DeFi Simplified

Breaking down blockchain infrastructure, one protocol at a time

Why I’m Writing This

Six months ago, I couldn’t tell you the difference between Ethereum and Polkadot. I’m a software developer who builds things, but when it came to blockchain and DeFi, I was completely lost.

So I decided to learn by doing. I started following KR1—a publicly-traded infrastructure investment company—to understand what professional investors look for in this space. And instead of just watching from the sidelines, I’m documenting everything I learn.

This newsletter is my learning journey.

Each post breaks down a piece of DeFi infrastructure by analyzing real investments and protocols. Want to understand liquid staking? Let’s look at how Lido works. Curious about oracles? We’ll dive into why they’re critical infrastructure.

What makes this different:

- ✅ Real protocols, not theoretical concepts

- ✅ Written for complete beginners

- ✅ Software dev perspective (I care how it works)

- ✅ Long-term thinking (years, not weeks)

- ✅ Total transparency (I’m learning alongside you)

What you’ll learn:

- How blockchain infrastructure actually works

- What DeFi protocols do and why they matter

- Why certain investments are “picks and shovels” plays

- How to think like an infrastructure investor

I’m not a financial advisor or crypto expert. I’m just a dev who likes understanding how things work. If you’re curious about DeFi but overwhelmed by the jargon, you’re in the right place.

Let’s figure this out together.

— Rohan

Quick reads on Twitter: [@DefiRohan](https://twitter.com/DefiRohan)

Deep dives here on Substack.

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