1inch co-founder Sergej Kunz is a visionary when it comes to the future of decentralized finance (DeFi). His perspective goes beyond the surface level conversations about financial inclusion and hedging against fiat collapse. Kunz envisions a DeFi ecosystem that is seamless, peer-to-peer, and ultimately makes centralized exchanges obsolete.
1inch, as the leading DEX aggregator and DeFi ecosystem, recently underwent a rebrand and integrated with Solana. This move allowed them to launch native, decentralized swaps across over 12 EVM networks. Kunz’s strategic approach to expanding beyond Ethereum reflects the evolving landscape of DeFi, where interoperability between different chains is becoming increasingly important.
The goal for 1inch is to unite liquidity from various ecosystems into a single platform, offering users trustless swaps and seamless execution. Kunz emphasizes the importance of user autonomy and decentralized principles, such as removing the need for intermediaries. By focusing on providing the best execution and accessing the most liquidity available, 1inch aims to render centralized exchanges unnecessary.
One of the key innovations introduced by 1inch is the intent-based protocol for swaps. This protocol was designed to address issues like sandwich attacks and front-running, providing a fairer and more efficient trading experience for users. By allowing market makers and arbitrage traders to compete within an open ecosystem, 1inch ensures that users get the best possible prices for their trades.
Looking ahead, Kunz envisions a future where DeFi seamlessly integrates with the broader crypto space, including stablecoins and other assets. The ultimate goal is to create a user experience where individuals can transact without worrying about the underlying blockchain or network. 1inch plans to expand its offerings to include a wide range of assets, from popular cryptocurrencies to tokenized real-world assets.
In the ongoing battle between decentralized and centralized exchanges, Kunz is determined to push 1inch forward and compete directly with the established players in the centralized exchange space. With a focus on integration, cross-chain functionality, and user experience, 1inch aims to challenge the dominance of centralized exchanges and provide a compelling alternative for traders and investors.
As DeFi continues to grow and evolve, the competition between decentralized and centralized exchanges will intensify. With its innovative approach to liquidity aggregation, seamless execution, and user-centric design, 1inch is well-positioned to lead the charge towards a decentralized future in finance.

