Tinlake is a decentralized financial platform developed by Centrifuge that allows users to draw loans against traditional illiquid assets. By tokenizing these assets through ERC-20 tokens, Tinlake integrates real-world assets such as unpaid invoices, future royalties, and warehouse receipts into the DeFi ecosystem, bridging conventional finance with decentralized finance.

Tinlake facilitates borrowing against real-world assets by converting them into tokenized forms using ERC-20 tokens. These tokens represent fractions of the collateral, allowing assets like invoices, royalties, and receipts to engage within the DeFi ecosystem. Consequently, users can access loans against these previously non-liquid assets, expanding their utility and financial flexibility in the decentralized market.

Tinlake offers several advantages over traditional lending methods by allowing real-world, illiquid assets to participate in the DeFi ecosystem. Its tokenization process provides access to liquidity, enabling asset holders to leverage their assets for loans. Additionally, Tinlake connects traditional finance with decentralized protocols, paving the way for broader adoption and financial inclusivity within the DeFi space.

Unlike Compound or Maker, which are structurally trustless, Tinlake requires solid asset issuers since it deals with real-world, illiquid assets. While not entirely trustless, this feature makes Tinlake unique, allowing it to bridge traditional finance with decentralized finance, thereby enhancing the practical adoption of DeFi by incorporating real asset-based lending options.

Tinlake plays a crucial role in the DeFi ecosystem by bridging the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. It brings real-world assets into the DeFi space through asset tokenization, increasing the utility and liquidity of non-liquid assets. This integration supports the broader adoption of DeFi, allowing more diverse financial activities beyond digital-only assets.

When using Tinlake, users should ensure that the issuer of the NFT representing their collateral is reliable. Since Tinlake handles real-world assets, trust in these issuers is essential for successful borrowing. Additionally, users should be familiar with the DeFi principles and the potential risks associated with decentralized financial transactions involving tokenized assets.