DeFi — Decentralized Finance
DeFi stands for Decentralized Finance: financial services like borrowing, lending, saving, swapping and earning yield, built on public blockchains without a bank or broker in between. Transactions are executed by smart contracts — automatically executable code on networks like Ethereum, Solana, Arbitrum and Base.
Under this category you'll find promo codes and bonuses for DeFi platforms such as decentralized exchanges (DEXs), liquidity and staking protocols, yield aggregators and on-chain wallets. Think discounts on trading fees, extra rewards for providing liquidity or welcome bonuses for new users.
DeFi disclaimer
DeFi products are complex and carry specific risks, including smart-contract bugs, price volatility, impermanent loss, liquidation risk on supplied collateral and loss of access to your wallet (seed phrase). The information and offers on this page are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Frequently asked questions about DeFi
What's the difference between DeFi and a centralized (CeFi) exchange?
On a centralized exchange (CeFi) like Bitvavo or Coinbase, the platform manages your cryptocurrencies and you go through mandatory identification (KYC). With DeFi, you keep the private keys of your wallet yourself and trade directly via smart contracts, without an intermediary holding your balance in custody.
Which wallet do I need to use DeFi?
You need a self-managed (non-custodial) wallet, such as MetaMask, Rabby or Phantom for mobile/desktop, or a hardware wallet like Ledger or Trezor for extra security. You use it to connect to DeFi protocols and sign transactions.
What are gas fees and how high are they?
Gas fees are the transaction costs you pay to the blockchain network to process an action. On Ethereum these can rise to a few euros during busy periods, while Layer 2 networks like Arbitrum, Base and Optimism usually cost only a few cents.
What's the difference between staking and yield farming?
With staking, you lock up crypto to secure a Proof-of-Stake network and receive a fixed annual return (APR) for it. With yield farming, you provide liquidity to a DeFi protocol and receive a variable reward, often combined with extra reward tokens.
Is DeFi legal in the Netherlands?
Using DeFi protocols is allowed in the Netherlands, but falls under tax rules and the European MiCA regulation. Holdings and profits must be declared to the tax authority (box 3). When in doubt, consult a tax adviser familiar with crypto.
How do I use a promo code on a DeFi platform?
Click the desired offer, copy the code and activate it during registration or via the referral/rewards page of the relevant protocol. The exact terms, validity and any minimum deposits are listed with each offer.
Available offers
Risk warning (EU MiCA): Investing in crypto-assets is risky (EU MiCA). You may lose your entire investment.