DeFi

6 synonyms and 3 antonyms for DeFi, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — Financial services such as lending, borrowing and currency exchange, run by software on a blockchain rather than by a bank or broker, so that users deal directly with the programs and with each other.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

decentralised finance open finance on-chain finance decentralised on-chain permissionless

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

Financial services such as lending, borrowing and currency exchange, run by software on a blockchain rather than by a bank or broker, so that users deal directly with the programs and with each other.

“He swapped one token for another using DeFi rather than an exchange.”

decentralised finance open finance on-chain finance

Opposites

traditional finance TradFi centralised finance

2. adjective

Belonging to or operating within that world of blockchain-based financial software.

“A DeFi protocol paused withdrawals after a bug was found.”

decentralised on-chain permissionless

How to use DeFi

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

DeFi protocol DeFi platform DeFi lending total value locked in DeFi DeFi hack

Usually written with a capital D and a capital F. Common in industry writing and financial journalism; still unfamiliar to general readers.

Etymology

A blend of decentralised finance, shortening de- from decentralised and fi from finance.

Full origin of DeFi →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DeFi and a normal bank?

A bank holds your money, decides who may borrow and can reverse a payment. In DeFi, the rules are written into programs on a blockchain that anyone can inspect and use, and transactions are generally not reversible. There is usually no institution obliged to compensate users if something goes wrong.

What is the difference between DeFi and CeFi?

CeFi, centralised finance, means crypto companies such as exchanges that take custody of customer funds and run their own internal records. DeFi means the same kinds of service provided by programs running on a public blockchain, with users keeping control of their own wallets.

Is DeFi regulated?

Treatment varies widely by country, and rules are still developing in many places. Some jurisdictions apply existing financial law to parts of the sector, while other activities fall outside the frameworks that cover banks and brokers.

People also searched

tradfi

Nearby words

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