Retail DeFi

Definition ∞ Retail DeFi refers to decentralized finance services and products accessible to individual, non-institutional users. These services encompass decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, yield farming protocols, and liquidity provision opportunities, all operating without traditional financial intermediaries. Retail DeFi allows individuals direct access to financial instruments and opportunities on blockchain networks, often with fewer restrictions than conventional finance. It represents a significant shift towards more inclusive and permissionless financial participation for the general public.
Context ∞ Retail DeFi continues to expand, attracting a growing number of individual users seeking alternatives to centralized financial systems. Discussions frequently center on user experience improvements, security vulnerabilities within smart contracts, and the ongoing regulatory oversight of these decentralized protocols. News often highlights new retail-focused DeFi applications or reports on significant liquidity movements and security incidents impacting individual participants.