Explainers
10 Things to Know About Decentralized Finance
Published: December 2, 2025
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Bridging
DeFi & Policy
DeFi Education Fund is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating for sound DeFi policy. At DEF, we are working to build a mainstream understanding of decentralized finance, and to protect the rights of developers, users, and projects to freely create decentralized infrastructure and technology.
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What We Do
Defining DeFi
DEF is defining DeFi for policymakers, regulators, and those looking to better understand DeFi’s technical nuances and overarching promise — and, as critically, explain what DeFi is not.
Representing DeFi
At the heart of our work, DEF represents DeFi technologies, builders, and users in D.C. and wherever DeFi can use a strong advocate.
Mobilizing DeFi
As the only organization in D.C. exclusively focused on DeFi, DEF is mobilizing the DeFi community to present and elevate a unified “DeFi voice” in critical policy and legal discussions.
Policy Approach
DEF’s only agenda is to remain unwaveringly focused on what’s best for DeFi.
We work across all three branches of government and around the world.
Defining Defi
What is DeFi?
DeFi — short for Decentralized Finance — is a system of financial applications built on public blockchains that allow individuals to execute their own peer-to-peer financial transactions without involving intermediaries and while custodying their own funds.
The DEF team creates free educational materials for those looking to learn more.
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DeFi Debrief
Read DEF’s Latest Newsletter
DeFi Debrief: December 5
Week of December 1: DEF Comment Letter to CFTC; 10 Things to Know About DeFi; International Updates DEF Submits Comment Letter to CFTC On November 28, 2025, DEF submitted a comment letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in response to its Request for Input on the recommendations for the CFTC in the President’s […]
Latest Research
Demystifying DeFi
A national study from DeFi Education Foundation, conducted with Ipsos on KnowledgePanel and supplemented by in-depth interviews in the Bronx and Queens, provides fresh insights into how Americans, especially underbanked communities, view the financial system and emerging technologies, like decentralized finance.
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