Ethereum is the most popular blockchain platform for decentralized applications (dapps) and smart contracts. While it is often associated with Bitcoin, Ethereum is much more than a digital currency.
It is a decentralized platform that runs on blockchain technology, allowing developers to create dapps and smart contracts that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of fraud or third party interference.
Ethereum has often been referred to as a “decentralized world computer” because of its ability to run dapps and smart contracts. However, Ethereum is much more than just a platform for running dapps and smart contracts.
It is also a platform for decentralized finance (DeFi).
DeFi is a term used to describe the growing movement of financial applications built on Ethereum that are designed to work in a decentralized manner. This means that they are not subject to the control of any central authority, such as a government or bank.
There are currently over 5,000 DeFi applications built on Ethereum with a total value locked in them of over $13 billion. This makes Ethereum the most popular blockchain platform for DeFi applications by far.
So, what exactly are DeFi applications? They can be divided into three main categories: protocols, platforms, and products.
Protocols are the building blocks of DeFi applications. They provide the infrastructure that other applications can build on top of.
The most popular protocols in the DeFi space are MakerDAO, Compound, and Synthetix.
Platforms are protocols that enable the creation of other applications. The most popular DeFi platform is Ethereum itself.
Other popular platforms include EOSIO and Polkadot.
Products are the applications that people actually use to do things like borrow and lend money, trade cryptocurrencies, or take out insurance policies. The most popular DeFi products are MakerDAO’s Dai stablecoin, Compound’s lending platform, and Synthetix’s synthetic asset exchange.
So, is Ethereum a DeFi project? The answer is yes! Ethereum is the most popular blockchain platform for DeFi applications. While it started out as a platform for running dapps and smart contracts, it has become much more than that due to the growing movement of financial applications built on Ethereum that are designed to work in a decentralized manner.