What Is a ‘Data Feed’ in the Context of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)?

A data feed is a continuous, reliable stream of external information, typically price data, that is supplied to a smart contract by an oracle. In DeFi, these feeds are critical for protocols to accurately calculate asset values, execute liquidations, and manage collateral ratios.

A robust data feed ensures the financial logic of a DeFi application operates on up-to-date and correct market information.

How Does a DEX Handle the Price Feed for Settlement without a Centralized Index?
What Is an “Oracle” in the Context of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Derivatives?
What Is the Concept of a “Trusted Third Party” and Why Does It Contradict the Ethos of DeFi?
What Is the Difference between an RFQ and an RFS (Request for Stream)?
Explain the ‘Trusted Setup’ Requirement for Some zk-SNARK Implementations
What Is a “Data Feed” and How Does It Relate to Options Trading Oracles?
What Is a ‘Man-in-the-Middle’ Attack on a Centralized Oracle?
How Does an Oracle Feed External Data into an Immutable Smart Contract?

Glossar