DEFI's are more like small masternode coins. At peak mid last year , there was above 500 of them. All promising 200% APR and more, and some of them even looking solid.
But at the end, after many users get scammed or burned, just few of those masternodes survive...
I see same future in DEFI. Yes , few could earn 500% APY yearly, but only at start, and then hundreds or thousands will lose.
It cannot be legit and sustainable if it is above 20% yearly, even that is to much.
That is why more and more users use celsius.network, crypto.com, apyharvest.com, blockfi.com and nexo.io
AAVE is defined as completely legit, and as full DEFI, it should be more safe than any of CEFI's mentioned above...BUT...why would anyone hold USDT there @ 4.36% APY when they can hold @ 10.51% APY on celsius? Or why would anyone hold ETH there on AAVI @ tiny 0.13% APY, when they can hold and get 7.82% @ apyharves
Without institutional crypto borrowing, there is no DEFI that can survive, and it is close to impossible to get legal institution to provide liquidity to something decentralized and non-AML(KYC).
CEFI on other hand is booming, and IMHO it is a way to do. And they do favor to crypto, by switching more and more fiat bank holders to crypto, because we all know how much fiat banks do not give.