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

Token of Layer-1 Blockchain Kava Surges 40% Ahead of Mainnet Upgrade

The change improves transaction speed and aims to beef up security on the platform, Kava says.

By Elizabeth NapolitanoMay 16, 2023

Finance

Lending Platform Atlendis Deploys Upgrade on Polygon, Opens $2M Lending Pool for Banxa

Atlendis Labs is a blockchain-based credit marketplace that offers revolving credit lines for small and medium-sized businesses and fintech firms.

By Krisztian SandorMay 16, 2023

Finance

Bakkt Mass Delists Tokens Including Aave, Avalanche, Compound, Filecoin, MakerDAO and Uniswap

Intercontinental Exchange-owned Bakkt discontinued its consumer-facing app in February as it shifts away from retail

By Sam ReynoldsMay 12, 2023

Bakkt Holdings, Inc. leadership outside the New York Stock Exchange following a successful merger with VPC Impact Acquisition Holdings to take the firm public. (NYSE)

Tech

Cardano Scaling Node Hydra Head Goes Live on Blockchain's Mainnet

The tool, the first in a planned suite of products, aims to speed up transaction times on Cardano.

By Shaurya MalwaMay 12, 2023

Monad Labs is looking to provide faster EVM processing than Ethereum. (Julian Hochgesang/Unsplash)

Tech

Threshold Network Goes Live With Wormhole to Bridge Bitcoin to 20 Blockchains

Using bitcoin on other networks previously required users to rely on centralized bridges, which increased risks for token holders.

By Shaurya MalwaMay 11, 2023

Prime Protocol to eliminate need for cross-chain bridges (Charlie Green/Unsplash)

Tech

Developers Deploy Uniswap Contracts on Bitcoin as BRC20-Based SHIB, PEPE Gain Popularity

Tokens issued on Bitcoin ran to a cumulative market capitalization of as much as $1.5 billion earlier this week before sharply correcting.

By Shaurya MalwaMay 11, 2023

Red arrows moving upon wooden blocks, Business concept Growth, Conceptual Business Finance Growth (Sakchai Vongsasiripat)

Tech

Urbit, a Network Older and Weirder Than Bitcoin, Finally Turns Toward Growth

The peer-to-peer network started in 2002 says it's taking on "MEGACORP," much in the same vein as many blockchain networks. A bit more fun are the "secret code names" that users are assigned.

By Bradley KeounMay 10, 2023

Josh Lehman, executive director, Urbit Foundation, spoke at Consensus 2023 in Austin, Texas, in April. (Shutterstock/CoinDesk)

Finance

DeFi Broker Prime Protocol Introduces Bridgeless Cross-Chain Token Transfers

The protocol aims to eliminate the need for token bridges, wraps and swaps to make moving crypto tokens between blockchains safer.

By Elizabeth NapolitanoMay 9, 2023

Videos

Phoenix Labs CEO on DeFi Giant MakerDAO's Spark Protocol Launch

MakerDAO launches Spark Protocol today, a front-end access lending protocol specifically designed for Maker's DAI stablecoin. Sam MacPherson, co-founder and CEO of Phoenix Labs, which contributes to Spark Protocol, joins "First Mover" to discuss the rollout and how Spark aims to address the potential risks of decentralized finance (DeFi). Plus, why Spark is not being offered in the U.S.

May 9, 2023