Decentralized Finance (DeFi) refers to a system of financial applications built on blockchain technology, enabling users to have full control over their digital assets. DeFi applications, like Compound and Uniswap, are permissionless and designed for global, transparent, and flexible user experiences. While DeFi offers unique opportunities, it also comes with risks, including past incidents of hacks, and future developments will likely focus on decentralized governance and user-controlled identity.