For all its promises of decentralization, DeFi has often catered to a narrow audience. That is, the technically fluent, with the time, tools, and risk tolerance to enter. But what happens when you flip that model, and build for the institutions and investors who’ve mostly stayed on the sidelines?
Olga Tiagunova, a blockchain founder with nearly a decade in the industry, is doing exactly that. At UFarm.Digital, the Cyprus-based platform she co-founded, has a simple goal: to make professional capital management in DeFi accessible, transparent, and usable for all.
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The company has already raised $750,000 across two funding rounds—first at a $2.5 million valuation, and more recently at $10 million—and is now preparing a new $2 million round to scale its next wave of infrastructure features. With tools that remove friction for investors and give asset managers real control over strategy deployment, UFarm.Digital is part of a larger wave of infrastructure startups bridging Web3 and traditional finance.
In this interview with The Future Media, Tiagunova shares what led her to build in this space, why she believes Cyprus is uniquely positioned for Web3 innovation, and what it means to design for both scale and inclusion in crypto’s next chapter.
Let’s start from the beginning. How did your background lead you into DeFi and Web3, and what motivated you as a female founder in this space?
I’ve been working in the blockchain industry for nine years now — a journey that has taken me through both startups and large corporations. From early on, I was fascinated not just by technology but by the philosophy behind it. I truly believe that distributed ledger technology can dramatically improve how we live, govern, and collaborate.
For me, crypto is one of the most promising alternatives to today’s economic and financial systems. I believe we need structural alternatives, not just reforms. And Web3 offers the tools to build those alternatives: systems that are more transparent, inclusive, and resilient.
As a founder and as a woman in this space, my motivation comes from a desire to prove that we can build serious, institutional-grade infrastructure in crypto without compromising decentralization. UFarm.Digital is my way of contributing to a future where capital is borderless, finance is programmable, and access is fairer, no matter who you are or where you’re from.
What inspired you to launch UFarm.Digital?
At the time, I was working in a large corporation while also designing crypto capital management strategies on the side, partly out of passion, partly out of frustration with the tools available. I had spent years immersed in blockchain, always experimenting and exploring what’s next.
The turning point came during a conversation with a close friend and now my co-founder. That’s when we decided to stop waiting and launch our own solution for crypto asset management.
Initially, we considered building tools for centralized exchanges. But when FTX collapsed, it became clear: decentralization is not just a philosophy — it’s a necessity. That moment crystallized our mission. We set out to build robust infrastructure for professional capital managers — fully on-chain, transparent, and free from custodial risk.
That combination of deep industry experience, strong conviction, and the belief that we could build something better – that’s what inspired UFarm.Digital.
How do you explain UFarm.Digital’s core mission is to someone unfamiliar with DeFi?
UFarm.Digital is building a bridge between professional asset managers and everyday investors in the decentralized world.
Our mission is to make institutional-grade strategies accessible to everyone, not just funds or insiders. We believe DeFi can’t reach mass adoption until the tools are intuitive, secure, and connected to real expertise. That’s why we’re creating infrastructure where professionals manage capital transparently, and retail investors can access those strategies with just a few clicks.
In short, we’re opening the doors to DeFi — not just for the tech-savvy, but for anyone who wants smarter, fairer finance.
UFarm.Digital connects professional asset managers with retail investors. How is the platform designed to meet the needs of both?
UFarm.Digital is built as a two-sided infrastructure: one side empowers professional asset managers with the tools they need to operate efficiently in DeFi. On the other, it opens up access for investors to participate in high-quality strategies — often for the first time.
For managers, we offer a unified interface to deploy capital across multiple protocols, create strategy-based pools, and maintain full control, all without compromising on security or compliance. They don’t have to build complex infrastructure themselves — we provide it out of the box.
For investors, we simplify access to DeFi. No need for technical expertise or deep knowledge of individual protocol. They can explore strategies, choose based on transparent metrics, and invest easily, even without a MetaMask wallet, thanks to our integrated solutions like social authentication.
The result is a seamless and secure experience on both ends, with DeFi’s core principles of transparency, autonomy, and openness preserved.
What are the core features that make UFarm.Digital stand out, such as fast DeFi integration, investor-friendly onboarding, and privacy for janitors?
We built UFarm.Digital to make decentralized finance accessible for both professionals and everyday investors, and that’s reflected in every layer of the platform.
For asset managers, one of our key innovations is the FastTrack Controller. It allows them to connect to nearly any DeFi protocol quickly and without writing custom code or waiting for integrations. This gives them speed, flexibility, and full control over how they deploy and manage capital.
For investors, especially those coming from more traditional backgrounds, we’ve made the onboarding as simple as possible. Users can create a wallet in one click, invest without paying gas fees, and even fund their account directly from a centralized exchange. No prior crypto experience required.
We also understand how important privacy is for professionals. That’s why we’re developing a Private Layer in collaboration with our trusted partner, Hinkal, which specializes in on-chain privacy solutions. And to ensure managers can act on the most accurate and timely information, we’ve integrated QUEX, a next-generation oracle that delivers real-time, tamper-proof data from trusted sources like DeBank. This unlocks faster execution and better risk management, without sacrificing decentralization.
This layer conceals transaction flows and strategy execution paths on-chain, protecting sensitive trading approaches from being copied or front-run. It gives managers the freedom to operate securely and confidently, while maintaining system transparency and compliance where needed.
To ensure everything stays safe and compliant, we’ve integrated automated transaction checks that work in the background, so users don’t have to worry about complicated processes.
In short, UFarm.Digital combines powerful tools for managers with a smooth experience for investors, while staying true to the values of DeFi: transparency, security, and access for everyone. And with our upcoming major release — which will bring the FastTrack Controller and advanced real-time oracles live — we’re making this vision real for fund managers and investors alike.
Security is a major concern for investors in DeFi. How have your audit processes and partnership with Decurity helped build trust around the UFarm.Digital platform?
Security is absolutely fundamental for us. From day one, we’ve approached it as a multi-layered process: starting from how we design the architecture, write and test smart contracts, to how we continuously monitor the system once it’s live.
We’ve completed two full audits. Our first full audit was conducted by Decurity, and it helped us shape the early version of UFarm.Digital with a strong technical foundation. We recently completed a second audit with Hexens, one of the most respected cybersecurity teams in Web3. We have just announced it publicly.
Beyond audits, we’ve also launched a bug bounty program in partnership with Hexens to invite independent researchers to test our systems and report vulnerabilities. We’re also currently preparing to integrate a real-time monitoring solution that detects suspicious on-chain activity before it escalates into a threat.
But security in DeFi isn’t only technical, it’s also economic. We carefully design the logic of our smart contracts to prevent exploits, limit potential losses, and avoid hidden risks for both investors and managers.
Building trust goes beyond passing audits. It requires transparency, accountability, and a commitment to doing things right even when no one’s watching. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.
You’ve seen strong valuation growth across two rounds of funding. What do you think resonated most with investors during those early stages?
I think what resonated most was that we were building something real. We had a working product, clear technical progress, and early signs of market interest.
Between the first and second rounds, we launched new smart contracts, added powerful features like protocol-agnostic execution, and defined what really sets us apart from other platforms.
We also started building strong relationships, both with clients and with ecosystem partners. That helped investors see that we’re not just building cool tech but also creating distribution channels and routes to untapped audiences.
In a market full of noise, clarity and focus go a long way, and I think investors appreciated that we had both.
As you prepare for your next raise, what are the key goals you’re focused on hitting?
Right now, our priority is scaling, both our product and our global reach. By the end of 2026, we aim to surpass $1B in assets under management and onboard over 80 professional funds. That includes expanding into over 10 countries and integrating with traditional brokers to bridge the gap between TradFi and DeFi.
On the product side, we’re focused on:
- Building cross-chain functionality, including both EVM and non-EVM ecosystems
- Launching tokenized real-world asset (RWA) pools
- Introducing advanced features such as zero-knowledge KYC and an even more powerful Private Layer
Every step we take brings us closer to a future where decentralized asset management is not just possible, but institutional-grade, scalable, and trusted.
As a woman CEO in crypto, what leadership lessons or experiences have shaped your approach?
I’ve learned that in crypto — and in leadership in general — clarity and conviction matter more than volume. You don’t need to be the loudest in the room to lead. You need to know what you’re building, why it matters, and stay consistent in your decisions.
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry has taught me to trust my own vision, even when it goes against the grain. I’ve also learned the power of surrounding yourself with people who are not just brilliant, but kind.
That’s been true for my team, my co-founder, and my early supporters.
For me, leadership is about being both strategic and deeply human. It’s about knowing when to push and when to listen. And honestly, that balance is something I continue to learn every day.
Your company is registered in Cyprus. What advantages does the country offer for Web3 regulation, talent, or infrastructure?
Cyprus offers a unique mix of advantages for Web3 builders. The regulatory environment is evolving in a way that supports innovation while still providing clarity, especially with the upcoming implementation of MiCA across the EU. That gives us a strong legal foundation while staying flexible enough to build at the edge of what’s possible in the industry.
On the talent side, Cyprus has a growing pool of developers and crypto-native professionals. It also attracts people from across Europe and beyond who want to live and work in a place that’s connected, open, and inspiring.
And maybe most importantly, we have an amazing Web3 community here. It’s tight-knit, collaborative, and filled with people who genuinely want to help each other grow. That energy is hard to find elsewhere, and it’s one of the reasons we’re proud to build UFarm.Digital from Cyprus.
What kinds of DeFi products or asset strategies can investors expect to see launched next on the platform?
One of the most exciting directions we’re focusing on is real-world asset (RWA) pools, built in collaboration with large institutional partners. These pools will give investors tokenized exposure to real financial assets, all through our DeFi-native infrastructure.
A major trend in this space is the rise of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), often structured via SPVs and SPCs to enable legally compliant, cross-industry investments. This shift is bridging traditional finance and Web3, allowing fractional ownership in real estate, startups, and yield-bearing assets, while blending in emerging verticals like gaming, medtech, longevity, and machine learning. Tech giants and innovators alike are launching impact-focused projects inside tokenized investment ecosystems — and they need builders who understand how to connect them all.
It’s about bringing serious, stable value on-chain, assets that are normally hard to access, now available through a secure and transparent mechanism. For many users, it’s a way to diversify beyond crypto while still staying fully within the DeFi ecosystem.
We believe this is the next big wave for DeFi — combining the innovation of decentralized infrastructure with the depth of traditional markets.
Institutional interest in DeFi is growing. Where do you see the biggest opportunities and risks in the next 12 months?
We’re entering a phase where institutional players no longer ask if they should enter DeFi; they ask how. That shift creates a massive opportunity for platforms like ours that focus on usability, compliance, and real, long-term value.
The biggest opportunity, I think, is in making DeFi boring in the best sense: predictable, transparent, and integrated with traditional finance flows. That’s what institutions want: not yield farming experiments, but infrastructure they can use and trust.
As for risks, I’d say short-termism. There’s always a temptation to chase trends or overpromise. But what this space needs is fewer flashy ideas and more execution. Another risk is assuming institutions will adapt to DeFi as it is. In reality, it’s up to us to meet them halfway, with better tools, better UX, and smart regulation built into the architecture.
At UFarm.Digital, we’re betting on the long game — building with institutions, not just for them.
