There are now thousands of DeFi platforms, and the most used ones number in the dozens.
Moreover, they are often different platforms from one another, and thus are used for different purposes.
It is therefore impossible to create a single ranking of the best DeFi platforms currently available, while it is more advisable to compile several rankings.
For example, there are platforms that allow crypto exchanges (decentralized exchanges, or DEX), platforms for yield farming, staking, or lending. They are used for trading, earning interest, or rewards, or incentives, on stablecoins or cryptocurrencies.
Yields in DeFi
In particular, DeFi platforms are often used to generate yields in a decentralized and thus anonymous manner.
These platforms are decentralized applications (known as dApps) composed of smart contracts that run on various blockchains, such as Ethereum, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, and others.
In particular, they allow the deposit of one’s own crypto or stablecoins, for example, to provide liquidity to exchange pools or crypto lending platforms. In return for these deposits, known as lock-ups, one can earn returns measured in APY (Annual Percentage Yield), which can range from a few percentage points per year to several dozen.
It should be noted that generally, the higher the returns, the greater the risks. Additionally, APYs are often variable over time, sometimes even changing from day to day. Finally, these returns are usually paid in the same staked token, and therefore are not calculated based on fiat currency values.
The Most Used Platforms
The first ranking that can be made is of the DeFi platforms that prove to be the most popular, particularly for earning yields through lending.
These are platforms that combine ease of use, deep liquidity, and active communities.
At the top of this ranking is Aave, one of the most historic and reputable DeFi platforms. It stands as a leader in crypto lending, used by millions of users who appreciate its intuitive interface and flash loan options.
Among the CDEX, Uniswap stands out for its usage. Uniswap is indeed the quintessential DEX, praised for both its swapping capabilities and deep liquidity, with support for over 40 chains.
For yield farming on stablecoins, the best option seems to be Curve Finance, thanks to its low slippage. However, in this case, Pendle should also be mentioned, due to its yield on stablecoins like USDe, as well as Binance Staked ETH and ether.fi.
For liquid staking on ETH, the best option is Lido Finance, making it the most widely used ETH staking platform in the world.
These platforms are particularly appreciated for their community-driven approach, with frequent updates based on user feedback.
The Most Secure Platforms
One of the pain points of DeFi is security.
In fact, over the years, hundreds of DeFi platforms have been breached by hackers, causing their users to lose enormous amounts of crypto funds.
The safest DeFi platforms are those with multiple audits, insurance, and a clean track record.
Among all, Aave v3 stands out, considered the safest for lending due to advanced risk protocols and no major hacks since 2023. Compound and MakerDAO are also deemed very secure, thanks to decentralized governance and over-collateralized guarantees. Lido and EigenLayer are also considered safe for staking, due to slashing protection mechanisms.
Additionally, Uniswap and Curve are often praised for their resilience, with audits from firms like Trail of Bits, while Synthetix and GMX offer yield on derivatives with a focus on security, avoiding centralized oracles.
Generally, platforms with higher TVL indicate greater collective trust in them.
Platforms with the Highest TVL
The Total Value Locked (TVL) measures the liquidity locked on a single blockchain or a single DeFi platform. It is generally an indicator of stability and popularity.
This ranking is also dominated by Aave, with 35 billion dollars spread across 18 chains, followed by Lido (28 billion). EigenCloud and Binance Staked ETH exceed 10 billion dollars, while Ether.fi and Spark are around 8-9 billion.
Ethena (6 billion), Morpho (6 billion), and Uniswap (4 billion) should also be mentioned.
Platforms with Higher Yields
The ranking of platforms offering the best returns cannot be ignored, although as mentioned earlier, the higher the returns, the higher the risks generally increase as well.
The fact is that in some cases there are even APYs exceeding 1,000% at certain times, but these are exceptions that are probably best ignored in a context like this.
Getting back to reality, Pendle, for instance, offers APYs ranging from 20-50% on USDe and sUSDe, particularly thanks to leveraged strategies, while Ethena and Strata offer 12-23% on stablecoins, with extra points for airdrops.
In yield farming, Convex Finance and Pendle currently dominate, with APY up to 20-30% on stablecoins, while on Solana, Kamino and Jupiter offer 10-20% in liquidity pools.
Conclusion
In 2026, the best DeFi platforms for depositing crypto and earning yields balance popularity, security, TVL, and APY.
Aave and Lido excel in security and TVL, while Pendle and Ethena offer high yields.
With the evolution of DeFi, platforms like these will continue to democratize finance, allowing more and more people to earn passive returns. This does not negate the fact that there is always a certain degree of risk, which can sometimes become particularly high.
Source: https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/01/10/the-best-defi-platforms/
