List of the Top 7 DeFi Projects for NEAR in 2025

The 1inch Network brings together various decentralized protocols, creating a powerful synergy that facilitates the most profitable, rapid, and secure transactions within the DeFi landscape. At the forefront of this network is its flagship protocol, a DEX aggregator that scans numerous liquidity sources to deliver users superior rates compared to singular exchanges. This innovative protocol employs the Pathfinder algorithm, which efficiently identifies the optimal paths among various liquidity sources on multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon, Optimism, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Fantom, and Klaytn. Remarkably, within just its first two years, the 1inch DEX aggregator achieved over $80 billion in total volume solely on the Ethereum network. Additionally, the 1inch Network features other protocols, such as the Liquidity Protocol and the Limit Order Protocol, further enhancing its offerings in decentralized finance. Together, these components contribute to a robust ecosystem that supports users in maximizing their trading potential.

The Balancer protocol functions as a decentralized portfolio manager, liquidity provider, and price sensor that operates independently of custodians. Users have the ability to tailor the number of assets and their respective weights within a pool, which facilitates trades throughout the Balancer ecosystem to optimize price execution. Governed by smart contracts, the pools allow various trading strategies and logic to be implemented seamlessly. This infrastructure enables token exchanges to happen without the necessity of deposits, bids and asks, or order management, as every transaction is executed on-chain. Additionally, users can preview expected trade prices for two assets, taking into account current liquidity and possible slippage. Trades are routed through a Smart Order Router (SOR), which ensures that the best prices are found across all pools within the system. The front-end interfaces are open-source and will be available via IPFS, promoting seamless user interaction. In addition, users can trade any tokens without the need for whitelisting or prior approvals, enhancing accessibility. A Balancer Pool operates as an automated market maker with unique features that enable it to function as a self-balancing weighted portfolio and price sensor, accommodating up to eight tokens with customizable weights, all while being programmable through smart contract-controlled pools. This remarkable flexibility ensures that users can effectively adjust their trading strategies to align with their specific requirements, making it a versatile tool in the decentralized finance landscape.

Aave functions as a decentralized, open-source liquidity protocol, allowing users to earn interest on their deposits while providing access to a variety of assets for borrowing. As a money market, it permits users to participate either as depositors, who contribute liquidity for passive income, or as borrowers, who can obtain loans through methods that may be either overcollateralized or undercollateralized. Aave places a strong emphasis on security, conducting continuous audits and protocol improvements, with funds safely stored in a non-custodial smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain. Users have complete control over their wallets, and the system is designed to maintain transparency and be auditable through its underlying code. To uphold exceptional security protocols, Aave Protocol has been subjected to comprehensive audits by well-known firms including Trail of Bits, OpenZeppelin, ConsenSys Diligence, Certik, PeckShield, and Certora, and all audit reports are made available to the public for examination. This dedication to safety and transparency fosters a sense of trust, allowing users to engage with the Aave ecosystem without hesitation. In addition, Aave’s commitment to user empowerment and clear communication further enhances its appeal in the decentralized finance landscape.

Presenting TrueFi, a cutting-edge decentralized finance platform that specializes in uncollateralized lending, allowing users to earn impressive yields on stablecoin loans while accessing funds without needing collateral. We proudly introduce TrueFi, a unique protocol tailored for uncollateralized lending, which is complemented by TRU, our native token that supports staking and voting on loan proposals. TrueFi aspires to transform the DeFi landscape by promoting uncollateralized lending, enabling cryptocurrency lenders to achieve attractive and sustainable returns, while borrowers benefit from dependable loan conditions without collateral obligations. A commitment to transparency is fundamental to TrueFi, ensuring that every lending and borrowing transaction is thoroughly disclosed, providing lenders with visibility into the borrowers and the movement of funds. By depositing TrueUSD into a TrueFi pool, lenders can participate in lending, earn interest, and farm TRU tokens, while any surplus capital is effectively allocated to the Curve protocol for enhanced earnings. Borrowers, which include OTC desks, exchanges, and various other protocols, can present their funding requirements to the pool, creating a dynamic ecosystem of lending and borrowing. This innovative model not only boosts market liquidity but also empowers a wide array of participants within the DeFi ecosystem, fostering growth and collaboration among users. Furthermore, this approach encourages responsible lending practices and promotes financial inclusion, making it accessible to a broader audience.

OpenOcean is recognized as the leading full aggregator in the cryptocurrency sector, integrating liquidity from both decentralized finance (DeFi) and centralized finance (CeFi) to enable fluid trading experiences. Our objective is to establish an all-encompassing platform that connects the diverse domains of DeFi and CeFi, cultivating an inclusive ecosystem that serves a wide range of users within today's fragmented market landscape. We aim to empower individual traders and institutional investors alike, providing them with the capability to execute trades at the best possible prices while tailoring their investment strategies across various crypto asset categories. By reducing slippage, OpenOcean guarantees that crypto traders can secure the most competitive prices available in the market. Our pioneering protocol utilizes an enhanced Dijkstra algorithm, referred to as D-star, which adeptly manages routing across multiple platforms to offer superior rates. Additionally, OpenOcean consistently assesses the best available prices on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and centralized exchanges (CEXs), ensuring that users can place their orders at the most favorable rates, thereby significantly improving their trading journey. This unwavering dedication to optimizing trading results solidifies OpenOcean's position as an indispensable resource for anyone navigating the vibrant cryptocurrency landscape, paving the way for enhanced user engagement and satisfaction.

Taker is a groundbreaking liquidity protocol specifically designed for the new wave of crypto assets. Utilizing a quote-by-lock-in pricing strategy, it allows asset owners to secure stable coins via borrowing. With an initial emphasis on NFT assets, Taker aspires to provide lending solutions that cater to a wide array of future crypto assets. The protocol introduces a novel approach to lending within the NFT sector. Soon, synthetic indexes for NFTs are set to be unveiled, which will further increase liquidity and boost transaction volumes for NFTs. Taker’s native token empowers holders to participate in community governance and exercise their voting rights, fostering a collaborative atmosphere. Constructed on the Polygon Layer 2 network, Taker seeks to reduce gas fees, improve asset turnover rates, and enhance its data processing capabilities. The fusion of DeFi functionalities with an NFT ecosystem forms a foundational aspect of the protocol. Furthermore, efforts are underway to create a pool-based lending mechanism, which is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of NFT lending transactions. This dedication to innovation not only positions Taker as a frontrunner in decentralized finance but also signals a new era for how crypto assets can be leveraged within the marketplace. As the protocol evolves, it remains committed to adapting and addressing the dynamic needs of its users.

Connect your smart contract to the wider ecosystem by utilizing Chainlink's decentralized oracle network, which provides reliable and secure data inputs and outputs for advanced smart contracts across multiple blockchain platforms. Start building your globally interconnected smart contract by harnessing the power of decentralization, trustworthy nodes, high-quality data, and cryptographic assurances to integrate accurate and accessible data or APIs into any smart contract structure. Design your solution on a flexible framework that allows for effortless data access from any API, facilitates integration with your existing systems, and accommodates connections with any blockchain, both now and in the future. Make use of reliable oracle solutions that have undergone rigorous testing and have a track record of protecting billions in assets for prominent blockchain initiatives. Furthermore, regularly evaluate and monitor Chainlink's open-source code, the effectiveness of its oracle networks, and the performance standards of each node operator to enhance security and dependability. By adopting these principles, you can ensure your smart contract is robust, adaptable, and capable of evolving alongside the expanding ecosystem, ultimately positioning your project for long-term success. This proactive approach will not only protect your investments but also foster innovation in the decentralized space.