Currently, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is thriving and showing remarkable resilience, despite a challenging year in the bear market. DeFi projects have managed to lock in roughly USD 43 billion worth of equivalent value, while worldwide blockchain expenditure is steadily approaching an annual total of $19 billion. In this article, we will explore the best DeFi projects in 2023.
DeFi projects are at the cusp of a breakthrough, fuelled by their consistent announcements of groundbreaking updates almost every week. These projects have made a remarkable comeback, after enduring a challenging year, and are now transforming and revolutionizing our understanding of DeFi. As they continue to innovate and transform the industry, the spotlight is once again focused on them.
The DeFi projects that we have chosen for this list are the most promising ones for 2023, as they make DeFi accessible to a wider audience, enhance its offerings, and facilitate the integration of Web 2 and Web 3 systems. We present to you, without any delay, the following Web 3 DeFi projects and platforms that showcase immense potential:
Best DeFi projects 2023
1. Aura Finance
Best DeFi Projects: Aura Finance
Aura Finance is a protocol that builds on and for Balancer. It provides users with an easy way to provide liquidity on Balancer by granting access to both liquidity pools and staking.
While Balancer already has liquidity pools, Aura takes it a step further by introducing a convex style of tokenomics that enhances Balancer’s capabilities. Aura expands what Balancer can achieve by pushing the liquidity pools even further.
Essentially, Aura Finance is a technique that drastically amplifies the motivations for all participants to engage in liquidity provision on the Balancer platform.
As Balancer equally progresses and advances, Aura has an exceptional position to reap the rewards of their mutually beneficial triumph.
Aura has become the preferred option for individuals seeking to generate liquidity or passive income due to its ease of onboarding.
While Balancer has achieved many successes, it still requires extensive knowledge, particularly for the general public that may not be well-versed in cryptocurrency.
Aura streamlines the process by generating a tokenized wrapped token called auraBAL, which enables users to earn rewards in both bbaUSD and BAL by staking on the platform. Through Aura, users are poised to receive twice the benefits, generating passive returns in both BAL and AURA.
If a user decides to discontinue staking on Balancer, all they need to do is convert their auraBAL tokens back to BAL before cashing out. This straightforward system has experienced instant success, as both users and liquidity providers stand to profit from the platform.
Aura Finance is a community-led system, with AURA tokens functioning as governance tokens that direct the future expansion of the project.
In recent months, the rise of Liquid Staking Derivatives (LSDs) has brought even more attention to meta-protocols like Aura Finance. As the Shanghai Ethereum update approaches, stakers are in a stronger position, and Aura’s system, which enables users to lock in tokens through its parent protocol Balancer, is well-equipped to facilitate LSD liquidity pools.
Following the launch of Shanghai, people will be able to withdraw their funds from ETH LPs. As a result, LSD liquidity pools will become critical, and Aura is ideally positioned to lead this effort.
2. Metacade (MCADE)
Best DeFi Projects: Metacade
Metacade, an innovative GameFi project, provides various DeFi services that offer several methods for earning crypto income. The ecosystem is easily accessible, and users can choose to Play2Earn, Create2Earn, Work2Earn, or Compete2Earn, thereby accessing gamified DeFi services.
Metacade offers a range of arcade games that provide generous crypto rewards, allowing both casual and competitive gamers to participate in various tournaments and earn major prizes paid in MCADE.
Additionally, the Create2Earn feature rewards the Metacade community for their valuable contributions, such as posting game reviews, sharing insights, and providing the latest information about any blockchain game.
Metacade also enables staking, allowing MCADE token holders to earn a passive yield on their long-term investments. This system offers a generous annual percentage yield (APY) that gradually accrues over time, potentially maximizing the return potential and further increasing exposure to the asset.
Investing in the MCADE token during the presale period is a rare opportunity to get involved with one of the most promising GameFi projects in Web3, as well as acquire the token at a heavily underpriced rate.
The beta phase of the presale witnessed high demand, selling out in just over three weeks. Industry experts believe that the current price of $0.01 per MCADE is undervalued and predict a 50x gain during 2023, bringing the token’s value closer to the $1 mark.
Considering this, investing in the MCADE token during the presale is an excellent opportunity to benefit from Metacade’s success.
3. Balancer
Best DeFi Projects: Balancer
Balancer, an automated portfolio manager that revolutionizes how new blockchain projects generate liquidity, was launched in 2018.
With the continued growth of DeFi, conventional methods for funding projects are losing their effectiveness. Balancer provides a solution by enabling users to passively earn income by listing their portfolios on the platform.
Passive traders who are associated with DeFi projects that partner with Balancer can earn commission fees for rebalancing portfolios in favor of arbitrage opportunities.
This eliminates the need for index managers to make decisions about funds and rebalance portfolios, and it allows passive investors to earn as much as possible without the involvement of middle-men index managers, who often skim off returns.
Balancer aims to revolutionize the way new blockchain projects generate liquidity by offering a passive income stream to users who list their portfolios on the platform.
By participating in liquidity pools, investors are rewarded on Balancer. This not only generates passive income but also offers a swift way for new DeFi projects to amass liquidity and broaden their services.
Any individual can join and exit different liquidity pools on the platform, providing an easy approach for ordinary individuals to get involved in decentralized finance.
To encourage competition among liquidity pools, the LP creator has the authority to set the fee structure for their pool. As a result, Balancer users can benefit from pools that gradually decrease their fees to attract more users.
Additionally, there are smart LPs, which are shared pools where users can collectively vote on the fees for that particular pool.
4. Optimism (OP)
Best DeFi Projects: Optimism
Optimism is a Layer 2 network that aims to improve Ethereum’s scalability. As one of the most eagerly awaited Layer 2 networks for Ethereum, it offers decentralized application (dApp) users an enhanced experience within the ecosystem.
Despite supporting thousands of dApps, Ethereum has been widely criticized for its slowness and high fees due to the congestion of the original proof-of-work consensus mechanism. Optimism is a primary solution that can bring DeFi applications to a vast number of users in the next few years.
In addition to being capable of processing a large volume of transactions at a low cost, Optimism benefits from the same level of security as Ethereum’s Layer 1. The ecosystem already features over 30 protocols, providing a range of use cases for OP token holders.
Optimism’s dApps include NFT tools, decentralized exchanges (DEXs), cross-chain bridges, and various trading tools. The network enables DeFi users to make the most of their cryptocurrency holdings, making it one of the top DeFi projects available.
OP token, which was launched in June 2022, is still in its early stages and has the potential to significantly increase in value. Its versatility makes it suitable for a vast number of DeFi users.
At present, the OP token trades at just under $2. As a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum, it has a high potential for generating substantial returns on investment, making it one of the top DeFi projects available in the Web3 ecosystem.
5. PAX Gold (PAXG)
Best DeFi Projects: Pax Gold
PAX Gold is ranked as the third-best DeFi project that could potentially generate significant returns. The platform provides investors with the opportunity to buy fractional amounts of gold with a cryptocurrency backed by physical assets at a 1:1 ratio. This unique solution enables blockchain users to access traditional financial tools.
Throughout history, gold has been one of the best instruments to hedge against inflation, and it has been a valuable asset for thousands of years. In uncertain economic times, purchasing gold can be a smart financial decision.
PAX Gold offers a decentralized way of buying gold, with minimal entry barriers, making it one of the most attractive DeFi projects in Web3. PAXG’s price is linked to the price of gold, providing investors with a secure refuge to counter market fluctuations.
Although PAXG may not provide investors with the same level of profitability as other cryptocurrencies listed, it still ranks among the top DeFi projects available on the blockchain.
While the price of gold may not experience the same level of increase as that of new cryptocurrencies, PAXG offers a dependable means of generating returns over an extended period.
6. Flare
Best DeFi Projects: Flare
Blockchain has faced several obstacles hindering its mass adoption since its creation. Depending on the product, such as NFTs or DeFi applications, a particularly limiting factor has contributed to this.
For instance, factors such as the steep learning curve of blockchain, slow transaction processing speed (TPS), high gas fees, or the lack of real-world utility could have played a part in this.
Flare aims to address the issues that have hindered the mass adoption of blockchain technology. The platform’s primary objective is to enhance the usefulness of blockchain technology for all use cases.
As a Layer 1 blockchain, Flare enables the creation of superior DeFi applications by establishing interoperable connections across both the blockchain and Web 2 worlds. With its innovative solutions, Flare is poised to revolutionize the blockchain industry and enable developers to unlock its full potential.
Flare’s main objective is to enhance the interoperability of blockchain, securely obtaining event data and time series data from other blockchains and Web 2 APIs. The protocols utilized by Flare enable data to stream reliably, driven by a self-sufficient, decentralized system of nodes.
7. GMX (GMX)
Best DeFi Projects: GMX
GMX is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that enables both spot and perpetual trading. This DEX provides DeFi users with the ability to trade using leverage without the need for know-your-customer (KYC) verification, as well as access to a range of advanced trading tools through a single decentralized platform.
Since the collapse of FTX in November 2022, many investors have been looking for decentralized alternatives for cryptocurrency trading. One of the most popular options has been GMX, which offers a user-friendly interface and a secure protocol for trading digital assets.
On GMX, traders can earn rewards for providing liquidity, as the platform collects fees from futures trades, market making, and asset rebalancing. The liquidity pools on GMX use a diverse selection of digital assets, ensuring that users can always access cryptocurrencies without the risk of halted withdrawals, a problem that occurred with centralized digital asset services such as FTX and Celsius Network.
8. Fluidity
Best DeFi Projects: Fluidity
Despite being a new entrant to the DeFi space, Fluidity Money has quickly gained attention due to its unique features. Upon registering with Fluidity, users can convert their digital assets into wrapped assets in a 1:1 ratio.
Subsequently, Fluidity invests the user’s funds and generates yield based on the amount they converted. This process enables users to earn passive income without the need for any active trading or investment strategies.
Fluidity not only generates funds for its users but also employs a drawing mechanism that offers the chance to win large dividend prizes at random. These prizes create additional opportunities for gains. Furthermore, users can continue to use the Fluid Assets they hold, allowing for flexibility and usability.
Fluidity goes beyond just decentralized exchanges and NFT purchasing, as users can use their wrapped funds for any real-world purchase they desire. From everyday items like clothing and gasoline to weekly grocery shopping, Fluidity offers a way for DeFi enthusiasts to earn while staying true to their typical spending habits.
With this feature, users can enjoy the best of both worlds – earning yield on their investments while still having the freedom to spend as they please.
9.TideFi
Best DeFi Projects: TIDEFI!
TideFi has the vision to make decentralized finance accessible to all by developing a DEX that prioritizes the user’s requirements. Their goal is to enable individuals worldwide to benefit from the opportunities presented by DeFi. TideFi places transparency and security at the heart of its service, making their platform a leader in accessibility.
TideFi utilizes open-source technology and decentralized principles to make sure its platform serves an equal opportunity for everyone. It is a community-driven project that embraces a DAO (decentralized Autonomous Organization) governance system, which enables anyone to join and participate.
By promoting transparency and security through decentralized governance, TideFi aims to empower people to take advantage of the opportunities offered by decentralized finance.
Users can have a say in the future of the TideFi project by obtaining TideFi tokens, which can be used to vote on governance proposals. Holding these tokens also allows users to participate in the validation and growth of the TideFi network, opening up opportunities for revenue generation.
10. Affyn
Best DeFi Projects: Affyn
The gaming industry is highly dynamic and has experienced steady growth in value over the past few decades, currently valued at approximately $200 billion with significant growth potential. Despite the industry’s commercial success, players have faced a major challenge in trading assets outside of the game.
In-game assets have limited value outside the game, as they rely solely on the game’s supply and demand. Once the game loses popularity, the assets lose their value, becoming worthless. To solve this problem, Affyn merges blockchain technology with the gaming industry.
Affyn is a Play-and-Earn Metaverse game that combines sustainability and blockchain technology to allow players to earn NFT assets and cryptocurrency tokens while playing.
Players can enjoy the game completely free of charge, and the gameplay is location-based. The world is divided into hexagon pieces, which players can explore based on their starting point within the game.
As players move through Affyn, they will explore the Nexus World, which has been recreated and designed based on the physical world. The challenges and experiences they encounter will vary based on their location within the game. Along the way, players will discover and engage with NFT buddies, each of which is a unique collectible with its own attributes and characteristics.
Conclusion
The world of decentralized finance (DeFi) is constantly in flux, making it challenging to anticipate the future of the digital landscape. With an abundance of projects and platforms available, it is essential to conduct extensive research before investing in any cryptocurrency.
While it remains unclear which DeFi project will ultimately reign supreme, it is important to evaluate the use cases of various projects to assess their potential value in the digital ecosystem. This guide serves as a valuable tool to identify DeFi projects that are worth monitoring closely.
