DeFi Projected to Generate $8 Billion in On-Chain Revenue by 2025

DeFi is expected to generate approximately $8 billion in on-chain revenue by 2025. According to ChainCatcher, research by Vadym indicates that the largest source of this revenue will be AMM transaction fees, estimated at around $4.2 billion, with Uniswap, Meteora, and Raydium accounting for 62% of this amount. Lending interest ranks second, contributing about $1.76 billion, with platforms like Aave and Morpho making up over 60% of DeFi's total TVL, although nearly half of the lending demand involves circular leverage operations. Real-world assets (RWA) are projected to contribute between $600 million and $900 million, with U.S. Treasury bonds comprising approximately 41% of the RWA market. Perpetual contract funding rates are expected to add around $300 million, primarily from Ethena. Notably, over half of the stablecoin deposits in the Ethereum ecosystem yield lower returns than U.S. Treasury rates. Potential revenue sources such as insurance underwriting and on-chain options remain underdeveloped. The analysis highlights Sky (formerly MakerDAO) as an example, noting that about 70% of its income is derived from off-chain assets, reflecting the accelerating flow of traditional finance (TradFi) returns into DeFi through authorized channels.