DeFi

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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.

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Oasis with palms in the desert (Getty Images)
Oasis Foundation Launches Emerald, an EVM-Compatible Smart Contract Environment
On the heels of launching a $160 million investment fund, Oasis is now laying the groundwork for decentralized finance and NFTs.
Oasis with palms in the desert (Getty Images)

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Maple Finance Launches First DeFi Syndicated Loan for Alameda Research
Think of it as an “on-chain crypto SPAC,” said founder Sid Powell.
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(camilo jimenez/Unsplash)
Web 3 Social Media Needs Dedicated Blockchains
General-purpose blockchains are awesome at DeFi, but prohibitively expensive for decentralized social media.
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(Sandra Gabriel on Unsplash)
Oasis Launches $160M Ecosystem Fund With Backing From Jump Capital and Others
The layer 1, long in development, is finally preparing for prime time.
(Sandra Gabriel on Unsplash)

(Element5 Digital/Unsplash)
A Few Unorthodox Thoughts on DeFi Regulation
Why not try a “scorecard” for protocols?
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(ieva swanson/Unsplash)
DEX Aggregator ParaSwap Launches PSP Token on Heels of ENS Airdrop Excitement
After months of anticipation and a thorough “anti-Sybil” process, ParaSwap’s DAO is now live.
(ieva swanson/Unsplash)

DEX Aggregator ParaSwap Launches PSP Token Following ENS Airdrop Excitement
DEX Aggregator ParaSwap Launches PSP Token Following ENS Airdrop Excitement
On the heels of the ENS token distribution, exchange aggregator ParaSwap has launched its PSP governance token. PSP enables users to stake in liquidity pools in exchange for p...
DEX Aggregator ParaSwap Launches PSP Token Following ENS Airdrop Excitement

A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution could end up in the hands of a DAO. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
‘I Think We’re Doing This’: Inside One DAO’s $20M Plot to Purchase the US Constitution
What started as 10 internet friends is now an 8,000-strong Discord channel. Is this the new face of participatory democracy?
A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution could end up in the hands of a DAO. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

The pawnbrokers' symbol (Bethany Clarke/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk)
VCs Back ‘Pawn Shop of the Metaverse’ With $3M Raise
Pawnfi lets customers take out loans against their NFTs while also providing appraisal and liquidation services.
The pawnbrokers' symbol (Bethany Clarke/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk)

(Moe Zoyari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Alex Raises $5.8M to Bring DeFi to the Bitcoin Ecosystem
Alex aims to be a one-stop DeFi platform for fixed-rate and fixed-term bitcoin lending and borrowing.
(Moe Zoyari/Bloomberg via Getty Images)