Since the inception of Bitcoin in 2008, financial markets have seen a sharp increase in market capitalization for various blockchain-based assets in recent years. Yet, Bitcoin still represents the most popular cryptocurrency, with a market capitalization amounting to approximately USD 370 billion as of mid 2022. The recent phenomenon of blockchain-based applications such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the emergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) have also contributed to the mushrooming of digital assets. In particular, DeFi has experienced tremendous momentum, with cryptocurrency investments locked to the Ethereum blockchain exceeding USD 100 billion by the end of 2021. DeFi has witnessed a rapid increase in market value in 2021, accompanied by a growing user base and the emergence of new, innovative use cases. Against this backdrop, we believe that exploring and developing a comprehensive understanding of DeFi marks a worthwhile endeavor.
