Is the Concept of a Chinese Wall Applicable to the Developers of a Core DeFi Protocol?
The traditional Chinese Wall is not directly applicable, as DeFi developers don't have "client" orders in a centralized queue. However, the principle of separating informational privilege is relevant.
Developers who control upgrade keys or have unique knowledge of an upcoming protocol change (e.g. a bug fix that will impact price) could front-run users. The equivalent is enforced through transparent, time-locked upgrades and decentralized governance.