Decentralized finance platforms (DeFi) are designed to operate
in a decentralized manner primarily through the utilization of
smart contracts. Smart contracts are simply a name given to small
"if/then" statements written in computer code that are
self-executing. Smart contracts are used throughout the
cryptocurrency and blockchain space, are an integral component in
non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and can allow for things to happen
automatically, without human intervention. For example, a smart
contract could be coded such that payment for an item could be
released upon receipt of a shipment, so if the
shipment is received, then payment is
released.
In the case of DeFi platforms, the coded smart contracts allow
for trading of cryptocurrency, stocks, and ETFs; funds to be
transferred between parties; and even loans to be made that are
secured by crypto or other investments. These smart contracts
interact with the blockchain, but in most cases are not written to
the