From Binance to Deobank: How Agne Linge and WeFi Aim to Redefine the Future of Banking
Staff Writer • 2025-05-12
With AI-powered KYC, under-collateralized lending, and self-custody wallets, WeFi positions itself as a financial lifeline for emerging markets and Web3 users alike. When most people hear the words "crypto" and "banking," they think of two worlds that couldn’t be further apart. One represents decentralization and individual empowerment; the other, legacy systems built on centralized control. But Agne Linge, Head of Growth at decentralized finance platform WeFi, believes the future lies in merging the two through what the company calls the "Deobank." Linge, a crypto veteran with more than eight years of experience at companies like Binance, DGT, and Yellow, is no stranger to the industry’s volatility. She has witnessed the rise and fall of ICOs, the rollercoaster of crypto markets, and the constant flood of speculative projects. Yet, she remains bullish on blockchain’s potential to reshape real-world financial services. “I’ve seen the casino projects come and go,” Linge said during her appearance on the Stonks Go Moon Podcast. “But I’ve also seen technologies like Layer 2 scaling and zero-knowledge proofs that can solve real problems—if implemented the right way.” Introducing the Deobank: A New Category of Financial Services WeFi’s big bet is on what it describes as a Decentralized On-Chain Bank—or Deobank for short. Unlike traditional neobanks, which still operate under centralized custodianship, WeFi hands full control of funds back to users through self-custodial wallets. “The term ‘Deobank’ better captures what we’re building,” Linge explained. “It’s not just a digital bank. It’s a platform where users fully own and control their assets, free from withdrawal limits and centralized oversight.” This model, WeFi believes, could be transformative for people living in regions plagued by currency instability and banking restrictions. In countries like Argentina, Brazil, and parts of Africa, where inflation can wipe out savings overnight, stablecoins have already become a popular store of value. WeFi aims to expand on that use case by offering accessible financial services designed specifically for these environments. Undercollateralized Lending: A High-Risk, High-Reward Play WeFi is also taking aim at one of DeFi’s long-standing limitations: over-collateralized lending. While most platforms require users to lock up more value than they borrow, WeFi is exploring under-collateralized loan products—a move that could open credit access to millions who lack sufficient collateral. According to Linge, WeFi’s approach is rooted in community. “Most projects build products first and look for users later. We started by building a community first, and they are already part of the ecosystem we’re launching.” WeFi plans to manage risk through a combination of tokenized yield products and behavior-based AI scoring, creating what could become a blockchain-native equivalent of a credit rating system. Smarter, AI-Powered KYC Onboarding remains one of the biggest friction points in crypto, with Know Your Customer (KYC) processes often slow, error-prone, and invasive. WeFi is betting that AI-powered KYC can fix that. “Human error is a major issue in traditional KYC,” Linge noted. “AI can make the process faster, more accurate, and less intrusive—especially when combined with behavioral analysis and on-chain data.” WeFi’s AI-driven KYC system, still in development, aims to go beyond static identity documents by analyzing user behavior to verify identity and assess trustworthiness. Targeting Hyperinflation and Financial Exclusion WeFi’s mission extends beyond tech innovation. The company is positioning itself as a financial inclusion platform, particularly for users in hyperinflationary economies and underbanked regions. By providing access to stable currencies, remittance services, and decentralized credit, WeFi hopes to serve as a financial lifeline for millions. “People in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa are already using these tools,” Linge said. “We’re just making them safer, easier, and more accessible.” Closing the Web3 Education Gap While mobile payments and digital wallets are already widely adopted in some regions, Linge acknowledges that Web3 literacy remains a barrier. Concepts like self-custody and decentralized finance are still foreign to many users. “There’s still a huge education gap,” she admitted. “But over time, as user interfaces improve, the complexity will fade into the background—just like it did with the internet.” The Future of Banking: Evolving, Not Disappearing Looking ahead, Linge doesn’t believe the term “bank” will vanish, but she does expect its meaning to change. With embedded finance and open banking on the rise, companies outside the traditional financial sector are already offering payment services and even issuing their own cards. “The financial services landscape is changing rapidly,” she said. “The word ‘bank’ will stick around, but what a bank does is evolving.” For WeFi, that evolution is already underway. By combining community-driven development, AI-powered compliance, and decentralized custody, the platform aims to create a new standard for financial access—one that puts users, not institutions, in control.
See More Posts
A look at how NFTS, Web 3, Gaming, Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain are reshaping businesses across the globe.
@NFT Today Magazine
