Fintechs are constrained by traditional financial infrastructure, while decentralized finance (DeFi) offers a more efficient and cost-effective alternative. The convergence of fintech’s superior user experience with DeFi’s innovative backend infrastructure is termed the 'DeFi mullet'. This integration enables fintech companies to use DeFi’s capabilities for services like stablecoin transfers, which dramatically reduce costs and transaction times compared to traditional methods. Current DeFi protocols have matured and now securely manage significant assets, demonstrating reliability for fintech integration. Looking forward, fintechs will introduce various onchain financial products without users noticing foundational changes. While regulatory concerns exist regarding decentralization, it is suggested that regulators focus on the applications interfacing with users rather than the underlying protocols to foster compliance. The ongoing shift toward DeFi is unavoidable; fintechs must adapt to stay relevant against traditional banks and must embrace DeFi to offer superior services and maintain market relevance.

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