As Web3 matures, the line between centralized and decentralized finance is becoming less rigid. Users increasingly expect access to liquidity, efficiency, and familiar exchange experiences, while still retaining control over their assets.
This is where CeDeFi, the convergence of centralized and decentralized finance, is playing a growing role, particularly within non-custodial wallets.
Rather than replacing DeFi, CeDeFi is emerging as a complementary layer that helps bridge usability gaps without compromising user sovereignty.
Why CeDeFi Matters
Pure DeFi offers transparency and self-custody, but it can also introduce friction. Fragmented liquidity, complex interfaces, and variable execution outcomes can create barriers, especially for users navigating multiple chains or assets.
Centralized exchanges, on the other hand, offer deep liquidity and simplified execution, but often require users to relinquish custody and manage additional accounts.
CeDeFi combines elements of both models. It allows users to access centralized liquidity and pricing efficiency directly from a non-custodial environment, without transferring control of their assets to an exchange account.
For users, this means fewer steps and reduced operational risk.
For ecosystems, it means broader participation without lowering trust standards.
Non-Custodial Wallets as the Integration Layer
Non-custodial wallets are increasingly becoming the natural home for CeDeFi integrations.
From an architectural perspective, wallets already sit at the intersection of identity, assets, and transaction execution. Adding CeDeFi services within this context allows users to interact with centralized liquidity providers while maintaining self-custody and on-chain transparency.
In wallets such as ONTO Wallet, CeDeFi integrations enable users to:
- Swap or bridge assets across chains without depositing funds into an exchange account
- Retain full control of private keys throughout the transaction flow
- Access multiple liquidity providers through a single interface
The wallet becomes an orchestration layer, rather than a gatekeeper.
Partner Integrations in Practice
ONTO Wallet integrates with established CeDeFi partners to expand exchange options while preserving non-custodial principles.
Services such as Changelly, SimpleSwap, and Exolix provide access to aggregated liquidity and cross-chain execution, allowing users to complete swaps or bridges directly from within the wallet interface.
From an ecosystem perspective, these integrations:
- Reduce friction for users entering or moving within Web3
- Improve price discovery and execution reliability
- Allow wallets to offer flexibility without rebuilding exchange infrastructure
Importantly, these services operate as optional pathways, not mandatory dependencies. Users remain free to choose how and when they engage.
Trust, Control, and Optionality
CeDeFi is sometimes misunderstood as a compromise between decentralization and convenience. In practice, its value depends on how it is implemented.
When integrated into a non-custodial wallet:
- Custody remains with the user
- Execution is transparent
- Identity and compliance requirements can be applied selectively
- Risk is reduced through choice rather than restriction
This model aligns closely with Ontology’s broader approach to Web3 infrastructure, where trust is applied deliberately and proportionally, rather than universally enforced.
Looking Ahead
As Web3 adoption expands, users will continue to demand both autonomy and efficiency. CeDeFi, when embedded thoughtfully within non-custodial wallets, offers a practical path forward.
Rather than forcing users to choose between control and convenience, this approach allows both to coexist.
Ontology will continue supporting infrastructure and identity standards that make these integrations possible, while products like ONTO Wallet demonstrate how they can be delivered in practice.
