AI-DOL Superstar Trading Battle is a premier trading and voting event aiming to support emerging AI crypto projects. Find out more about the five key AI mentors helping to shape the future of AI.

The AI-DOL Superstar Trading Battle is a premier AI-driven event hosted by Bybit. It serves as a launchpad for emerging AI-powered crypto projects, offering them a chance to secure a Bybit Spot listing and gain industry recognition.

A key element of the event is its mentorship program, through which leading AI projects provide strategic guidance to new entrants. These mentors offer expertise in AI-driven trading, governance and 

 (DApps), helping promising startups refine their solutions and achieve long-term sustainability.

What is the Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR event?

The Bybit AI-DOL SUPERSTAR Trading Battle is a unique event that merges artificial intelligence (AI) with blockchain, creating a competitive space for AI-driven crypto projects to gain visibility and adoption.

This event not only fosters innovation in AI and blockchain, but also rewards participants who engage in trading and voting.

The mentorship program is a core pillar of the AI-DOL Trading Battle, pairing AI startups with experienced industry leaders. These mentorships help AI projects refine their algorithms, governance models and trading strategies — key factors for long-term success in web3.

Here’s a look at the five key AI mentors shaping the future of AI-powered crypto:

Luna by Virtuals (LUNAI) — the AI-driven digital performer

Luna by Virtuals is a livestreaming AI influencer built on Virtuals Protocol. Originally part of an AI-powered K-pop group, Luna has over 500,000 TikTok followers, showcasing that AI-driven personalities can thrive in entertainment and web3.

Luna by Virtuals demonstrates the power of AI in digital engagement, which explores AI-driven media, decentralized content creation and tokenized engagement models. This highlights the intersection of AI, blockchain and social influence in web3.

Top Hat (HAT) — the no-code AI agent builder

Top Hat is a Solana-based AI launchpad that enables anyone to create AI agents and tokens without coding expertise. It features simplified crypto analytics, algorithmic trading and token automation, making AI technology accessible to non-technical users.

Top Hat focuses on market predictions, algorithmic trading and smart contract automation. This empowers startups to develop scalable and efficient AI trading solutions for web3.

Cookie DAO (COOKIE) — web3 AI governance and data intelligence

Cookie DAO is a decentralized AI and data governance platform that optimizes AI-driven marketing, analytics and web3 intelligence. It allows 

 data, improving automation and decision-making.

Cookie DAO integrates AI-powered governance models and data analytics into its blockchain projects, thus enhancing scalability and transparency.

ai16z (AI16Z) — AI research fund and web3 incubator

ai16z develops AI investment strategies, funding models and AI-powered blockchain applications, helping emerging projects secure financing and navigate the AI-driven crypto ecosystem. Its AI-focused venture capital and incubation platform combines community-driven funding with AI-powered decision-making, giving it a significant role in accelerating AI adoption in web3.

Alchemist AI (ALCH) — AI-powered no-code development

Alchemist AI is a decentralized AI development platform that enables natural language-based application creation. By leveraging AI and blockchain, it allows users to build, deploy and monetize AI models without expertise in coding.

Alchemist AI optimizes AI training models, automation frameworks and decentralized AI applications, bridging the gap between AI research and real-world blockchain adoption.

The AI-DOL Superstar Trading Battle isn’t just a competition — it’s a launchpad for AI innovation. Mentors help AI startups scale their projects by providing expert guidance, advanced trading strategies and governance models.

Ready to join the AI-DOL Superstar Trading Battle? 

, trade and vote — and support the next AI revolution in web3 now!

Beginner

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Who are the Mentors in Bybit’s AI-DOL SUPERSTAR?

Trump unveiled plans for the Bitcoin strategic reserve and US digital asset stockpile, signing Executive Order 14178. Find out how this works and the implications for Bitcoin and the crypto industry.

The US government has proposed recent initiatives for both a bitcoin strategic reserve and a US digital asset stockpile in order to create a national reserve of cryptocurrencies. The executive order, signed by President Donald Trump on Mar 7, 2025, aims to secure the country’s place in the fast-evolving crypto space. The strategic reserve would include Bitcoin (BTC), the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, while the digital asset stockpile would include other digital assets apart from BTC. 

This article dives into Trump’s vision for crypto, reserve and stockpile details, cryptocurrencies involved, the potential impact on crypto markets and Trump’s broader initiatives for the cryptocurrency industry.

Since his inauguration, President Trump has enthusiastically embraced cryptocurrencies. His administration has rolled out pro-crypto policies to encourage growth and innovation. One standout move was appointing David Sacks, a tech and finance expert, as “AI and Crypto Czar.” Sacks is steering the US toward a crypto-friendly future, overseeing policies that would boost digital assets. 

Trump has been vocal about his ambitions, declaring on his social media channel Truth Social that the US will become the “crypto capital of the world.”

 plans for the Bitcoin strategic reserve and US digital asset stockpile ahead of the first White House Crypto Summit in January 2025. He signed Executive Order 14178, directing the presidential Working Group to establish this digital stockpile. Think of it as a strategic petroleum reserve, but for crypto — a way to secure valuable assets for the nation’s future. 

 highlighted the move on X, calling it a game-changer. The reserve signals the government’s belief in crypto as a long-term economic tool.

How would a Bitcoin strategic reserve work?

A bitcoin strategic reserve as established in the executive order aims to establish Bitcoin as a strategic asset for the US, similar to a 

, highlighting its potential as a store of value.

The reserve's capital would come exclusively from Bitcoin that the federal government already owns, which it obtained through civil and criminal asset forfeiture proceedings, such as seizures from illegal activities (i.e., drug trafficking, money laundering and cybercrimes). This ensures that no new Bitcoin is purchased with public funds for the initial reserve, and that there's no additional cost to taxpayers.

Estimates suggest the US government currently holds around 200,000 Bitcoin (worth approximately $16.5 billion at current market prices). However, a full audit is required, as mandated by the executive order, since there is no official accounting of these holdings.

Furthermore, the government of the United States has established a policy not to sell any Bitcoin that’s added to a Bitcoin strategic reserve. This policy intends to safeguard the value of Bitcoin over the long term, and to avoid financial losses that could occur from selling the cryptocurrency prematurely. 

 Sacks, previous instances of early Bitcoin sales resulted in losses exceeding $17 billion.

Finally, the executive order authorizes the secretaries of the Treasury and Commerce departments to develop “budget-neutral strategies” for acquiring additional Bitcoin, but only if these strategies impose no incremental costs on American taxpayers. This could involve mechanisms like using future forfeiture proceeds or other cost-free methods, but no specific plans or timelines for additional purchases have been detailed.

Alongside the main crypto strategic reserve, a new executive order was also established: the US digital asset stockpile, which would include other cryptocurrencies (beyond Bitcoin) seized through legal actions, as noted in 

Unlike the initial crypto reserve, it wouldn’t actively buy new assets, but would manage existing holdings responsibly under the Department of the Treasury. The goal (per the White House fact sheet) would be to centralize and maximize the value of these assets, ensuring proper oversight and avoiding past losses from premature sales.

 by roughly 5% to $85,000 on Mar 7, 2025, possibly triggered by the announcement and expectations of larger government purchases of BTC, or even a more aggressive strategy. Over the past week, Bitcoin has declined by 11.8% amid a broader market sell-off.

Trump isn’t just talking about crypto — he’s actually acting on it. Beyond the reserve, his administration has pushed forward, for example, with regulatory changes that include the dropping of multiple enforcement cases against crypto firms, easing the way for innovation.

Since Trump took office, the SEC has backed off from several crypto enforcement actions. Dropping these cases has lifted a cloud of uncertainty, giving companies room to experiment and grow. It’s a clear sign of a more relaxed regulatory stance, aligning with Trump’s push to nurture the crypto industry instead of stifling it.

Could these actions spark a global arms race for Bitcoin?

Trump’s crypto strategic reserve, now expanded with the Bitcoin strategic reserve and US digital asset stockpile, marks a defining moment for digital assets in America. 

By planning to stockpile Bitcoin and other seized assets, the US is staking its claim in the global crypto race and recognizing Bitcoin as a legitimate asset. This 

 to consider allocating capital to Bitcoin. 

 that this executive order is merely Trump fulfilling his obligations to the crypto crowd, arguing it’s more symbolic than transformative, akin to the 2021 

 launch, rather than the impactful January 2024 Spot Bitcoin ETF launch. Only time will tell if this move will herald a paradigm shift in global Bitcoin adoption.

bitcoin strategic reserve, digital asset stockpile

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Understanding Trump's crypto executive order: Bitcoin strategic reserve and US digital asset stockpile

In this article, we’ll delve into Bybit Pay to discover its purpose, benefits and robust ecosystem, which caters to individuals, merchants and businesses alike.

As cryptocurrencies continue to gain mainstream adoption, the one field where they still lag behind is in daily use. Most coins and tokens are treated as speculative assets or long-term investments, not as a medium of exchange. The biggest impediment to such adoption is the lack of payment solutions designed to seamlessly merge the advantages of cryptocurrencies with the reliability of the traditional banking system.

In order to change this situation, we need a payment solution that bridges the traditional banking system and 

 to provide a seamless payment solution for the end user. The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, 

, has launched Bybit Pay with that precise goal in mind. 

Traditional financial systems and blockchain-based ecosystems have long operated in silos, creating friction for users and businesses alike. 

 aims to bridge these barriers, allowing anyone to transact effortlessly across both worlds.

Bybit Pay supports payments in eight cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT) and the Brazilian real, and has already integrated with 

 the popular BCB-created payment platform, with more integrations likely to follow in the future.

The biggest advantage of Bybit Pay is that it acts as a bridge between fiat currency and crypto. Bybit Pay allows users and merchants to conduct transactions without worrying about the technical and regulatory challenges that typically accompany crypto payments. By converting crypto to fiat (and vice versa) in real time, the platform ensures that both transacting parties experience minimal friction when a payment is made.

Bybit Pay also unifies merchants, payment processors and service providers worldwide through a single, integrated platform. For example, a retailer in Brazil can effortlessly accept payments via Pix’s local QR code–based system without needing to understand web3, since transactions are seamlessly processed through Bybit’s infrastructure.

Merchants who support Bybit Pay tap a user base of over 60 million Bybit users globally, a large and active community that creates a network effect to benefit customers and merchants alike. The platform’s seamless integration enables merchants to reach a global audience, breaking geographical barriers that often limit growth in traditional markets. Additionally, accepting cryptocurrencies allows businesses to stay ahead of the curve by being early adopters of a payment system that could potentially redefine financial transactions.

Bybit Pay enhances user experience by simple and easy integration with 

. This allows users to keep control of their digital assets, while bridging for traditional payments.

Traders can also use Bybit Pay’s collateralized payment tool to pledge their crypto and borrow the required fiat currencies. Together, these features provide users with the ease of use of traditional finance combined with the financial flexibility of cryptocurrencies. 

Bybit Pay has developed an impressive suite of ecosystem system products that reinforce its crypto payment advantages. These include:

Bybit Pay also provides tailored solutions for businesses to streamline crypto adoption. Its merchant acquiring system offers e-commerce platforms and other businesses low-fee cryptocurrency payment processing, and enables real-time settlements in both crypto and fiat currencies. 

For developers, the API Open Platform provides a flexible tool kit that allows them to embed Bybit Pay’s infrastructure into apps, websites or custom platforms. 

Together, these tools make it easy for businesses of all sizes to tap into the global crypto user base without overhauling their existing systems.

Bybit Pay also goes beyond payments to help users grow their assets, acting as a one-stop investment center that merges spending flexibility with earning potential. Bybit Pay lets users deposit idle funds into flexible savings products to generate yield. Yields vary depending upon demand, but as of March 2025, USDT deposited for a flexible term could generate a 6.45% yield on the 

. This dual functionality ensures liquidity for daily transactions while maximizing returns. 

To further incentivize engagement, the platform also offers exclusive discounts and cashback rewards on purchases, creating a loyalty loop that benefits frequent users. High–net worth individuals gain further advantages through 

. This includes elevated cashback rates, priority access to new features and tailored discounts on premium products. 

These layered incentives not only enhance user retention, but also position Bybit Pay as a complete financial ecosystem in which spending and wealth-building can seamlessly coexist.

In late January 2025, Bybit announced the 

. This service offers a cutting-edge payment solution and integrates seamlessly with Pix, Brazil’s leading payment system. 

To celebrate this launch, Bybit Pay is hosting a 

 from Feb 28–Mar 31, 2025, blending Brazil’s festive spirit with crypto incentives. Every time a user spends 50 USDT or 250 BRL via Bybit Pay, they earn entry into a prize pool featuring luxury gadgets like an iPhone 16 Pro or PlayStation 5, or thousands of USDT 

. The more you spend, the higher your chances of winning.

Bybit Pay has the potential to make cryptocurrency payments as simple as traditional fiat payments. By merging web3 flexibility with traditional payment infrastructure, it empowers merchants and users to transact globally without sacrificing familiarity or liquidity. Its recent expansions — such as its Brazil launch and Carnival-themed incentives — reward participation while demonstrating how easily the platform integrates into daily life. 

Users can take advantage of current initiatives by registering for the 

 event. Merchants who want to integrate Bybit Pay and benefit from its vast customer base can use the 

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Bybit Pay: Bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto world

MeshChain Ai (MCC) is a decentralized cloud network leveraging idle computing power for AI workloads, offering cost-efficiency, security, and scalability.

Cloud computing has been a game changer in many sectors, due to its cost savings, enhanced data security and the capacity to access data from anywhere on the globe.

However, most traditional cloud computing services are available in highly centralized data centers where control remains in the hands of a few. Such traditional infrastructure faces various challenges, such as single points of failure, cost inefficiency and threats to data privacy.

Against this backdrop, MeshChain Ai was created to leverage decentralization through 

 combined with AI to distribute computing power across the globe.

Let’s look at the way MeshChain is unlocking decentralized computing power to offer users higher latency, cost efficiency and enhanced data privacy.

 is a decentralized cloud computing network designed to provide AI workloads with a cost-efficient, secure and scalable infrastructure for their computing needs. 

With the high demand for AI services, most developers face the limitations of high costs and limited availability of computing resources to train AI models and perform computer-intensive tasks.

The project uses unused computer resources, such as idle CPUs, GPUs and RAM, to create a distributed platform that AI enthusiasts can then leverage without investing in costly infrastructure necessary for AI development.

Computing resource providers are incentivized to use MCC, the native token for the MeshChain ecosystem. Through these incentives, MeshChain can effectively fuel AI innovation by promoting a decentralized and cost-efficient cloud computing network.

In order to process AI workloads quickly and efficiently, MeshChain’s architecture is decentralized and powered by blockchain technology for transparency, security and scalability. Let’s take a deeper look at how MeshChain’s ecosystem operates.

To operate, MeshChain relies on a decentralized physical infrastructure network of computer nodes that act as resource providers on the platform. Its key components are as follows.

The system's core, the MeshChain Orchestrator, manages AI workloads between the various players. Once an Orchestrator receives a workload from an AI Engineer, it breaks it down into smaller chunks through a feature called Automatic Parallelization, and distributes these to Worker Nodes to process concurrently.

Automatic Personalization, an innovative feature of the platform, breaks down large AI workloads into smaller, manageable chunks known as workload shards. Worker Nodes process these shards in parallel to ensure fair and optimal use of available resources.

Apart from overseeing the system's workflow, the Orchestrator calculates the rewards for node providers once a task is completed.

Worker Nodes process workloads received from the Orchestrator. These nodes are equipped with computational resources to quickly process the AI requests. Once done, the Worker Nodes pass the intermediate results to Validator Nodes for processing.

Validator Nodes check the accuracy and integrity of the results generated by the Worker Nodes. This verification process is crucial to maintaining network trust.

Once the Validator Nodes have completed the verification, the outputs are passed to the MeshChain Aggregators. Then, they’re compiled and consolidated and passed on to the engineer who sent in the request. The Aggregator also passes the final output to the Orchestrator to facilitate the calculation and distribution of rewards.

A Resource Provider is a person who offers their computer resources to facilitate the processing of AI workloads on MeshChain.

You can become a resource provider on MeshChain in the following ways:

Some of the benefits of being a resource provider on MeshChain network include:

A Resource Consumer is an AI engineer or business who leverages MeshChain’s network to meet their AI workload needs. By being a Resource Consumer, you can send your AI requests, such as AI training and inferences, to the MeshChain network. In this way, you benefit from cost-efficient and secure AI development while also earning rewards for consuming the output from the network.

MCC is the native token of the MeshChain Ai network. It fuels all the transactions on the platform, ensuring a balanced flow between providers and consumers, as follows:

MCC has a maximum supply of 1 billion tokens, allocated as follows:

As of Mar 12, 2025, MCC’s price is $0.29, with a 24-hour trading volume of about $1.1 million.

MeshChain Ai is redefining the landscape of AI computing by shifting from centralized cloud infrastructure to a decentralized, distributed network. By harnessing idle computing resources across the globe, MCC provides a more scalable, cost-effective and censorship-resistant solution for AI model training and inference.

With enhanced security, lower operational costs and faster processing speeds, MCC enables developers, enterprises and AI enthusiasts to deploy AI workloads more efficiently than ever. As the demand for AI-powered applications grows, decentralized computing offers a future-proof alternative that empowers users with greater control and privacy over their data.

MCC represents the next evolution of AI computing, bringing together decentralization, performance and accessibility to drive the future of artificial intelligence.

Intermediate

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MeshChain Ai (MCC): The future of decentralized AI computing

Crypto

Blockchain

 Explore top 11 DePIN projects shaping the $3.5 trillion sector. From storage to connectivity, discover Filecoin, Arweave, and more. 

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 (RWA) enjoy significant attention from investors and industry analysts. However, upon closer scrutiny, many projects within these areas are propped up primarily by hype, and often lack profitability. On the other hand, away from the glitz and glamor of the crypto market's center stage, one niche has firmly established itself as a model of profitability: DePIN, an acronym for decentralized physical infrastructure network.

DePIN platforms facilitate the decentralized sharing and utilization of hardware and software resources among users. Numerous computing infrastructure sectors, such as storage, processing power, AI services and media streaming, use DePIN platforms to achieve benefits such as exceptional scalability, cost-efficiency and service variety. With a projected valuation of at least $3.5 trillion by 2028, the DePIN niche of the crypto market is worth keeping an eye on.

Decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) refers to a 

 platform that facilitates an exchange of hardware- or software-based computing resources between users. The exchange happens via a decentralized network that acts as a connecting medium or marketplace for the resources. 

A typical DePIN platform has two main user groups — resource providers and resource consumers. Resource providers contribute their computing power, storage capacity or other hardware/software resources to the network, receiving rewards in crypto tokens. Members of the consumer group pay for access to these resources and source them via the decentralized network, typically on a flexible, per-use basis.

Since resource sellers are rewarded with crypto tokens, there are significant incentives for both individuals and entities, such as corporations and startups, to expand their resource capacities and service offerings on the network. This acts as an essential driver of growth for sectors leveraging DePIN platforms.

For resource consumers, DePIN networks represent an affordable, highly flexible and versatile way of sourcing computing capacity that otherwise would be prohibitively expensive or complex to access.

The DePIN sector is one of the most profitable and resilient areas in the blockchain industry. 

, it currently generates over $1.5 trillion in yearly 

 revenues. The sector’s total valuation is expected to reach at least $3.5 trillion by 2028. Messari's report also predicts that DePIN could contribute $10 trillion to the global GDP over the next decade, potentially reaching $100 trillion a decade later.

DePIN projects can broadly be classified into several categories based on their leading use cases. Each category has the potential to disrupt an industry worth over $1 trillion, indicating the vast growth potential of DePIN. The major categories include:

 — Networks that provide decentralized and secure blockchain-based storage for files, apps and websites. The major players in this category include FileCoin (FIL), Arweave (AR) and ColdStack (CLS).

— Marketplaces or platforms for decentralized lending and borrowing of computing processing power. These include general processing power leasing platforms, such as Internet Computer (ICP) and Akash Network (AKT), and specialized service providers like Render Network (RNDR), which enables the trade of GPU-based computer rendering services.

—Decentralized solutions that facilitate connectivity and the exchange of data among users or devices, particularly in areas like the Internet of Things (IoT) or machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. Notable projects in this sphere include Helium (HNT), MXC (MXC) and IoTeX (IOTX).

— Platforms that use blockchain environments to enable the delivery of rich media resources and services such as video streaming or complex, interactive maps. The primary players in this category include Theta Network (THETA) and Hivemapper (HONEY). 

Let’s have a look at the major DePIN players within these four categories — 11 projects that drive the immensely promising and confidently growing DePIN sector.

1. Filecoin (FIL) – DePIN Category: Storage Solutions

 (P2P) network that provides a decentralized storage solution, marketplace and protocol. Launched in July 2014, it’s probably the oldest project in the DePIN niche of the crypto industry: it all started with Filecoin and its promotion of decentralized storage and retrieval solutions. The platform acts as a blockchain-based alternative to centralized cloud storage solutions.

Filecoin is built on top of the InterPlanetary File System (

), with data stored off-chain. Its use of the Filecoin virtual machine (

) allows for computations and calculations to be performed on the stored data without having to first retrieve the data.

Filecoin provides several advantages over its mainstream competitor, Google Cloud. Its price remains low due to the decentralized nature of the open market and small, independent storage providers. Moreover, Filecoin users can freely switch storage providers, as they all basically offer the same services and API. Finally, the barrier to becoming a storage provider for Filecoin is much lower than that for Google Cloud. All you require is a PC and a reliable internet connection — whereas you'll need legal agreements, marketing and support staff for Google Cloud.

2. Arweave (AR) – DePIN Category: Storage Solutions

 (AR) is a decentralized storage network that aims to provide distributed permanent and immutable storage solutions. Launched in 2018, Arweave is a key competitor to Filecoin in the area of decentralized storage, with its main advantage in offering you permanency and immutability of storage, as long as Arweave exists. Simply pay a one-time fee to securely and permanently store data — or even entire websites and applications.

Resource providers are rewarded with AR tokens for making their spare disk storage available on the network. Since each file is stored in a fragmented manner, scattered across the numerous nodes on the network, no individual resource provider will have your files available on their computer.

3. ColdStack (CLS) – DePIN Category: Storage Solutions

 (CLS) is an aggregator for various decentralized storage network-based platforms, including Filecoin, Arweave and more. It uses AI technology to optimize the decentralized storage of files across different blockchain-based platforms, and can thus be considered a connecting layer that brings together the major storage solutions available on the market.

4. Render Network (RNDR) – DePIN Category: Computing

 that acts as a marketplace for GPU-based rendering services. Computer rendering is the process of creating rich 2D and 3D images, animation and video from initial models outlining the finalized product. This technique is used in movies, video games, architectural visualization and many other fields to create visual representations of ideas or concepts. It’s also a highly resource-intensive process, at least in the case of modern, visually rich games and animations.

Render Network democratizes access to rendering services by providing an affordable and flexible platform on which designers, artists and studios can access GPU processing capacity over a decentralized network on a per-use basis. Those with powerful enough GPUs can also benefit by providing their idle processing capacity in exchange for rewards in RNDR tokens.

In the highly specialized niche of decentralized rendering services, Render Network is the undisputed leader. As of early 2024, no other notable crypto project could even remotely rival its platform in this sphere.

With its focus on supporting visually rich gaming and animation projects, Render Network is also considered a key 

5. Internet Computer (ICP) – DePIN Category: Computing

 (ICP) is a network of distributed data centers around the world that provides hosting and processing capacity to DApps utilizing the platform. Its data centers consist of node providers organized into subnet blockchains that run in parallel to each other. The network’s ability to add subnets regularly allows for scaling to create an unlimited number of DApps.

Data centers providing computing resources to user apps and websites are rewarded with ICP tokens for their contribution. As of mid-March 2024, there are 111 of these centers, located all over the world.

6. Akash Network (AKT) – DePIN Category: Computing

 (AKT) is an open-source decentralized computing power marketplace. In exchange for rewards paid in AKT tokens, resource providers on Akash can contribute their machines' hardware capacity, such as CPU, GPU, memory and storage. Users of the resources can access them more affordably and flexibly as compared to centralized cloud computing solutions. The Akash blockchain is built on top of the 

7. Helium (HNT) – DePIN Category: Network Connectivity

 (HNT) is a blockchain-based platform that acts as a decentralized network of wireless devices. The project aims to provide expansive, virtually limitless wireless internet connectivity, particularly for IoT devices. Helium rewards users with crypto tokens for setting up wireless hotspot devices and joining the network to provide connectivity.

The Helium project was launched in 2019 on its own 

 (SOL) as a DApp in 2023. Helium is essentially a decentralized alternative to traditional internet service providers (ISPs), albeit with the benefit of expansive, global reach. It can be thought of as a global virtual network operator.

8. MXC (MXC) – DePIN Category: Network Connectivity

 Foundation (MXC) is an Arbitrum-based project aimed at building a global data network. The project focuses on using a decentralized data network, the MXProtocol, to power IoT and M2M devices via LPWAN (low-power wide-area network) technology. MXC tokens are used within the MXProtocol to incentivize users to share and trade data, as well as participate in network governance. An LPWAN is a type of wireless network similar to Wi-Fi that provides efficient and secure data transmission for diverse use cases, such as smart cities, logistics, agriculture and more.

9. IoTex (IOTX) – DePIN Category: Network Connectivity

 (IOTX) is a decentralized P2P network designed for IoT connectivity and other use cases. IoTeX enables IoT devices to interact with each other and the blockchain, facilitating data exchange and secure communication. It has a built-in, decentralized bridge that’s fully compatible with Ethereum and other Ethereum virtual machine (

Conceptualized in 2017, the project launched its mainnet in 2019, initially positioning itself as a major IoT-focused blockchain. As the DePIN concept gained traction in the crypto industry, the IoTeX team sensed the enormous opportunities in this area and started to position the platform as a solution for DePIN projects and developers.

10. Theta Network (THETA) – DePIN Category: Media Provision

 (THETA) is a decentralized video streaming network whose users provide their idle storage and bandwidth in exchange for crypto rewards to facilitate the efficient delivery of video content. It isn’t simply a distributed version of YouTube — it’s a blockchain platform for managing the contribution and utilization of computing resources that support the delivery of media content, which typically requires significant bandwidth.

Theta Network can be thought of as a decentralized alternative to traditional, centralized content delivery networks (CDNs) like Cloudflare, Amazon CloudFront and Akamai. Theta currently operates on the EVM-compatible 

, which is a network of subchains connected to a mainchain. This structure allows for unlimited scaling and potentially unlimited transactional throughput. With a market cap of around $2.74 billion (as of Mar 19, 2024), Theta Network is the confident leader in the niche of decentralized video streaming services.

Theta also has a broader vision of becoming a hybrid cloud computing platform, with a fully decentralized global edge architecture. When it 

, it will be able to harness edge CPUs and GPUs worldwide in order to meet growing video demand, AI adoption and the call for new "bite-sized" infrastructure compute services.

11. Hivemapper (HONEY) – DePIN Category: Media Provision

Visually rich media comes not only in the form of video or animation but also as complex, detailed and interactive maps. 

 (HONEY) is a Solana-based DApp that aims to build, maintain and share the world map with a high degree of interactivity, granularity and accuracy.

Users worldwide can contribute to building maps on Hivemapper and earn crypto rewards in the form of HONEY tokens in the process. One way of contributing map data to the platform is to use a dash or phone cam to capture the landscape as you drive or walk across it. You can also earn HONEY tokens by helping to improve the maps in a gamified environment that’s powered by AI technology.

DePIN platforms typically allocate some hardware or software resources — computing power, data, network connectivity or bandwidth — over a distributed network by aggregating those resources from many providers. Each provider might contribute a minimal amount of the resource, but thanks to the decentralized mode of operation, the cumulative contribution leads to boundless capacities held by the network.

Users of the resource can tap into these capacities, utilizing them as much or as little as required on a demand-based, per-use basis.

Hardware and software infrastructure provision has been dominated by traditional cloud services players like Amazon, Microsoft and Oracle. Using their position and bargaining power, these companies have maintained high prices and dictated the terms of the market. With the arrival and growth of DePIN services, this dominance is being challenged. These centralized providers can expect the challenge to become even more intense as the DePIN concept gains more popularity and appreciation.

The growth of DePIN hasn’t come out of thin air; this innovative technology holds numerous benefits as compared to traditional computing infrastructure provision. The key benefits of DePIN platforms include:

Native tokens of DePIN platforms are a critical element that props up the trade in physical resources over decentralized networks. They’re used as a reward mechanism to encourage businesses and individuals to share their computing resources. At the same time, resource consumers use these tokens to pay for access to the required services.

On some platforms, they’re also used as 

, as holders of these crypto assets may participate in on-chain decision-making. This participation often includes voting on the adjustments to crucial parameters, such as the rules of resource contribution and consumption, rates charged, user membership tiers and more. 

In summary, the DePIN sector is vast and continuously evolving, showcasing a dynamic landscape ripe with opportunities for real-world applications. As technology advances and blockchain adoption becomes more widespread, the potential for DePIN to revolutionize various industries is becoming increasingly apparent. Innovation in the space continues to unfold, and DePIN is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of digital identity and data privacy.

Top 11 DePIN Projects to Keep an Eye on in 2024

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