Subjective Trust

Definition ∞ Subjective Trust refers to an individual’s personal belief in the reliability or integrity of a person, entity, or system. Unlike objective trust based on verifiable proofs or established reputations, subjective trust is influenced by personal experiences, biases, and perceived risks. In decentralized systems, while cryptographic security aims to minimize the need for subjective trust, human factors still play a role in adoption and interaction. Users often weigh their personal assessment of a project’s team or community against its technical guarantees.
Context ∞ The role of Subjective Trust in decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 is a frequent topic of discussion, particularly in light of various project failures and scams. Debates focus on how to build confidence in pseudonymous teams and technically complex protocols. Future developments aim to blend cryptographic assurances with transparent communication and community-driven auditing to cultivate greater user confidence.