DeFi Blooms Amid Market Turmoil: A New Wave of Platforms Emerges
While the global stock market has been rocked by political and economic factors — from trade wars to uncertain monetary policy — the crypto community has found a bright spot. While traditional investors are panicking, Web3 developers have seized the opportunity to launch a series of innovative DeFi projects, paving the way for decentralized finance
Time.Fun – Buy and Sell Time with Creators on Solana
Launched in February on the Solana platform, Time.Fun brings a whole new concept: a time-trading marketplace between fans and content creators.
Creators can create profiles in a variety of fields such as music, UI/UX design, marketing, investment, sports, and more, and set their prices by the minute. Users can “buy” time to chat, get video or audio advice.
Creators’ content can even be auctioned. Another interesting feature is the ability to connect directly with the Solana development team, which adds value to the experience.
Ethos – Web3 Reputation Rating in a Transparent Way
Launched on Base since January, Ethos provides a system for measuring the trustworthiness and reputation of Web3 platforms. Users can rate services with a score (+/-), neutral feedback, and even stake ETH to increase the authenticity of their reviews.
The main selling point of Ethos is its ability to integrate with other Web3 platforms, allowing reputation scores to be displayed on user profiles, promoting transparency and alerting users to untrustworthy services.
3DNS – The First Onchain Domain on Ethereum
Launched in 2023, 3DNS is an onchain domain registration platform** that operates as an ERC-721 token, supporting over 400 domains such as
Users can trade, own, manage domains through crypto wallets and use them in decentralized applications. The integration of large NFT marketplaces expands the potential use and liquidity of Web3 domains.
Cortex – DeFi Protocol Integrating Artificial Intelligence
Cortex protocol uses AI to provide financial services such as ETH swaps, $HYPE tokens, and cross-chain connections between Solana and EVM.
A key component is the Cortex Agent, which can answer questions, analyze code, or earn profits from DeFi. The CX token is the unit of governance and fee payment. This is a promising platform for developers looking to integrate AI into Web3 products.
Wayfinder – Teaching AI to Work on Cihan
Another novel DeFi application is Wayfinder, which uses open AI to create, verify, and share cross-chain transaction “paths,” smart contracts, and trading algorithms.
Users can teach Wayfinder new processes, provide information, and verify information from others in exchange for fees. Once validated, the paths become public and reward the creator.
Ethereum and Bitcoin are still evolving
Ethereum is preparing for its Pectra upgrade in May, which will bring the blockchain closer to sharding — a key solution to its scaling problem. It also has a high-confirmation instant transaction model that leverages multiple blobs to increase speed and reduce fees.
Ethereum has also partnered with 0xbow.io to launch Privacy Pools, a major step forward in privacy that allows users to withdraw ETH anonymously while remaining compliant.
For Bitcoin, initiatives like Babylon Labs’ Baby Token enable BTC staking, bringing Bitcoin closer to the DeFi world. Platforms like Xverse and Build On Bo also support BTC yield mining.
A New Door to Web3
Despite the volatility of traditional markets, innovation in the DeFi space continues to happen. Platforms like Time.Fun, Ethos, 3DNS, Cortex, and Wayfinder are just the tip of the iceberg that is taking shape—bringing Web3 closer to mass adoption, transparency, and intelligence.
