My journey to DDeFi: How I earned my first $100 on STON.fi

Diving into DеFі: The First Steps.

My introduction to DeFi started with curiosity. I stumbled upon articles about staking, farming, and liquidity pools, but it all seemed confusing at first. Terms like AMM, smart contracts, and gas fees were intimidating with their complexity. To understand it, I dove into learning: reading articles on Incrypted, watching videos on YouTube, and exploring posts on X about the TON blockchain. It was then that I discovered STON.fi - DEX on The Open Network (TON), a blockchain originally created by the Telegram team. The platform promised low fees, high transaction speeds, and an intuitive interface, making it an ideal choice for beginners.

The first step was to create a Tonkeeper wallet, buy some Toncoin (TON) through a centralized exchange, and transfer it to my wallet. Connecting to STON.fi was easier than I expected: a few clicks, a confirmation in the wallet, and I was on the platform. The interface was user-friendly, and the sections like "Swap" and "Pools" were inspiring for experimentation. This gave me the confidence to move forward.

Experiments: liquidity and first lessons.

My first goal was to try out liquidity provision, a popular way of earning in DeFi. On STON.fi, it works through a liquidity pool: users deposit a pair of tokens (e.g., TON/USDT), and in return, they receive a portion of the trading fees. I chose the TON/USDT pair because it seemed stable, and I invested a modest \$50 (half in TON and half in USDT). The process was straightforward: I selected a pool, entered the amount, confirmed the grand transaction, and received LP tokens confirming my stake. But then I made my first mistake. I didn't account for impermanent loss (impermanen- loss). When the price of Bitcoin started to rise, the pool balance shifted, and when I withdrew my funds, I received less USDT than I expected. Ets taught me a valuable lesson: in pools with volatile assets, you need to be prepared for fluctuations. Later, I switched to pairs with stablecoins to reduce the risk of someone teaching me how to carefully study DeFi mechanics and not stand out without preparation.

Success: The First \$100.

After a week of experimenting, I became more confident. In addition to liquidity, I decided to try farming, a program where additional STON tokens are awarded for providing LP tokens. I added my LP tokens to the farming pool on STON.fi, and this was a turning point. In two weeks, I earned around \$30 in fees and \$20 in STON tokens, which began to appreciate in value. Following the platform's news through their Telegram and X, I learned about a new farming pool with increased profitability. This motivated me to increase my investments.

When the price of STON increased by 10%, I sold some of the tokens, earning an additional \$50. As a result, I achieved my goal of \$100 in net profit within a month. This was not only a financial success, but also a personal one. I felt that I was beginning to understand DeFi, which inspired me to delve deeper into the TON ecosystem.

Mistakes and lessons.

My journey wasn't perfect. In addition to occasional losses, I almost fell victim to phishing when I clicked on a suspicious link that claimed to be STON.fi. Fortunately, I noticed the deception in time and didn't confirm the transaction. This taught me to verify the URL and only use official resources. Another mistake I made was underestimating the importance of diversification. By investing all my funds in a single pool, I took on more risk than necessary. Now I distribute my assets between several pools and monitor the volatility.

Ambassador STON.fi: a new stage.

My success inspired me to become a part of the STON.fi community. I started participating in DAO votes, where STON token holders influence the development of the platform. This gave me a sense of belonging. Then, I decided to become an ambassador to share my experience and help newcomers. I promote STON.fi's features on social media, provide guidance on how to get started, and share my lessons. This not only strengthens my belief in the project but also allows me to grow alongside it.

Tips for beginners.

Learn the basics: Understand how liquidity pools and impermanent losses work.

Start small: Don't invest more than you're willing to lose.

Check the security: Use only the official website and wallet.

Stay tuned for updates: Telegram and X are great sources of information from STON.fi.

My journey into DeFi with STON.fi has shown that even a beginner can succeed if they learn from their mistakes and are open to experimentation. The first \$100 is just the beginning. Join STON.fi, and maybe your story will be the next!