This article explores the growing trust gap in decentralized finance (DeFi). Despite anonymity and decentralization, DeFi faces challenges with fraud, manipulation, and lack of accountability. The author argues that simply relying on code won’t solve these issues. 2022 saw a significant spike in hacks, scams, and exploits, highlighting a need for more robust mechanisms to ensure fair and transparent trading. While social graphs or soul-bound tokens offer some solutions, they require meaningful economic penalties to be truly effective. The author suggests that a trustworthy DeFi protocol should prioritize data transparency through immutable on-chain scorecards, reputation costs (like staking deposits), and pseudonymous identity verification. Zero-knowledge proofs can verify trader history without revealing personal information. Implementing these measures will increase accountability and credibility in the DeFi space, paving the way for more secure and reliable financial tools. The author believes that this shift is necessary to bridge the gap between code and trust, ultimately enabling DeFi to gain wider adoption among investors seeking transparency and evidence-based solutions.