Fintech Veteran Says DeFi Can Fix Finance

According to Investing.com, Binance Research analysts declared 2024 as the year Decentralized Finance (DeFi) fundamentally redefined financial resilience. The consistent influx of billions into DeFi underscores its potential to reach lofty revenue targets, with forecasts predicting a market size of $231.2 billion by 2030—a figure that signals a seismic shift in how we perceive and interact with money. This finding prompted me to delve deeper into the evolving landscape of DeFi by engaging with one of its pioneers and stalwarts, Jeff Mahony, Founder and Chairman of SaveDaily Holdings Corp., a fintech platform processing over 150,000 transactions daily. With over thirty years of experience building scalable businesses, developing AI, and leading technology teams, Jeff pioneered accessible and scalable financial solutions long before blockchain and DeFi became industry buzzwords. From integrating Real-World Assets (RWAs) and developing decentralized identity and reputation systems to advancing cross-chain interoperability and regulatory-compliant DeFi protocols, Jeff provided insights shaped by his experience and rural upbringing, which instilled in him values of adaptability and community trust – principles he sees reflected in DeFi's growth. Enjoy the reading! Jeff, what emerging trends in DeFi excite you the most? Where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth and innovation in 2025 and beyond? One of the most exciting emerging trends in DeFi is the integration of real-world assets (RWAs) into decentralized ecosystems. As DeFi continues to mature, bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology creates opportunities to tokenize assets like commodities, real estate, and invoices, which helps unlock liquidity and democratize access to investment opportunities. Another fascinating trend we're observing now is the rise of decentralized identity and reputation systems. These systems enable trustless credit scoring and under-collateralized lending, and make DeFi accessible to a broader audience without sacrificing security. For 2025 and beyond, I see immense potential in DeFi's role in cross-chain interoperability. As DeFi becomes more multi-chain, ensuring seamless communication between blockchains will be key to creating a unified and efficient financial ecosystem. Furthermore, advancements in regulatory-compliant DeFi protocols will likely speed up institutional adoption and help scale the industry further. Addressing issues such as high costs, confusing interfaces, and lack of education will be key for long-term growth and innovation. Wrapping up, DeFi has a great opportunity to become a safer, easier-to-use, and more accessible space. How do you see DeFi transforming or integrating with traditional financial systems, particularly from your experience with SaveDaily? DeFi can significantly transform traditional financial systems by increasing accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. In fact, we're already seeing it happen. From my experience with SaveDaily, I see clear parallels. Just as SaveDaily aims to lower barriers to entry in investing, DeFi is breaking down barriers in finance by enabling permissionless access to lending, borrowing, and trading. The integration of DeFi with legacy systems could come through hybrid models, where traditional institutions leverage blockchain to enhance efficiency while retaining a relatable structure for compliance and customer trust. For example, users could benefit largely from tokenization of mutual funds or savings accounts as well as the security of regulated systems and the flexibility and transparency of decentralized technology. Ultimately, the future lies in creating bridges rather than silos, where DeFi complements traditional finance by making it more inclusive and adaptive. My work with SaveDaily has shown me how powerful it can be to align innovative technology with practical solutions to meet real-world financial needs. What needs to happen for DeFi to achieve mainstream adoption among non-tech-savvy users? I believe three key changes are needed: DeFi platforms must be as intuitive as traditional apps, allowing for seamless onboarding and easy wallet recovery. Clear, relatable education campaigns, supported by trusted partnerships and influencers, can demystify DeFi and highlight its benefits. Improved security and regulatory clarity will make users feel confident in the system, while partnerships with traditional financial institutions can be a bridge. What does the future regulatory environment for DeFi look like from your perspective? It will likely balance innovation with consumer protection. In my opinion, an increased focus will be placed on ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) standards, possibly through decentralized identity solutions that maintain privacy while meeting regulatory needs.Regulators will also aim to bring greater clarity to how DeFi platforms operate, likely requiring disclosures around risks, fees, and governance structures. While this could introduce some centralization, it will also encourage institutional adoption by building trust. The challenge will be crafting regulations that protect users without stifling DeFi's decentralized, open nature. Collaboration between regulators, developers, and industry leaders is key to striking this balance, ensuring DeFi remains innovative while becoming more secure and accessible to the broader public. What emerging blockchain technologies or protocols are you most excited about, and how do you see them implemented in DeFi? I'm particularly excited about technologies that address scalability, energy efficiency, and decentralization — key barriers to DeFi adoption. Our own blockchain project, currently in stealth mode, is a prime example. It achieves faster transaction times, significantly reduces energy consumption, and avoids the centralization pitfalls associated with Proof of Stake. This combination enables a truly decentralized infrastructure so badly needed to support the next wave of DeFi applications. What excites me most is how this technology aligns with real-world opportunities. We have several major initiatives in the pipeline that, we believe, will bridge the gap between DeFi's ideals and tangible impact, unlocking practical use cases and driving adoption across industries. These advancements will make DeFi not just innovative but indispensable for future financial systems. What lessons have you learned from recent security vulnerabilities in the sector? A few lessons learned are top of mind: The Importance of Rigorous Auditing: Many incidents stem from untested or poorly reviewed smart contracts. Comprehensive, ongoing audits by independent experts are essential to identify and address vulnerabilities before launch. The Need for User Education: Security often fails at the user level. Educating users on safe practices, like properly securing private keys and avoiding phishing scams, is vital for sector-wide resilience. Resilience Through Redundancy: Protocols need to adopt stronger fail-safes, such as circuit breakers or automated rollbacks, to minimize the impact of breaches or exploits. Collaboration over Competition: Security is a shared responsibility. The sector has learned the value of collaboration through bug bounties, information-sharing, and initiatives like DeFi insurance to mitigate damage. How can DeFi genuinely contribute to financial inclusion, especially in regions underserved by traditional banking? Without the need for physical branches or intermediaries, DeFi decreases costs and allows anyone with internet access to participate. It offers tools like global lending, borrowing, and savings, along with stablecoins that help protect against local currency volatility. By bridging gaps left by traditional banking, DeFi empowers communities to participate in the global economy and build financial independence. Where do you see the DeFi and blockchain industries in the next decade, and what role do you envision for your blockchain product in this future? Over the next decade, I see DeFi and blockchain industries evolving into integral components of the global financial system. Blockchain will likely underpin everything from supply chain management to identity verification, with DeFi transforming how people interact with money — making it more accessible, transparent, and efficient. I believe that our product will play a pivotal role in this transformation. By addressing critical challenges like transaction speed, energy efficiency, and decentralization, we're laying the groundwork for a more scalable and sustainable DeFi ecosystem. This will help demonstrate how blockchain can solve practical problems, ultimately driving mainstream adoption and fostering a decentralized financial landscape. I understand that you've been working on something significant for years. Can you share some broad details about the challenges or opportunities you aim to address? While I can't share the company name just yet, I'm excited to provide a glimpse into what we're building. We have developed a groundbreaking consensus mechanism that tackles the core limitations of legacy blockchain models — scalability, efficiency, and decentralization — without the trade-offs that have historically held the industry back. What truly differentiates us is the robust pipeline of real-world opportunities we're pursuing. Instead of relying on speculative promises, we're focused on tangible implementations across multiple industries and geographies. For example, we're actively exploring digital identity and national digital currency solutions with several countries–projects that could potentially impact hundreds of millions of people. By prioritizing meaningful use cases and building technology designed to deliver practical, large-scale value, we'reaiming to usher in the next era of global, inclusive blockchain applications. How did your upbringing in a rural environment shape your worldview and entrepreneurial journey? Do you see any parallels between the agricultural world and the DeFi space (e.g., in terms of risk management or supply chains)? What inspired you to enter the DeFi space? Growing up in a rural environment taught me the value of adaptability, resourcefulness, and building trust within a community. These principles have deeply shaped my approach to the DeFi space. What drew me to DeFi was its potential to democratize access to financial tools and opportunities. Coming from a background where resources were often limited, I saw how transformative it could be to provide people — regardless of their circumstances — with the ability to participate in a more open, more inclusive financial system. What piece of advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? I would tell my 18-year-old self to embrace uncertainty and take calculated risks earlier. The fear of failure often holds us back, but failure is where the most valuable lessons are learned. I'd also remind myself to stay curious — exploring emerging technologies and industries can lead to unexpected opportunities. Lastly, focus on building relationships. Success often comes from the people you surround yourself with, so invest time in expanding your professional network and creating genuine connections. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to make an impact in the DeFi space? My advice is to prioritize solving real problems over chasing hype. Understand your audience, find your market fit, and build solutions that simplify access to financial tools. Focus on security and transparency — they're non-negotiable for building trust in this space. Also, stay adaptable as the DeFi landscape evolves rapidly, and keep an eye on regulatory developments to future-proof your project. Finally, collaborate with others in the ecosystem. DeFi is strongest when innovators work together to create an interconnected, more inclusive financial future. If this interview resonates with you, join the conversation—share your thoughts, insights, or questions about the future of DeFi and how it can shape a more inclusive financial world in the comments! According to Investing.com , Binance Research analysts declared 2024 as the year Decentralized Finance (DeFi) fundamentally redefined financial resilience. The consistent influx of billions into DeFi underscores its potential to reach lofty revenue targets, with forecasts predicting a market size of $231.2 billion by 2030—a figure that signals a seismic shift in how we perceive and interact with money. Investing.com This finding prompted me to delve deeper into the evolving landscape of DeFi by engaging with one of its pioneers and stalwarts, Jeff Mahony , Founder and Chairman of SaveDaily Holdings Corp., a fintech platform processing over 150,000 transactions daily. With over thirty years of experience building scalable businesses, developing AI, and leading technology teams, Jeff pioneered accessible and scalable financial solutions long before blockchain and DeFi became industry buzzwords. Jeff Mahony From integrating Real-World Assets (RWAs) and developing decentralized identity and reputation systems to advancing cross-chain interoperability and regulatory-compliant DeFi protocols, Jeff provided insights shaped by his experience and rural upbringing, which instilled in him values of adaptability and community trust – principles he sees reflected in DeFi's growth. Enjoy the reading! Jeff, what emerging trends in DeFi excite you the most? Where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth and innovation in 2025 and beyond? One of the most exciting emerging trends in DeFi is the integration of real-world assets (RWAs) into decentralized ecosystems. As DeFi continues to mature, bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology creates opportunities to tokenize assets like commodities, real estate, and invoices, which helps unlock liquidity and democratize access to investment opportunities. Another fascinating trend we're observing now is the rise of decentralized identity and reputation systems. These systems enable trustless credit scoring and under-collateralized lending, and make DeFi accessible to a broader audience without sacrificing security. For 2025 and beyond, I see immense potential in DeFi's role in cross-chain interoperability. As DeFi becomes more multi-chain, ensuring seamless communication between blockchains will be key to creating a unified and efficient financial ecosystem. As DeFi becomes more multi-chain, ensuring seamless communication between blockchains will be key to creating a unified and efficient financial ecosystem. Furthermore, advancements in regulatory-compliant DeFi protocols will likely speed up institutional adoption and help scale the industry further. Addressing issues such as high costs, confusing interfaces, and lack of education will be key for long-term growth and innovation. Wrapping up, DeFi has a great opportunity to become a safer, easier-to-use, and more accessible space. How do you see DeFi transforming or integrating with traditional financial systems, particularly from your experience with SaveDaily? DeFi can significantly transform traditional financial systems by increasing accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. In fact, we're already seeing it happen. From my experience with SaveDaily, I see clear parallels. Just as SaveDaily aims to lower barriers to entry in investing, DeFi is breaking down barriers in finance by enabling permissionless access to lending, borrowing, and trading. DeFi is breaking down barriers in finance by enabling permissionless access to lending, borrowing, and trading. The integration of DeFi with legacy systems could come through hybrid models, where traditional institutions leverage blockchain to enhance efficiency while retaining a relatable structure for compliance and customer trust. For example, users could benefit largely from tokenization of mutual funds or savings accounts as well as the security of regulated systems and the flexibility and transparency of decentralized technology. Ultimately, the future lies in creating bridges rather than silos, where DeFi complements traditional finance by making it more inclusive and adaptive. My work with SaveDaily has shown me how powerful it can be to align innovative technology with practical solutions to meet real-world financial needs. What needs to happen for DeFi to achieve mainstream adoption among non-tech-savvy users? I believe three key changes are needed: DeFi platforms must be as intuitive as traditional apps, allowing for seamless onboarding and easy wallet recovery. Clear, relatable education campaigns, supported by trusted partnerships and influencers, can demystify DeFi and highlight its benefits. Improved security and regulatory clarity will make users feel confident in the system, while partnerships with traditional financial institutions can be a bridge. DeFi platforms must be as intuitive as traditional apps, allowing for seamless onboarding and easy wallet recovery. Clear, relatable education campaigns, supported by trusted partnerships and influencers, can demystify DeFi and highlight its benefits. Improved security and regulatory clarity will make users feel confident in the system, while partnerships with traditional financial institutions can be a bridge. What does the future regulatory environment for DeFi look like from your perspective? It will likely balance innovation with consumer protection. In my opinion, an increased focus will be placed on ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) standards, possibly through decentralized identity solutions that maintain privacy while meeting regulatory needs.Regulators will also aim to bring greater clarity to how DeFi platforms operate, likely requiring disclosures around risks, fees, and governance structures. While this could introduce some centralization, it will also encourage institutional adoption by building trust. The challenge will be crafting regulations that protect users without stifling DeFi's decentralized, open nature. The challenge will be crafting regulations that protect users without stifling DeFi's decentralized, open nature. Collaboration between regulators, developers, and industry leaders is key to striking this balance, ensuring DeFi remains innovative while becoming more secure and accessible to the broader public. What emerging blockchain technologies or protocols are you most excited about, and how do you see them implemented in DeFi? I'm particularly excited about technologies that address scalability, energy efficiency, and decentralization — key barriers to DeFi adoption. Our own blockchain project, currently in stealth mode, is a prime example. It achieves faster transaction times, significantly reduces energy consumption, and avoids the centralization pitfalls associated with Proof of Stake. This combination enables a truly decentralized infrastructure so badly needed to support the next wave of DeFi applications. What excites me most is how this technology aligns with real-world opportunities. We have several major initiatives in the pipeline that, we believe, will bridge the gap between DeFi's ideals and tangible impact, unlocking practical use cases and driving adoption across industries. These advancements will make DeFi not just innovative but indispensable for future financial systems. What lessons have you learned from recent security vulnerabilities in the sector? A few lessons learned are top of mind: The Importance of Rigorous Auditing: Many incidents stem from untested or poorly reviewed smart contracts. Comprehensive, ongoing audits by independent experts are essential to identify and address vulnerabilities before launch. The Need for User Education: Security often fails at the user level. Educating users on safe practices, like properly securing private keys and avoiding phishing scams, is vital for sector-wide resilience. Resilience Through Redundancy: Protocols need to adopt stronger fail-safes, such as circuit breakers or automated rollbacks, to minimize the impact of breaches or exploits. Collaboration over Competition: Security is a shared responsibility. The sector has learned the value of collaboration through bug bounties, information-sharing, and initiatives like DeFi insurance to mitigate damage. The Importance of Rigorous Auditing: Many incidents stem from untested or poorly reviewed smart contracts. Comprehensive, ongoing audits by independent experts are essential to identify and address vulnerabilities before launch. The Importance of Rigorous Auditing: The Need for User Education: Security often fails at the user level. Educating users on safe practices, like properly securing private keys and avoiding phishing scams, is vital for sector-wide resilience. The Need for User Education: Resilience Through Redundancy: Protocols need to adopt stronger fail-safes, such as circuit breakers or automated rollbacks, to minimize the impact of breaches or exploits. Resilience Through Redundancy: Collaboration over Competition: Security is a shared responsibility. The sector has learned the value of collaboration through bug bounties, information-sharing, and initiatives like DeFi insurance to mitigate damage. Collaboration over Competition: How can DeFi genuinely contribute to financial inclusion, especially in regions underserved by traditional banking? Without the need for physical branches or intermediaries, DeFi decreases costs and allows anyone with internet access to participate. It offers tools like global lending, borrowing, and savings, along with stablecoins that help protect against local currency volatility. By bridging gaps left by traditional banking, DeFi empowers communities to participate in the global economy and build financial independence. Where do you see the DeFi and blockchain industries in the next decade, and what role do you envision for your blockchain product in this future? Over the next decade, I see DeFi and blockchain industries evolving into integral components of the global financial system. Blockchain will likely underpin everything from supply chain management to identity verification, with DeFi transforming how people interact with money — making it more accessible, transparent, and efficient. Blockchain will likely underpin everything from supply chain management to identity verification, with DeFi transforming how people interact with money — making it more accessible, transparent, and efficient. I believe that our product will play a pivotal role in this transformation. By addressing critical challenges like transaction speed, energy efficiency, and decentralization, we're laying the groundwork for a more scalable and sustainable DeFi ecosystem. This will help demonstrate how blockchain can solve practical problems, ultimately driving mainstream adoption and fostering a decentralized financial landscape. I understand that you've been working on something significant for years. Can you share some broad details about the challenges or opportunities you aim to address? While I can't share the company name just yet, I'm excited to provide a glimpse into what we're building. We have developed a groundbreaking consensus mechanism that tackles the core limitations of legacy blockchain models — scalability, efficiency, and decentralization — without the trade-offs that have historically held the industry back. What truly differentiates us is the robust pipeline of real-world opportunities we're pursuing. Instead of relying on speculative promises, we're focused on tangible implementations across multiple industries and geographies. For example, we're actively exploring digital identity and national digital currency solutions with several countries–projects that could potentially impact hundreds of millions of people. By prioritizing meaningful use cases and building technology designed to deliver practical, large-scale value, we'reaiming to usher in the next era of global, inclusive blockchain applications. How did your upbringing in a rural environment shape your worldview and entrepreneurial journey? Do you see any parallels between the agricultural world and the DeFi space (e.g., in terms of risk management or supply chains)? What inspired you to enter the DeFi space? Growing up in a rural environment taught me the value of adaptability, resourcefulness, and building trust within a community. These principles have deeply shaped my approach to the DeFi space. What drew me to DeFi was its potential to democratize access to financial tools and opportunities. Coming from a background where resources were often limited, I saw how transformative it could be to provide people — regardless of their circumstances — with the ability to participate in a more open, more inclusive financial system. What piece of advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? I would tell my 18-year-old self to embrace uncertainty and take calculated risks earlier. The fear of failure often holds us back, but failure is where the most valuable lessons are learned. The fear of failure often holds us back, but failure is where the most valuable lessons are learned. I'd also remind myself to stay curious — exploring emerging technologies and industries can lead to unexpected opportunities. Lastly, focus on building relationships. Success often comes from the people you surround yourself with, so invest time in expanding your professional network and creating genuine connections. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to make an impact in the DeFi space? My advice is to prioritize solving real problems over chasing hype. Understand your audience, find your market fit, and build solutions that simplify access to financial tools. Focus on security and transparency — they're non-negotiable for building trust in this space. Also, stay adaptable as the DeFi landscape evolves rapidly, and keep an eye on regulatory developments to future-proof your project. Finally, collaborate with others in the ecosystem. DeFi is strongest when innovators work together to create an interconnected, more inclusive financial future. If this interview resonates with you, join the conversation—share your thoughts, insights, or questions about the future of DeFi and how it can shape a more inclusive financial world in the comments!