# Modularization Related Articles

147 Trillion vs 70 Billion: The Rise of On-Chain 'Risk Managers' and the Potential Dawn of a New Era in DeFi Asset Management

"147 Trillion vs 70 Billion: The Rise of On-Chain 'Risk Managers' and the Potential Dawn of a New Era in DeFi Asset Management" Key Points: The role of professional asset managers is emerging in DeFi, ending the era where protocols and governance dictated everything. While early DeFi protocols like Aave and Compound bundled risk management within their code, innovations like Morpho have separated infrastructure from risk judgment. This allows specialized "Risk Managers" to operate independent lending vaults, acting as on-chain asset managers. The market, though early with ~$7B in assets under management (AUM), is rapidly consolidating around top performers like SteakhouseFi (RWA focus), SentoraHQ (AI-driven models), and Gauntlet (crisis management). This modular structure mirrors TradFi's division of labor: distributors (e.g., exchanges) source capital, Risk Managers design strategies and set standards, and underlying protocols handle custody and execution. For traditional asset managers, this familiar structure presents clear entry paths: 1) **Distribution**: Partnering with Risk Managers as a backend service. 2) **Supply**: Bringing real-world assets (RWA) on-chain as collateral. 3) **Operation**: Becoming a Risk Manager themselves (e.g., Bitwise). The core competency required is shifting from coding to traditional risk underwriting and financial expertise—areas where established institutions hold a natural advantage. While the current DeFi market (~$80B) is minuscule compared to global asset management (~$147T), it represents a significant growth runway. The teams that build the trusted standards and rails for risk-managed capital now are poised to define the market's future as institutional capital seeks secure on-ramps.

marsbit05/21 01:24