DeFi Must Prioritize Security for Mainstream Adoption - ChangeNOW CCO

Generated by AI AgentCoin World
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 3:36 am ET1min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- ChangeNOW's CSO Pauline Shangett argues DeFi must prioritize security to achieve mainstream adoption, emphasizing reliability for traditional finance investors entering crypto.

- She proposes a "CeDeFi" hybrid model combining on-chain trading with centralized oversight, likening it to the iPhone's security-driven evolution from Android.

- Chainalysis reports $2.17B stolen in 2025 alone, highlighting risks like hacks and rug pulls that erode user trust in complex DeFi platforms.

- ChangeNOW's 2023 success in freezing $1.5M in suspicious transactions demonstrates how DeFi can balance transparency with proactive security measures.

- The industry trend shows growing emphasis on integrating security into DeFi's infrastructure while maintaining decentralization's core value.

ChangeNOW’s Chief Strategy Officer, Pauline Shangett, argued during an exclusive interview with CoinEdition at CoinFest Asia 2025 that decentralized finance (DeFi) must prioritize safety to achieve mainstream adoption. Speaking in Bali, Indonesia, Shangett emphasized that while DeFi offers financial independence, it cannot afford to compromise on security. She warned that traditional finance (TradFi) investors, who are increasingly entering the crypto space, expect the same level of reliability and protection they are accustomed to in conventional systems [1].

Shangett pointed out that rampant hacks, rug pulls, and protocol exploits have significantly damaged user confidence. She noted that the complexity of existing DeFi platforms only worsens the experience for newcomers, who may abandon the space after a single security incident [1]. According to a recent Chainalysis report, more than $2.17 billion has already been stolen in 2025, underscoring the urgency of addressing these concerns [1].

To bridge this gap, Shangett proposed a hybrid model she referred to as “CeDeFi,” or centralized-decentralized finance. This model would integrate on-chain trading and wallet access with traditional oversight mechanisms to prevent and mitigate failures. She likened the transformation to the evolution from Android to iPhone—highlighting the importance of simplicity, user experience, and security [1].

ChangeNOW has already demonstrated the potential of this approach. In 2023, the platform’s risk system successfully froze suspicious transactions totaling $1.5 million, including stolen ALGO and

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. These actions, according to Shangett, illustrate how DeFi platforms can responsibly prioritize user safety while maintaining transparency [1].

Her comments reflect a broader industry trend toward integrating security and trust into DeFi’s core infrastructure. While decentralization remains a foundational value, Shangett argued that it must evolve to meet the expectations of a growing and increasingly diverse user base [1].

Source: [1] CoinEdition Exclusive: ChangeNOW CSO on DeFi's ... (https://coinedition.com/coinedition-exclusive-coinfest-defi-needs-its-iphone-moment-changenow-strategy-chief/)