The Ethereum ecosystem is buzzing with excitement as Devconnect ARG announces the first wave of teams hitting the DeFi District at the Ethereum World's Fair. Scheduled for November 17-22, 2025, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this event is shaping up to be a groundbreaking showcase of what's cooking in blockchain tech today. Think of it as a live demo ground where you can interact with apps that are revolutionizing traditional systems—right there on Ethereum.

For those new to the scene, DeFi stands for Decentralized Finance, which basically means financial services built on blockchain without the need for banks or middlemen. It's all about lending, borrowing, trading, and more, powered by smart contracts. The World's Fair is dividing the action into eight districts, including DeFi, Social, Hardware/Wallets, Privacy, Gaming, AI, Layer 2 solutions (L2s), and Collectibles. DeFi is so massive they've split it into two parts, and this thread drops the details on the first half.

Kicking things off is Aave, the heavyweight in decentralized lending. With over $70 billion in net deposits and $30 billion in active loans spread across 14 networks, Aave lets users lend and borrow crypto assets securely without custodians. It's a go-to for anyone looking to earn yields or access liquidity in the crypto space. At the Fair, expect to see hands-on demos of how Aave is making finance more accessible and efficient.

Next up, Morpho Labs is shaking things up in onchain lending. They're creating a universal network that links users through big players like Coinbase, Société Générale, and Worldcoin. Their setup is all about optimizing lending efficiency, and word is their booth might sport a fun "DeFi mullet" theme—business in the front, party in the back?

Then there's R3al Blocks, focusing on tokenizing Real World Assets (RWAs) to boost financial inclusion in Latin America. RWAs are things like real estate or commodities turned into digital tokens on the blockchain, making them easier to trade and access. At the event, they'll show how Ethereum bridges the gap between crypto and the real economy, letting capital flow seamlessly.

Swapping tokens gets a spotlight with 1inch, the aggregator that scours multiple decentralized exchanges (DEXes) for the best rates across chains. If you're tired of overpaying on trades, 1inch makes cross-DEX swaps a breeze, connecting the dots in Ethereum's DeFi puzzle.

Shoutout to Daimo for already powering the event— they enabled crypto payments for Devconnect tickets, supporting over 1,000 tokens across chains. They're all about bringing crypto into daily spending, turning digital assets into practical money.

Gnosis DAO is bringing the full owl energy with merch, demos of Gnosis Pay and Circles, and a preview of their latest innovations. Gnosis is known for prediction markets and safe wallets, but here they're diving deep into DeFi tools.

From Latin America, Ripio is leading the charge in making DeFi available to millions. As a top crypto company in the region, they're building tools for automated yields, helping everyday folks dip into blockchain finance.

Managing DeFi positions? DeFi Saver has you covered with a non-custodial interface for protocols like Aave and Compound. They'll be running live demos at the Fair to show how they simplify those tricky maneuvers.

Another LATAM gem, Lemon, offers a dual wallet for buying, earning, and spending crypto alongside local fiat, complete with a VISA card for global payments. Founded in Argentina, they're making crypto user-friendly in the region.

CoW Swap steps in to protect your trades from MEV (Miner Extractable Value) bots while snagging the best prices from DEXes and bridges. It's about smarter, safer swapping—come chat with them about DeFi's future.

Fellow Argentines Belo are crafting a crypto-fiat platform with wallets, exchanges, and yield options, bridging the gap for daily use in LATAM.

Rounding out the list is Offramp, enabling seamless crypto-to-fiat conversions so you can spend tokens like cash. They're turning Ethereum into real-world utility, one off-ramp at a time.

This lineup shows just how vibrant and diverse DeFi is becoming, especially with a strong LATAM flavor fitting the Buenos Aires vibe. If you're into blockchain, mark your calendar for the Ethereum World's Fair—tickets are available now via Devconnect. For more details on all districts, check out the Ethereum blog post.

Whether you're a seasoned dev or just curious about meme tokens and beyond, events like this are key to staying ahead in the fast-evolving world of crypto. See you in Buenos Aires!