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.

Tech

Axie Infinity Reduces SLP Emissions to Prevent 'Collapse'

Concerns around emissions of an in-game token caused falling user numbers and a drastic plunge in SLP prices.

By Shaurya MalwaFeb 8, 2022, 4:26 a.m. EST

Tech

DeFi’s Aave Launches Web 3 Social Media Platform ‘Lens’

Composability will be a key feature of the new offering.

By Andrew ThurmanFeb 7, 2022, 4:56 p.m. EST

Left to right: Element Finance founder Will Villanueva, Synthetix founder Kain Warwick, Aave founder Stani Kulechov and Gauntlet founder Tarun Chitra speak at 2021's Token2049 event in London. (Ian Allison/CoinDesk archives)

Videos

Aleo Blockchain CEO the Largest Fundraising Round Ever In the Zero-Knowledge Space

Pledging to launch its private, programmable Aleo blockchain network “later this year,” crypto startup Aleo Systems raised $200 million in a Series B funding round led by SoftBank, Tiger Global, and others. Aleo’s Series B represents the largest fundraising round ever in the zero-knowledge space. Aleo CEO and CTO Howard Wu shares insights into his pitch, the Aleo community and the state of privacy-focused DeFi programmability.

Feb 7, 2022, 11:44 a.m. EST

Finance

$4.4M Stolen in Hack of Blockchain Infrastructure Firm Meter

According to PeckShield, the hack on Saturday saw more than 1391 ETH and 2.74 BTC stolen.

By Jamie CrawleyFeb 7, 2022, 9:28 a.m. EST

Finance

DeFi Infrastructure Provider Qredo Raises $80M at $460M Valuation

10T Holdings, a crypto investment firm led by hedge fund manager Dan Tapiero, led the round.

By Brandy BetzFeb 4, 2022, 3:06 p.m. EST

Tech

Tron’s Justin Sun Accused of ‘Governance Attack’ on DeFi Lender Compound

Crypto think tank GFX Labs says a prominent whale may be attempting to swing a vote in his favor.

By Andrew ThurmanFeb 4, 2022, 1:58 p.m. EST

Opinion

A Bridge Too Far: Does the Wormhole Hack Mean the Multi-Blockchain Dream Is Dead?

Bridges and other connections between blockchains present inherent security challenges. Whether those can be solved will determine the future of the entire ecosystem.

By David Z. MorrisFeb 4, 2022, 1:21 p.m. EST

A collapsed bridge along Forbes Avenue near Frick Park in Pittsburgh on Jan. 28, 2022. Just a few days later, a Solana-Ethereum cryptocurrency bridge called Wormhole met a similar fate. (Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Finance

JPMorgan Asset Management Chief Slams Bitcoin in ‘Maltese Falcoin’ Report

Michael Cembalest looks into bitcoin, DeFi, NFTs and more – and doesn’t like what he finds.

By Ian AllisonFeb 4, 2022, 9:23 a.m. EST

(Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Videos

Blockchain Platform Wormhole Says It's Retrieved $324M Stolen by Hackers

Popular cross-blockchain bridge Wormhole confirmed Thursday all of its funds worth over $326 million stolen from its latest exploit had been restored, and that the bridge’s operations had resumed after the attack vector had been patched. "The Hash" team discusses the latest incident causing a stir in the Solana DeFi landscape.

Feb 3, 2022, 3:58 p.m. EST

Opinion