitcoin.

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Finance

Terra Attracts $150M for DeFi Ecosystem Fund

The decentralized stablecoin project is rapidly gaining momentum.

Daniel Shin y Do Kwon, cofundadores de Terra. (Terraform Labs)

Videos

Timothy Massad: Bitcoin ETFs Could Lead to Greater Regulation

Responding to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s call for SEC to clarify its role on crypto regulations, former CFTC Chairman Timothy Massad suggests that the SEC, despite not having direct authority to regulate crypto exchanges, could approve bitcoin ETFs as a way to “bring some regulatory standards.”

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