DeFi News Seen as the Economic Driver of Blockchain
Liu leads the Solana Foundation, an organization that guides Solana's ecosystem in supporting developers, infrastructure, and network innovation. Solana is known for its high-throughput blockchain architecture, aimed at enabling fast and low-cost financial applications. In a recent public statement, Liu emphasized that DeFi News is not just a sector of blockchain applications; she believes it is a primary function for non-Bitcoin networks to exist.
She traced back to the original intent of blockchain, pointing out that its goal is to achieve global financial accessibility, mentioning past descriptions such as “open finance,” “the internet of money,” and “the TCP/IP of currency.” She explained that these phrases reflect the ambition of the field to digitize and democratize finance for billions of people worldwide. Liu noted that the fundamental design of blockchain is to provide financial tools to 5.5 billion users in a neutral and borderless manner.
Drawing on historical context, she believes that successful visions of large-scale transformation throughout history have always been backed by strong economic engines. Whether it was empires supporting major religions or city-states expanding their influence after establishing economic stability, Liu highlighted the importance of economic power.
Neutrality and Open Access as Pillars of Growth
Liu advocates that for blockchain networks to achieve widespread adoption, they need to be “neutral, global, and efficient,” providing permissionless access while protecting user self-sovereignty. Economic vitality must be matched by a commitment to structural openness — in her view, this combination defines a trustworthy blockchain ecosystem. Liu warned that speculation and hype alone are not a sustainable foundation for growth; enduring value comes from real economic activity supported by open systems.
She described DeFi News as a unique force that supports the expansion of blockchain networks, enabling them to transcend short-term interests. In her view, only networks that adhere to openness at every technical and governance level can expand to the largest user base. Therefore, the legitimacy of blockchain is defined by economic performance and relentless accessibility.
Enterprise Infrastructure vs. Open Systems: A Philosophical Divide
Liu clearly distinguishes between open decentralized systems and enterprise-managed blockchain infrastructure. While she acknowledges that enterprise-backed projects often benefit from more resources and immediate reach, she firmly believes these projects typically replicate the ownership models and control structures of traditional finance. According to Liu, these projects “may have their roles,” but cannot claim to inherit the founding values of blockchain.
She framed the key differences as philosophical rather than technical, emphasizing that the core of blockchain's original vision is “self-sovereignty, open access, and fundamentally equal opportunity” — principles that are currently threatened by centralized privatization.