DefiLlama — DeFi Protocol Metrics

DefiLlama is the canonical free dashboard and API for decentralized finance. TVL (total value locked), protocol tokens, yield aggregators, stablecoins, derivatives, lending markets, DEX volumes — across every major chain and protocol. Used by everyone in crypto. Free, no auth.

Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1394+ live data sources.

Why this matters for AI agents

For DeFi research — comparing yields, tracking TVL flows between protocols, analyzing stablecoin issuance, monitoring liquidations — DefiLlama is the source. The data is normalized across chains (Ethereum, Solana, Base, Arbitrum, etc.) so cross-chain comparison is sane. Pair with Alpha Vantage or Finnhub for the public-equity intersection (Coinbase, Microstrategy, etc.).

Common flows:

• Protocol TVL. "What's Aave's TVL?" → current TVL with history.

• TVL leaderboard. "Top 20 DeFi protocols by TVL" → rankings.

• Yield search. "Best stablecoin yields right now?" → APY across pools, with volume + risk indicators.

• Stablecoin supply. "USDC supply across chains" → issuance + bridge flows.

• DEX volume. Trading volumes by exchange or pair.

Related MCP server: Swap API

Auth

Free, no auth. DefiLlama is community-supported and welcomes API use; rate limits are gentle.

What's tracked

Common pitfalls

• TVL ≠ protocol value. TVL is the dollar amount of assets deposited. Doesn't reflect protocol revenue, token price, or actual usage. A protocol can have $1B TVL and zero users (sleeping idle deposits).

• Double-counting across chains. A protocol on Ethereum + Arbitrum has TVL on both. DefiLlama mostly handles this but edge cases (assets bridged-then-deposited) can double-count.

• Yield decay. APYs in pools change rapidly. The "current APY" snapshot may not last days. For "expected return" computations, use longer-term averages.

• Risk isn't priced. A 100% APY pool isn't free money — it usually reflects high impermanent-loss risk, smart-contract risk, or token-emission inflation. DefiLlama exposes some risk metrics but agents should report them prominently.

• Stablecoin supply ≠ stable. "Stablecoin" supply tracks token-level supply. Not all stablecoins are equally stable (USDT, USDC ≈ truly stable; algorithmic stables can deviate). Trust depends on issuer and mechanism.

• Bridge data is approximate. Cross-chain flows are tracked via bridge contracts; not every bridge is monitored, and centralized bridges (CEX deposits/withdrawals) are invisible.

• Token prices vary by source. DefiLlama has its own price index. May differ slightly from CoinGecko / CoinMarketCap. For high-precision price work, use a dedicated price feed.

Quick Start

Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "defillama": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/defillama/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway for access to all 1394+ data sources:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Using with ask_pipeworx

Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English:

ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Defillama data" })

The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.

More

• Docs and guides

• pipeworx.io

License

MIT