Treehouse CEO Brandon Goh recently discussed the potential of fixed income in decentralized finance (DeFi), calling it a key factor for the sector's institutional adoption. In an interview on the podcast Hashing It Out, Goh explained that although DeFi has seen growth with products like decentralized exchanges and lending platforms, it lacks the core component of traditional finance: fixed income. Goh emphasized that fixed income, which includes assets like bonds and savings accounts, forms the backbone of traditional finance, but its absence in the DeFi ecosystem presents a barrier to wider institutional involvement.

One of the main challenges with introducing fixed income to DeFi is the lack of standardized benchmark rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is commonly used in traditional finance. Goh pointed out that without these foundational benchmark rates, scaling fixed-income products in a decentralized environment becomes difficult. He believes this gap is one reason fixed income is nearly non-existent in the current DeFi landscape.

Treehouse, the platform Goh co-founded, aims to address this issue by combining traditional fixed-income products with the flexibility of DeFi. Through its platform, Treehouse offers a way for users to earn predictable returns, making it easier for investors to manage risks in yield-generating products. This approach is designed to provide both stability and transparency, key factors that could attract institutional investors to the DeFi space.

Additionally, Goh stressed the importance of creating an on-chain benchmark, such as a decentralized offered rate (DOR), to improve market efficiency and transparency. He explained that Treehouse’s model uses these tools to provide a secure and reliable investment environment, helping bridge the gap between traditional finance and the emerging DeFi market.

The conversation also turned to how large financial institutions might engage with DeFi in the future. Goh suggested that while these institutions may be cautious about participating in high-risk DeFi products, they may be more likely to adopt stable and transparent options like staking. He predicts that as regulatory clarity improves and the infrastructure around DeFi becomes more robust, fixed income could play a significant role in the next phase of DeFi’s growth.

Treehouse’s work in introducing fixed income to DeFi represents a crucial step in the sector’s maturation. With its combination of traditional financial models and decentralized technology, Treehouse could provide the stability needed to attract institutional players. As DeFi continues to evolve, Goh’s vision for fixed-income products may help create the foundation for a more stable and widely accepted decentralized financial ecosystem.

[Yahoo.com]