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DEFI AND WEB3 BASICS

Decentralised finance explained without the jargon.

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WHAT IS DEFI AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Last updated October 8, 2026 · Crypto and Stocks News

Decentralised finance rebuilds trading, lending and payments as open smart contracts anyone can use.

On a decentralised exchange, trades settle against pools of tokens supplied by other users rather than an order book run by a company. Lending markets set interest rates algorithmically from supply and demand.

Stablecoins — tokens pegged to the dollar — are DeFi's working capital and increasingly a payment rail in their own right. Their reserves and regulation are a major policy story.

The trade-off is risk: code can have bugs, collateral can be liquidated quickly, and there is usually no one to call. Understand a protocol before you fund it.

Key points

  • Open, permissionless protocols
  • Stablecoins are the base currency
  • Rates set by code, not committees
  • Smart-contract risk is real

Educational content from Crypto and Stocks News — not financial, legal or tax advice.