a16z crypto show

How DeFi lending actually works (with Paul Frambot, cofounder and CEO of Morpho Labs)

Episode Summary

Morpho cofounder and CEO Paul Frambot joins us to discuss how onchain lending could change the future of finance. He explains what Morpho does, the biggest misconception in DeFi lending, why institutions are starting to pay attention, and how open blockchain infrastructure could make lending markets more transparent, competitive, and efficient. Paul also shares his longer-term view of a financial system with broader access to capital and more customizable financial products.

Episode Notes

What if the future of lending doesn’t need banks at all?

Paul Frambot, cofounder and CEO of Morpho, explains what it means to build lending infrastructure without banks, and why DeFi’s real breakthrough isn’t “risk-free” loans, but open, onchain markets that make lending more transparent, competitive, and efficient.

In this conversation, Paul breaks down the biggest misconception in DeFi lending, how to think about risk onchain, why institutions are learning faster than expected, and where banks, asset managers, fintechs, and stablecoins fit into the next wave of adoption.

He also shares his long-term vision for finance: a world where open blockchain infrastructure replaces siloed financial systems, access to capital gets broader, and financial products become cheaper, more personalized, and easier to build.

Highlights: 

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