"De-Fi's" only a "game-changer" if it stays true to its decentralized roots. But we all know most "De-Fi" platforms are centralized, so the experience would be no different than traditional finance. Is that the future Satoshi wanted? I doubt it. But to each their own.
De-Fi is a staple innovation in crypto. It was only the problem of the projects under it like if they are centralized, or can be a problem to some of us because there might still be some that wouldn't care at all. What is only important for them is they can earn and make use of what it has to offer. As what is said earlier, De-Fi is just another innovation and BTC is also different despite being decentralized too. Satoshi won't care at all what happens to it but even the BTC itself is also being used differently by some people. Oh well, at least they still contribute.
I'm afraid it's too late to help improve things for the better. Regulators and "Wall Street" have their hands tied on crypto. It's their game now. Even Ethereum is compromised. It holds the #1 spot in TVL across "De-Fi" protocols. I wouldn't expect this to change anytime soon. With centralized stablecoins dominating the market, what more could we expect?
I would say that things are only starting to change, so it is not yet too late to stop them. I agree though when you say "it was their game now" . It was like they are late bloomers but isn't it great? Because they are once a hater of crypto/BTC. ETH on the other hand, is said to be centralized even before, so nothing is comprised.
DeFi’s direction depends on how much users value true decentralization over convenience. It's true many platforms now lean centralized, but the core idea isn’t lost—it just needs more builders and users who care about it. Regulation may shape the space, but innovation hasn’t stopped. It’s not too late.