Decentralized finance started as an experiment but has grown rapidly.
- 2018 DeFi 1.0: MakerDAO, Compound enabled algorithmic lending.
- 2020 Yield Farming: Yearn Finance, SushiSwap drove explosive interest.
- 2021 Overleveraging: TVL peaked above $100B; risks surfaced.
- Today: DeFi 2.0 focuses on resilience, dynamic yields, cross-chain liquidity, and institutional integration.