All Learning Paths
Protocols and yield

DeFi

Decentralized finance from first principles: DEXs, lending, stablecoins, yield, and the risks the APY numbers don't show.

12 guidesabout 69 min total
Start with guide 1
  1. 1

    What Is DeFi?

    Decentralized finance in plain terms: what it replaces, what's genuinely new, and the risk trade-offs.

    5 min read

  2. 2

    How DEXs Work: AMMs and Liquidity Pools

    Constant-product AMMs, pools, and how a swap executes without an order book.

    6 min read

  3. 3

    Impermanent Loss Explained

    The LP risk everyone underestimates, with worked examples and when fees compensate.

    6 min read

  4. 4

    DeFi Lending and Borrowing

    Overcollateralized loans, utilization rates, and liquidations on Aave-style money markets.

    5 min read

  5. 5

    Yield Farming and Where Yield Comes From

    The only question that matters in DeFi: who is paying you, and why? Sustainable vs emissions yield.

    6 min read

  6. 6

    Staking Explained: PoS, Rewards, and Risks

    What staking secures, real vs nominal yield, slashing, and liquid staking derivatives.

    5 min read

  7. 7

    Wrapped Tokens and Bridges

    How assets move across chains, why bridges are hack magnets, and safer bridging habits.

    6 min read

  8. 8

    Layer 2s: Rollups and Scaling

    Optimistic vs ZK rollups, why L2s exist, and what changes for users and fees.

    6 min read

  9. 9

    DAOs and Token Governance

    How on-chain governance works, delegate systems, and governance attack vectors.

    6 min read

  10. 10

    DeFi Risk Map: Smart Contract, Oracle, and Economic Risk

    A taxonomy of how DeFi positions actually lose money, beyond price risk.

    6 min read

  11. 11

    Reading DeFi Metrics: TVL, Volume, and Revenue

    What TVL does and doesn't measure, protocol revenue vs emissions, and where to check the data.

    6 min read

  12. 12

    A DeFi Safety Checklist

    Approvals hygiene, contract verification, position monitoring — the operational routine for using DeFi.

    6 min read