--- title: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) description: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is an ecosystem of financial applications built on blockchain networks. You will understand how smart contracts enable automated lending, borrowing, trading, and yield generation without traditional intermediaries. category: finance-economics subcategory: blockchain-and-cryptocurrency difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced url: /subject/decentralized-finance-(defi) --- # Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is an ecosystem of financial applications built on blockchain networks. You will understand how smart contracts enable automated lending, borrowing, trading, and yield generation without traditional intermediaries. ## Available Resources 1 Books • 2 Courses • 2 Websites ## Websites ### 1. DappRadar A tracker for decentralized applications across major chains, ranking DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and games by users, transaction volume, and value locked. Useful for comparing activity between chains and checking whether a protocol has real usage. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://dappradar.com/defi **Tags:** defi, blockchain-analytics, dapps, crypto ### 2. DeFi Llama An open analytics dashboard tracking total value locked, fees, revenue, and yields across thousands of DeFi protocols and chains, with methodology and adapters published on GitHub. Readers can size protocols, compare chains, and check yield claims against on-chain data. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://defillama.com/ **Tags:** defi, tvl, blockchain-analytics, yield-farming ## Courses ### 1. DeFi 101 Learn DeFi basics with Bankless' DeFi 101 course! Master decentralized finance concepts and unlock new financial opportunities. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://academy.bankless.com/defi **Tags:** defi, ethereum, cryptocurrency, blockchain ### 2. Decentralized Finance Fundamentals Second course in Duke's DeFi specialization, taught by Campbell Harvey: Ethereum transaction mechanics, fungible and non-fungible tokens, minting and burning, key custody, decentralized exchanges, automated market makers, collateralized and flash loans, plus hands-on MetaMask setup. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/decentralized-finance-primitives-duke **Tags:** courses, technology-computer-science, cryptocurrency--blockchain ## Youtubes ### 1. Finematics Learn DeFi concepts explained visually! Finematics on YouTube simplifies decentralized finance with engaging animations. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://youtube.com/@finematics **Tags:** defi, ethereum, blockchain, smart-contracts ## Podcasts ### 1. The Defiant **Author:** Camila Russo The internet of money is being built with blockchain technology and without banks. We call it DeFi, short for Decentralized Finance, and this is where you can hear the builders and users of this cutting edge world tell their stories first hand. Hosted by Camila Russo. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** en | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://thedefiant.io/ **Tags:** defi, crypto-news, ethereum, interviews ### 2. Bankless **Author:** Bankless The Ultimate Guide to Crypto Finance. DeFi, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Level up. Go bankless. **Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** en | **Price:** Free **Link:** https://podcast.banklesshq.com/ **Tags:** defi, ethereum, cryptocurrency, nfts ## Books ### 1. DeFi and the Future of Finance **Author:** Campbell R. Harvey, Ashwin Ramachandran, Joey Santoro Duke finance professor Harvey and two DeFi builders walk through the protocol layer, Uniswap, Compound, MakerDAO and Aave, explaining collateralized lending, automated market makers and yield mechanics, plus the risks and regulatory questions each design raises. **Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid **Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119836018?tag=edmonddante07-20 **Tags:** books, technology-computer-science, cryptocurrency--blockchain --- *This content is part of Dantes.io - Your Treasure Map to Knowledge* *Curated by humans at Dantes.io. Personal study use welcome; republishing this curation requires permission (team@dantes.io).* View this page online: https://dantes.io/subject/decentralized-finance-(defi)