Top 10 Decentralized Finance (DeFi) assets bringing a wave of change in the market sphere of 2025

Top 10 Decentralized Finance (DeFi) assets bringing a wave of change in the market sphere of 2025

In the ever-evolving world of decentralized finance (DeFi), a select group of projects is driving innovation and growth, according to recent analyses by Santiment. These projects are transforming the landscape of DeFi, offering new possibilities and expanding the reach of this groundbreaking technology.

Chainlink emerges as critical infrastructure for security, interoperability, and compliance in hybrid financial systems. Innovations like Offchain Reporting 2.0 and Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) position Chainlink at the heart of tokenizing real-world assets and institutional DeFi adoption. Partnerships with J.P. Morgan, UBS, and SWIFT further solidify Chainlink's central role in the DeFi ecosystem[1].

Ethereum (ETH), the dominant DeFi platform, continues to back $223 billion in Total Value Locked (TVL) and $48 billion in tokenized real-world assets. Its deflationary supply model and regulatory clarity boost confidence and adoption, making ETH foundational to DeFi's growth phase[1][3].

Almanak, a DeFi smart agent platform integrating AI-driven strategies, recently secured $8.45 million funding, signaling confidence in DeFi innovation[1].

Blackhole DEX, an Avalanche-based decentralized exchange, has become the largest on its network, using community-first tokenomics and incentivization models to rapidly grow TVL and trading volume. This exemplifies DeFi’s evolution toward sustainable community engagement[4].

PancakeSwap is another major DeFi protocol that has been identified as a potential "sleeping giant," indicating renewed interest and growth in yield farming and decentralized exchange spaces[4].

Solana (SOL) and Sui (SUI) are frequently analysed by Santiment amid discussions on peaks and market volatility, indicating strong DeFi ecosystem activity and trader attention[3].

Tron (TRX) and Stellar (XLM) are mentioned among highly discussed altcoins with use cases in fast transaction settlements and institutional/tether (USDT) usage, important for DeFi liquidity and cross-border transactions[5].

Omni (OMNI) and Vine (VINE) are emerging altcoins with strong social media and market interest, indicating rising DeFi narratives and adoption potential[5].

DeepBook, an innovative decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the layer 1 Sui blockchain, offers a more efficient and transparent trading experience.

DeFiChain stands out for providing accessible and efficient financial products for Bitcoin users, expanding the reach of DeFi beyond Ethereum and other traditional blockchains.

Babylon enables users to stake Bitcoin directly on its blockchain, without intermediaries, and introduces a restaking mechanism that leverages Bitcoin's security to protect other decentralized networks based on proof-of-stake (PoS).

The intense development activity identified by Santiment reflects growing interest and adoption by investors and users in the DeFi ecosystem, strengthening liquidity, improving interoperability between platforms, and fostering the creation of new decentralized financial products. These ten projects - Chainlink, DeepBook, DeFiChain, Synthetix, Lido DAO, Liquity, Wrapped BTC, Injective, Babylon, and Uniswap - are leading the DeFi revolution due to their continuous innovation and active development.

1. The innovative decentralized exchange (DEX), DeepBook, leverages the Sui blockchain to provide a more efficient and transparent trading experience, signifying its role in the ever-evolving landscape of DeFi technology.
2. DeFiChain sets itself apart by offering accessible and efficient financial products for Bitcoin users, expanding the reach of DeFi to non-Ethereum networks, thus showcasing the potential for lifestyle transformations in finance investing.

Read also: