Are you ready to explore a new era of computer applications? Decentralized applications, or dApps, are taking over the tech world and providing businesses with a game-changing alternative to traditional centralized systems. Decentralized apps offer transparency, security, and efficiency like never before, all thanks to their operation on a blockchain network instead of a centralized server.
Adopting dApps can be game-changing for your business. Since they are built on blockchain technology, they are more secure and less vulnerable to hacks. DApps also use a public blockchain network that records all transactions, giving you more transparency and visibility over your data and transactions.
Additionally, dApps don't require intermediaries, hence making them more cost-effective. They can also automate your tasks and reduce the need for manual labor, saving time and reducing any errors and delays.
Now, let's look at the top and trending decentralized apps to help you decide the best one for your business!
Top DApps You Should Know About
Uniswap
Uniswap is an exchange platform on the Ethereum blockchain. It enables peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries or centralized authorities, providing a transparent, secure, open-source platform for cryptocurrency trading.
Uniswap is one of the best dApps, with a daily trading volume of over half a billion dollars. Binance has integrated Uniswap into its trading platform, enabling you to access Uniswap's liquidity directly from your Binance account.
Unique features:
- Uniswap uses an Automated Market Making (AMM) system to provide liquidity to the platform, allowing you to trade directly with the platform's liquidity pools without needing an order book.
- Uniswap's community holds governance tokens to propose and vote on changes to the protocol.
- Any ERC-20 token can be listed on Uniswap without approval from centralized authorities or intermediaries.
PancakeSwap
PancakeSwap is an exchange platform on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC). It can potentially revolutionize how you trade cryptocurrencies by offering lower fees and faster transaction times. Reef Finance, a DeFi app, uses PancakeSwap to access liquidity pools and trading pairs easily.
Unique features:
- It allows you to add liquidity to pools and earn rewards through CAKE tokens.
- You can earn more tokens by staking their CAKE tokens in the farm pools.
- It offers faster transaction speeds and lower fees.
OpenSea
OpenSea is a marketplace for buying and selling non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It allows you to create, discover, and trade NFTs, making it a popular platform for artists, gamers, and collectors.
It also provides creators with a new way to monetize their digital creations and earn royalties on subsequent sales. Some top companies that use OpenSea include Atari, Sotheby's, and Christie's.
Unique features:
- It has a large selection of NFTs, including unique digital art, gaming items, and collectibles.
- It has a simple interface that allows you to search and discover NFTs easily.
- You can create personalized storefronts to showcase your NFT collections.
- It allows you to earn royalties on NFTs.
Compound
Built on Ethereum, you can lend and borrow cryptocurrencies without intermediaries on Compound. The platform also provides an alternative to traditional savings accounts by allowing you to earn interest on your cryptocurrencies.
Moreover, Compound has over $10 billion in TVL, making it one of the largest DeFi protocols. Gauntlet Network, a blockchain simulation platform, uses Compound to create more accurate simulations of various DeFi protocols.
Unique features:
- It automatically adjusts interest rates based on supply and demand.
- It offers liquidity pools, where you can deposit cryptocurrencies and earn interest or borrow other cryptocurrencies using deposited collateral.
- It supports multiple cryptocurrencies, including Ether (ETH) and Dai (DAI).
Aave
Aave is a lending and borrowing platform on Ethereum where you can lend and borrow cryptocurrencies. According to DeFiLlama, as of April 20, 2023, Aave has over $5.5 billion in TVL on its platform.
Mode, an investment platform, recently integrated Aave's protocol into its platform, allowing you to earn interest on its Bitcoin holdings. Hence, Mode can now provide a seamless, secure, and efficient way to earn passive income on your cryptocurrency holdings.
Unique features:
- Its key feature is the "flash loan," which enables you to borrow cryptocurrencies without collateral for a very short period.
- It adjusts interest rates based on the supply and demand of each cryptocurrency.
- It offers both variable and stable interest rate options for lenders and borrowers.
MakerDAO
MakerDAO is a lending platform that allows you to borrow its native cryptocurrency, DAI, which is pegged to the US dollar. MakerDAO uses a unique system of collateralized debt positions (CDPs) to maintain the price stability of DAI.
Businesses can use DAI to receive payment for goods and services without the volatility risks associated with other cryptocurrencies.
Vaultoro, a gold and bitcoin exchange, uses MakerDAO's DAI stablecoin to hedge against market volatility, enabling you to trade and store your assets in a stable currency.
Unique features:
- It uses a dual-token system, where Dai is the stablecoin and Maker (MKR) is the governance token used to make decisions.
- Its CDPs allow you to lock up collateral in exchange for borrowing DAI.
- It uses a voting system to determine the stability fee.
Curve
The curve is an exchange platform that trades stablecoins with low fees and slippage. It is designed to help users swap between different stablecoins like DAI, USDT, USDC, and more.
Some of the top companies that use Curve include Yearn.Finance, Synthetix, and Ren. Synthetix uses Curve to provide liquidity to its synthetic asset platform, allowing you to trade various assets without owning the underlying assets.
Unique features:
- It charges a minimal fee of 0.04% for each transaction.
- It offers low slippage even for large trades.
- It offers high liquidity, making it easier for traders to buy and sell stablecoins.
- It allows you to earn interest by providing liquidity to the platform.
Axie Infinity
Axie Infinity is a blockchain-based gaming platform that allows you to own and breed fantasy creatures called Axies, which can be traded on the open market. It uses NFTs to represent Axies, making them unique and valuable.
In July 2021, some players in the Philippines were earning up to $500/month by playing Axie Infinity. Additionally, in August 2021, Axie Infinity's daily active users surpassed those of Ethereum's top DeFi protocols, with over 350,000 users playing the game daily.
Unique features:
- You can earn cryptocurrency by playing the game and breeding rare and valuable Axies.
- It has a marketplace where you can buy and sell Axies using cryptocurrency.
Yearn
Yearn was created in February 2020 by Andre Cronje, and it helps users optimize their DeFi investments. Some top companies that use Yearn include Curve, Aave, and Synthetix. Curve uses Yearn to adjust its liquidity pools automatically based on market conditions, which helps maintain stable prices for its stablecoins.
Unique features:
- It provides a suite of products that maximize your yield farming profits while minimizing risk.
- It allows you to lend and borrow assets at competitive rates on its lending platform, vaults.
- It has a native governance token called YFI that allows you to participate in the decision-making process.
Step App
The Step app is a DeFi app that encourages people to build healthy financial habits while providing them with easy access to financial services. It makes banking more accessible and equitable, especially for young people who may not have access to traditional banking services.
One notable company that uses the Step app is Teen Vogue. They partnered with Step to create a co-branded debit card with exclusive perks and rewards.
Unique features:
- It offers a gamified experience that rewards you for healthy financial behaviors such as saving money and making purchases at responsible merchants.
- You can earn rewards points redeemed for cash or other prizes.
- It offers FDIC-insured bank accounts and a free Visa card.
- It provides you with access to financial education resources to help you make informed decisions about your money.
Decentralized apps are transforming the way we interact with technology, enabling us to take control of our data and our digital lives. The above-listed dApps are some of the most popular and innovative ones today, providing unique solutions to complex problems.
With the continued growth of the decentralized economy, we can expect to see many more exciting dApps emerge in the years to come.