DeFi: Chainlink paves the way for full adoption by 2030

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is no longer a distant promise but a revolution underway. According to Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, it could reach full adoption by 2030, provided regulation keeps pace. Here is how DeFi could transform finance and the experts’ projections.

Chainlink: towards 100% DeFi adoption by 2030

Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, has outlined an ambitious roadmap for DeFi. According to him, the sector is already 30% on the path to massive adoption and could reach 100% by 2030. The key? Clear and adapted regulation. In an interview with Michaël van de Poppe, Nazarov emphasizes that full adoption will be reached when charts show a balanced distribution of capital between DeFi and traditional finance (TradFi).

For Sergey Nazarov, everything starts with the United States. Indeed, a clear American regulation could trigger a global domino effect, encouraging other countries to follow. Financial institutions, seeking security, are waiting for these frameworks to invest massively. However, challenges remain: 

• KYC/AML compliance;
• Liquidity; 
• Transparency;
• Security risks.

The co-founder of Chainlink envisions a future where institutional funds will flow into DeFi, provided regulators and developers collaborate. This vision is based on progressive adoption, moving from early adopters to the general public, and concrete indicators such as the market share of stablecoins.

2030, a decisive deadline for DeFi?

Sergey Nazarov is not the only one making optimistic projections for DeFi by 2030. According to Grand View Research, the market could reach 231 billion dollars, with an annual growth rate of 53.7%. Other studies such as Coinlaw.io even estimate a value of 337 billion dollars, driven by increased institutional adoption and the rise of stablecoins, which already represent 62% of collateral in 2025.

Analysts agree on one point: regulation will be decisive. Frameworks like MiCA in Europe or initiatives from the United Arab Emirates could accelerate adoption. So, if these trends are confirmed, DeFi could well compete with traditional banks by 2030. However, obstacles remain, notably legal uncertainties and security risks. Despite this, DeFi lending protocols have already experienced 72% growth in 2025, an encouraging sign.

DeFi and bitcoin: two complementary pillars of the crypto ecosystem

Bitcoin and DeFi are often seen as two distinct worlds, but they are actually complementary. Bitcoin, as a store of value, acts as a bridge to DeFi through solutions like WBTC (Wrapped Bitcoin). This allows liquidity to be injected into DeFi protocols while benefiting from the relative stability of BTC.

The synergies between these two ecosystems are then obvious. The growing adoption of bitcoin, notably via ETFs and optimistic projections (such as Standard Chartered’s, which sees BTC at 500,000 dollars by 2028), could attract more capital to DeFi. Conversely, a mature DeFi could offer concrete use cases for Bitcoin (BTC) beyond simple speculation. However, BTC’s volatility contrasts with the stability sought by DeFi, where stablecoins play a central role.

DeFi is set to redefine global finance by 2030, but its success will depend on collaboration between regulators, institutions, and developers. If forecasts come true, it could rival traditional finance. And you, do you think that decentralized finance (DeFi) will reach this massive adoption by 2030?