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

Market Wrap: Bitcoin Dips as Macro and Geopolitical Uncertainties Remain

Cryptos and stocks have traded in a choppy range so far this year.

By Damanick Dantes, Angelique ChenApr 14, 2022

Markets on edge amid Russia-Ukraine war (Don Fontijn, Unsplash)

Finance

OlympusDAO Co-Founder Doxxed? Lawsuit Claims to Unmask 'Apollo'

An early Olympus investor alleges he was cheated out of millions of OHM tokens when key smart contracts were rendered inoperable.

By Sam KesslerApr 14, 2022

(Metropolitan Museum of Art, modified by CoinDesk)

Learn

Want to Play Axie Infinity? Here’s What You Need to Know

Looking to dive into your first play-to-earn game? Axie Infinity could be a good place to start.

By Andrey SergeenkovApr 14, 2022

Videos

Fireblocks Exec on Bringing DeFi to Traditional Markets

Fireblocks Head of Corporate Strategy Adam Levine discusses the company's partnership with fintech FSI to bring decentralized finance (DeFi) accessibility to over 6,400 capital markets entities. Also, a conversation about the evolving role of banks as DeFi adoption continues to grow.

Apr 14, 2022

Tech

On-Chain Wallet Profiler Nansen Adds Solana Coverage

“There has been huge demand to launch a Solana dashboard,” said Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik.

By Danny NelsonApr 14, 2022

Solana adherents gathered under the lights. (Danny Nelson/CoinDesk archives)

Finance

South Korean Smart Contract Auditing Platform Sooho.io Raises $4.5M

The startup works with Samsung and LG.

By Eliza GkritsiApr 14, 2022

Seoul, South Korea (Ciaran O'Brien/Unsplash)

Markets

Market Wrap: Cryptos Rise as Bitcoin Returns Above $40K

BTC rose by 4% over the past 24 hours, compared with a 12% rise in RUNE.

By Damanick Dantes, Angelique ChenApr 13, 2022

Videos

Fireblocks Partners with FIS to Bring DeFi to Capital Markets

Crypto custody firm Fireblocks announced a partnership with Fortune 500 technology provider FIS to provide banks and institutional investors access to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and crypto trading venues. “The Hash” discusses FIS providing traditional finance with a gateway to DeFi and growing investor interest in wallet technology.

Apr 13, 2022

Videos

Will Banks Adapt to a DeFi Future?

CoinDesk Contributor and Ernst & Young Principal Global Innovation leader Paul Brody discusses the future of the banking industry as decentralized finance (DeFi) continues to grow, drawing on historical comparisons such as how telephone companies adapted to the rise of smartphones and apps. Plus, a conversation about the highly anticipated Ethereum merge to proof-of-stake.

Apr 13, 2022