Layer One Finance

Definition ∞ Layer one finance refers to financial activities and applications that operate directly on a base blockchain protocol. This encompasses decentralized finance protocols, stablecoins, and tokenized assets built and settled natively on a foundational blockchain network like Ethereum or Solana. Transactions and smart contract executions in layer one finance are recorded directly on the main chain, benefiting from its inherent security and decentralization properties. These systems form the bedrock upon which more complex financial applications and scaling solutions are constructed.
Context ∞ The current discussion concerning layer one finance often highlights its foundational role in the digital asset ecosystem and the challenges it faces regarding scalability and transaction costs. Debates involve the comparative advantages of different layer one blockchains in terms of security, decentralization, and throughput. Future developments will likely focus on improving the efficiency of these base layers through upgrades and exploring better interoperability with layer two solutions. The health and performance of layer one networks are critical for the entire decentralized finance landscape.