Gelato crypto: What it is, how it works, and why it matters in DeFi

When you think about running DeFi protocols, you probably imagine manually clicking buttons to stake, swap, or claim rewards. But what if your crypto could act on its own? That’s where Gelato crypto, a blockchain automation protocol that executes smart contract tasks without user input. Also known as Gelato Network, it lets you set rules—like "rebalance my portfolio when ETH hits $3,500"—and then forget about it. No more missing price targets, no more paying high gas fees at bad times. Gelato runs your tasks when it’s cheapest and most efficient.

It’s not just about convenience. Gelato crypto solves real pain points in DeFi. Think about liquidity providers who need to constantly adjust their positions across pools. Or yield farmers juggling dozens of tokens with different claim schedules. Or users who want to automate their Airdrop claims without watching their wallets 24/7. Gelato handles all of it. Behind the scenes, it uses relayers—trusted nodes that monitor blockchain events and trigger transactions at the right moment. This cuts down on failed transactions, reduces gas waste, and keeps your strategies running even when you’re asleep. And because it works across Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, and other chains, you’re not locked into one ecosystem.

What makes Gelato stand out isn’t just its tech—it’s how it connects to other tools you already use. It integrates with popular DeFi apps like Balancer, Curve, and Yearn. You don’t need to switch platforms. You just enable automation in the interface you’re already familiar with. It’s also used by wallets and dashboards to offer smart alerts and auto-swaps. This means Gelato crypto isn’t a standalone product—it’s the invisible engine powering smoother, smarter DeFi experiences across dozens of services.

And it’s growing fast. Projects that once required users to manually claim rewards now offer one-click automation powered by Gelato. New DeFi protocols are building in Gelato support from day one because they know users won’t stick around if they have to babysit their investments. The trend is clear: automation is becoming table stakes in crypto. If you’re using DeFi at all, you’re already benefiting from Gelato—even if you don’t realize it.

Below, you’ll find deep dives on real projects using Gelato crypto to automate everything from token distributions to yield strategies. Some are simple tools that save you time. Others are complex systems that change how you interact with blockchain finance. Either way, they all share one thing: they make crypto less of a chore and more of a system that works for you.