As the world of finance continues to evolve, the lines between traditional and decentralized finance (DeFi) are becoming increasingly blurred. A key player in this evolution is the dYdX Foundation, an independent DeFi nonprofit that supports the dYdX protocol. The foundation recently launched a public testnet for its latest version, v4, which is said to represent complete decentralization for dYdX. This development puts the foundation ahead of schedule for the impending launch of the v4 mainnet.

The dYdX protocol, in its current live version, is still considered partially centralized. While it doesn’t take custody of any user assets, it uses a centralized order book and matching system. The forthcoming version, once fully launched, is expected to resolve this issue. At present, dYdX handles over $1 billion in funds daily and is the world’s largest decentralized exchange for perpetuals, bonds with no maturity date.

In a recent interview, dYdX Foundation CEO Charles d’Haussy shed light on the organization’s move toward total decentralization and its implications for centralized providers of perpetuals. Contrary to what one might expect, d’Haussy does not view centralized exchanges as competitors. Instead, he acknowledges their early support of the market and credits BitMex, a centralized entity, for the invention of perpetuals.

d’Haussy describes the current state of the industry as transitional, moving toward what he calls “decentralized disruption.” However, he believes that this shift does not necessarily pit centralized organizations against DeFi. In his view, there is not only room for both to coexist but also opportunities for collaboration that could benefit crypto customers at large.

The CEO envisions a future where centralized exchanges serve as gateways to decentralized exchanges. He imagines a scenario where a centralized entity with Know Your Customer (KYC) and risk profiles on customers could offer spot trading in-house, providing a more seamless integration and connection from the centralized exchange to DeFi. This, he believes, could offer customers a better experience.

d’Haussy draws parallels between this proposed situation and the operations of traditional financial banking institutions. Banks, he notes, start with a core business—deposits—and then bundle relevant services alongside it, such as insurance and mortgages. He sees a similar pattern emerging in finance, where a core business is established and then supplemented with relevant services.

In d’Haussy’s view, this bundling of services is a positive development for the ecosystem, as long as it empowers people to adopt crypto services in a way that suits them. He believes that people want to consume things in different ways and if a single entity can help manage their crypto experience and provide access to DeFi, then that is a positive outcome.

In conclusion, the dYdX Foundation’s move toward total decentralization is not a threat to centralized exchanges but rather an opportunity for collaboration and integration. As the world of finance continues to evolve, the lines between traditional and decentralized finance will continue to blur, creating a more inclusive and accessible financial ecosystem.