#DeFiGetsGraded Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is transforming finance, but how does it grade in 2025? DeFi’s strengths—accessibility, transparency, and user control—shine, earning high marks for empowering users without intermediaries. Platforms like Aave dominate lending, with over $50B in net deposits, while innovations like liquid staking and cross-chain bridges boost interoperability. However, DeFi’s complexity and smart contract vulnerabilities remain hurdles, with $140M lost to hacks in July alone. Regulatory uncertainty looms, as seen with the GENIUS Act’s yield ban debates. Scalability issues persist, inflating transaction costs on networks like Ethereum. Despite these, DeFi’s total value locked exceeds $150B, signaling robust growth. As TradFi integrates, “NewFi” emerges, blending decentralized and centralized systems. DeFi’s potential is vast, but refining security and usability is critical for an A+.