> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.kyberswap.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.kyberswap.com/getting-started/foundational-topics/decentralized-finance.md). # Decentralized Finance An Open And Permissionless Financial System For Everyone Decentralized Finance, more commonly referred to as DeFi, was conceived as a more fair, transparent, and equitable alternative to the traditional financial (tradFi) system. In the DeFi paradigm, you always have ownership and control over your own finances without the need for a centralized entity to custody your assets. In other words, you can trade, borrow, save, and functionally achieve almost all tradFi offerings without ever having to trust an intermediary to handle your assets. The term DeFi was [coined as a play on the word "defy"](https://medium.com/wtf-dao/story-of-defi-how-it-started-where-it-stands-now-defi-definition-revisited-628fc3bab308) as in to kickstart a financial autonomy revolution against tradFi systems which tended to be opaque and held back by decade-old systems and processes. Critically, there was no space for intermediaries in this conception of DeFi as the incentives when it came to handling other people's money naturally collided against the core values of DeFi (i.e. as an intermediary, you can earn more money if your clients know less and trust you to execute the trade in their best interest). Without an intermediary to conduct the trades, the community could only fall back on good old reliable math implemented via transparent, innovative, and incorruptible code. The sections below builds upon these foundations and offers you a view into how far DeFi has evolved in the short period since the movement started. While the ideas behind the movement are as old as time, technological innovation is finally providing us a practical glimpse as to what this future would look like. If the above has caught your attention and you would like to deep dive further into DeFi, you can checkout [other valuable resources](/getting-started/foundational-topics/other-valuable-resources.md) which will aid you in your DeFi journey. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://docs.kyberswap.com/getting-started/foundational-topics/decentralized-finance.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `build a script that syncs our docs to a CMS` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.