External Price Oracle

Definition ∞ An External Price Oracle is a service that supplies real-world price data to blockchain networks and smart contracts. It acts as a bridge, bringing off-chain information onto the decentralized ledger in a verifiable and tamper-resistant manner. This data is critical for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, enabling accurate valuation of digital assets, execution of collateralized loans, and stablecoin pegs. The reliability of these oracles is paramount for the integrity of dependent smart contracts.
Context ∞ External Price Oracles are a central topic in discussions about the security and functionality of decentralized finance. Their current situation involves ongoing efforts to enhance data accuracy, decentralization, and resistance to manipulation, often through aggregation from multiple sources. A key debate revolves around the potential for oracle exploits to compromise DeFi protocols. Future developments aim to establish more robust and censorship-resistant oracle networks to support the expanding digital asset ecosystem.