DeFi refers to a suite of financial services — lending, borrowing, trading, yield generation — built on public blockchains, primarily Ethereum. It aims to replicate and disintermediate traditional finance without banks or intermediaries. At its peak in 2021, over $180 billion was locked in DeFi protocols.
An NFT is a unique digital token stored on a blockchain that proves ownership of a specific digital item — art, music, video, game items, or anything else. Unlike currencies, each NFT is distinct and cannot be directly exchanged 1:1 for another. The NFT boom of 2021 saw billions traded, before a sharp market correction.