Decentralized finance (DeFi) offers one of the most widely applicable use-cases for distributed ledger technology and today it is one of the main avenues for the wider adoption of blockchain technology.
Last week, as the wider crypto market corrected and Bitcoin (BTC) dropped by 22%, DeFiChain (DFI) bucked the trend and rallied 76% to establish a new high at $5.70 on Dec. 6 as its 24-hour trading volume surged from an average of $3.6 million to $24.3 million.
DFI/USDT 4-hour chart. Source: TradingViewThree reasons for the price breakout for DFI include the launch of decentralized assets on the DFI mainnet, a surge in transactions and users on the network and an increase in the total value locked on the protocol.
Traders pile into decentralized stocks and cryptocurrencies
The biggest source of momentum for DFI in recent weeks has been the launch of decentralized assets on the DeFiChain network and staking options for holders.
Users of the platform now have access to multiple pools that include large-cap cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether, as well as synthetic versions of popular stocks and indices, including pairs for Tesla (TSLA), Apple (APPL) and the S&P 500 (SPY). In addition to having exposure to these assets, stakers also benefit from the higher-than-average yields available on the platform.
DeFiChain DEX pool pairs. Source: DeFi ScanOther d-asset options available to users include Gold (GLD), Silver (SLV), the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) and the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT).
Transaction volumes surge
Another reason for the strong performance seen from DFI has been an increase in transactions on the network following the release of decentralized assets.
Daily DeFiChain transaction count. Source: DeFiChain AnalyticsThe surge in network activity is largely the result of the new use cases made possible by the launch of decentralized assets, including the creation of assets, liquidity mining and arbitrage trading.
The added features have also helped to attract new users to the DFiChain ecosystem, with the number of unique wallets holding DFI reaching a new record high of 42,555 on Dec. 8.
Unique addresses holding DFI. Source: DeFiChain AnalyticsRelated: Nasdaq to provide price feeds for tokenized stock trades on DeFiChain
Total value locked hits a new all-time high
DFI has also seen a steady increase in total value locked on the DeFiChain protocol, which is now at an all-time high of $1.83 billion according to data from Defi Llama.
Total value locked on DeFiChain. Source: Defi LlamaThe spike in value locked coincides with the launch of decentralized assets on the network and it's claer that users rushed to deposit funds to gain access to the high yield opportunities available to liquidity providers.
Aside from the staking features offered on the DeFiChain DEX, larger DFI holders with at least 20,000 DFI also have the option of locking their DFI tokens up in order to run a masternode on the network and earn rewards in return for helping to verify transactions and secure the blockchain.
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