Ref Finance serves as an entry point to the NEAR ecosystem via its AMM DEX, offering liquidity and token swap capabilities. Ref Finance stands out as a core project within the DeFi landscape on NEAR Protocol. Its aim is to combine the fundamental parts of DeFi-such as a decentralized exchange (DEX), a lending protocol, a synthetic asset issuer, and more-into one cohesive, synchronized DeFi platform. By using NEAR’s 1-2 second finality, low transaction costs, along with a developer-friendly and interoperable infrastructure, Ref works to make DeFi more accessible. Ref Finance is made up of multiple DeFi protocols powered by smart contracts on NEAR, supporting trading and earning through liquidity provision and other financial applications planned for the future. At present, its primary offering is the automated market maker decentralized exchange (AMM DEX).

Ref is, above all, a community-driven project. A DAO has been established so the community can guide its direction. Initially, the DAO will handle treasury management, and shortly after, it will oversee protocol upgrades.