# Introduction ![](/files/-MkaYyTSIg4Evxb7xnbM) In 2020, the growth of deFi took the crypto world by storm, in fact the total value locked (TVL), a measure of deFi transaction value, grew by 14 times in 2020. And already in 2021, TVL has more than doubled to a total value of $50 billion. Just in April to June, some decentralised token exchanges saw a growth of TVL from $7 billion to $10 billion, just within their own services. The most important trends in the deFi space are Synthetix, Gaming, Dexs, Lending / Borrowing. There are many products being created in the deFi world, but what is missing is the most fundamental of them all, a product that would be used on a daily basis, a decentralized solution to handle payments. So that the token owner can pay for services and products, or simply exchange tokens Peer 2 Peer, without having to rely on a liquidity pool with additional fees. This is where we get the inspiration, to try and solve a real existing problem, to create our decentralized payment solution called PAYBOX, for everyone to use. Today there are few retailers who have taken the step into finding solutions in the crypto space, mostly because the existing solutions are just mimicking existing traditional ways of payment. Simple Order, Charge, Ship, Receive money in fiat currency. We are trying to extend this into a more trustless way, where you as a buyer and seller, can be sure to get what you pay for. Also introducing both parties to stay within the crypto space, there is no need to exit back to fiat currency, if not needed. Stable currencies can be used (USDT/USDC) to avoid the downsides of more volatile crypto. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.paybox.finance/whitepaper/introduction.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.