Decentralized finance (DeFi) is a rapidly growing field in fintech, having grown from $700 million to $100 billion over the past three years alone. But the lack of reliable information makes this area both risky and murky. In this practical book, experienced securities attorney Alexandra Damsker explains DeFi's role in both blockchain and finance. Ideal for developers looking to build decentralized applications (DApps), this book compares DeFi to traditional bank-led fintech and explains why DeFi is exploding in interest and popularity. You'll explore the growing array of DApps and platforms in various categories, including their benefits and drawbacks, and learn how DeFi tools work together from the perspective of both users and developers. With this book, you will: Learn how DeFi fits into the blockchain and fintech worlds Understand why it's important to move beyond the banking system Explore the tools for building a useful, functional DeFi application Learn the risks, benefits, regulatory concerns, and unresolved issues in this nascent and fast-growing industry See which technologies are well-positioned to be incorporated into DeFi blockchains in the near future Assess your own risk level to determine which strategies are most appropriate

About the Author

Alexandra Damsker is an experienced securities attorney, having trained at the US Securities and Exchange Commission and international firm Mayer Brown, as well as running a very successful solo practice with clients in eight countries grown entirely by referral and word of mouth. She is a 2x founder (one exit), and has been involved in blockchain since 2016. She is considered a subject matter expert in blockchain best practices, cryptocurrency, NFTs, DeFi, and general token offerings. She currently serves as legal, operations and strategic advisor to a number of organizations and high net worth individuals, including A-level celebrities and high growth, venture-funded companies.

Mrs. Damsker is a well-regarded speaker on regulatory issues and strategy in the blockchain industry, speaking to a wide array of organizational clients and conferences. These include NASDAQ, the LendIt Fintech conference, the PG Gaming conference, a fintech securities conference in Copenhagen, an official Davos World Economic Forum event, the Opal private and family office conference, the Association of Independent Music Producers, the Fintech and Financing Conference 2021, the Securities and Tokenization Summit, SOURCE Nashville, and an array of smaller talks. Her regulatory views in the area have been published in American Banker, among other publications.