Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is a revolutionary movement in finance that leverages [[blockchain]] technology to create a more open and accessible financial system. It aims to remove intermediaries like banks and financial institutions from traditional financial transactions. Instead, DeFi utilizes smart contracts, which are self-executing agreements written in code, to enable peer-to-peer lending, borrowing, trading, and other financial services. This allows for greater transparency, reduced costs, and increased accessibility for users. DeFi applications are typically built on public blockchains like [[Ethereum]], where anyone can participate and access financial services regardless of their location or background.