Abstract
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is changing the world of finance with innovative solutions and groundbreaking innovations such as the Automatic Market Maker, Flash Loans, and Initial Coin Offering, fundamentally reshaping financial ecosystems and promoting decentralization and financial inclusion beyond Centralized Finance (CeFi). Nonetheless, this innovation brings forth critical concerns including potential centralization, ethical issues, and questions about inclusivity. In this chapter, we explore the finance literature at the frontier, delving into the definitions, metrics, and quantification used to gauge CeFi and DeFi performance. We emphasize the importance of a human-centric perspective in addressing the shortcomings of financial technology, with the aim of enhancing global financial literacy and bridging the digital divide. Additionally, we address the blockchain trilemma that curtails DeFi’s potential positing that an integration of CeFi and DeFi approaches could be the key to overcoming this challenge. Drawing upon insights from ancient Greek philosophy, this chapter concludes by underscoring governance models, be decentralized or centralized, that serve the common good or social welfare, emphasizing that technological progress should distinguish means from ends and be rooted in human values to ensure financial prosperity for all.