Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is a rapidly growing movement that offers open financial services without intermediaries, primarily using blockchain technology for secure transactions. Its key advantages include faster and cheaper transactions, increased transparency, and greater user control, while its risks involve regulatory uncertainties and lack of consumer protection. DeFi encompasses various applications, such as decentralized exchanges, lending, stablecoins, and asset tokenization, which are expected to expand significantly in the coming years.