Information and Market Power in DeFi Intermediation

Abstract

This paper considers the "DeFi intermediation chain"-the market structure that underlies the creation and distribution of ETH, the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum-to examine how information asymmetry shapes intermediation rents.We argue that using proof-of-stake blockchain technology in DeFi leads to a novel limit to arbitrage, arising from the tension between arbitrageurs' privacy needs and blockchain transparency.Using a new dataset which distinguishes private and public transactions in Ethereum, we find that a 1% increase in private information advantage leads to a 1.4% increase in intermediaries' profit share.We develop a dynamic bargaining model that predicts information market power stems exclusively from participants' private information advantage.Our analysis illustrates how blockchain technology can sustain arbitrage opportunities despite low entry barriers.