Revolution of Decentralized Infrastructure: Which DePIN Projects Will Reshape the Future of Blockchain in 2025

2025-12-26 14:21:30

The decentralized physical infrastructure sector is experiencing a kind of resurgence. As of the end of 2024, the total market capitalization of DePIN projects has already surpassed $32 billion, transforming this niche from an experimental area into one of the most dynamic segments of the crypto economy. Major venture funds like Borderless Capital are actively investing resources into this direction, ( in particular, a DePIN Fund III with a volume of $100 million) has been launched, and analysts predict that by 2028, the market could reach a trillion-dollar scale.

But what is behind this abbreviation? And which specific projects are truly capable of reshaping the Web3 landscape and the cryptocurrency industry? Let’s analyze step by step.

What is DePIN and why is it important

Decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) is not just another blockchain trend. It represents a fundamental revolution in how we can organize and monetize real-world physical resources through distributed ledger technology.

The essence of the approach is as follows: instead of relying on centralized companies that own infrastructure (servers, antennas, communication channels), DePIN allows ordinary people to provide their network resources and receive cryptocurrency rewards for it. Smart contracts automate the verification and payment processes, and tokens serve as economic incentives.

Real-world examples already demonstrate the viability of this model: in energy, homeowners with solar panels sell excess electricity directly to neighbors via blockchain; in wireless networks, enthusiasts deploy hotspots and earn annual income; in data storage, regular users monetize free disk space.

Categorization of the DePIN ecosystem: Four pillars

The DePIN ecosystem is conditionally divided into several key areas:

Computing and Artificial Intelligence

This segment includes projects that enable decentralized data processing and AI model training. Internet Computer (ICP) with a market cap of $1.66 billion positions itself as the “world computer” — a platform for deploying full-featured web applications directly on the blockchain without cloud providers.

In 2024, the ICP network received updates Tokamak, Beryllium, and Stellarator, increasing performance. The roadmap through 2025 includes integration with Solana and expansion of AI capabilities.

Bittensor (TAO) — a fundamentally different approach. It is a protocol connecting machine learning with blockchain. Participants train AI models decentralizedly, earning rewards in TAO based on the quality of their contribution. The market cap is $2.13 billion, and over the past year, the token has shown dynamic growth thanks to the integration of Proof of Intelligence technology.

Data Storage and Permanence

Projects in this category address a critical problem: how to ensure reliable, long-term, and decentralized data storage.

Filecoin (FIL) — an open marketplace for storage services. Users pay providers who store their files and regularly prove data integrity. The network’s capitalization is $906.26 million. In 2024, the launch of Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM) enabled deploying Ethereum-compatible smart contracts, opening new use cases.

Arweave (AR) offers “perpetual” storage. Instead of a linear blockchain, the network uses a “blockweave” structure, where each block is linked to multiple previous blocks. The SPoRA consensus mechanism rewards participants for preserving historical data. Current market cap is $226.41 million, and in November 2024, protocol update 2.8 was released, increasing energy efficiency.

Rendering and Computing Power

Render Network (RENDER) addresses a specific task: connecting content creators (who need high-performance 3D rendering) with owners of unused GPU power. In 2024, the project migrated to Solana with a rebranding of the token (RNDR → RENDER). The network’s market cap is $664.31 million, and the token is growing due to expanded applications in film, gaming, and VR.

Networks and Data Transmission

The Graph (GRT) — a decentralized blockchain indexing protocol. Developers create “subgraphs” (open APIs) that allow efficient querying of data from various blockchains for dApps. Market cap is $393.90 million, and in 2024, The Graph expanded support for multi-chain networks (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, Avalanche, and others). The 2025 roadmap focuses on optimizing indexer performance and creating “information services” beyond subgraphs.

Theta Network (THETA) has revamped video streaming. Using a decentralized node network, the project allows viewers to share excess bandwidth and reduces content provider costs. The token operates on a dual system: THETA for governance, TFUEL for payments. Market cap is $265.60 million. In 2024, EdgeCloud was launched — a solution for edge computing supporting applications in video, media, and AI.

Internet of Things and Sensor Networks

Helium (HNT) — a decentralized wireless network for IoT devices. People deploy hotspots, provide coverage, and earn rewards in HNT. The network operates on the Solana blockchain, increasing speed. Market cap is $282.28 million, and in 2024, integration of 5G and subnet tokens (IOT, MOBILE) was introduced.

JasmyCoin (JASMY) was developed by former Sony executives and focuses on data sovereignty in IoT. The company allows users to control their device data and earn income from its use. Market cap is $299.24 million, and in 2024, the price saw significant growth thanks to partnerships with NVIDIA and Ripple.

IoTeX (IOTX) — a platform for secure and scalable interaction between IoT devices. It uses the Roll-DPoS consensus, providing high throughput and low latency. Market cap is $68.31 million. In 2024, IoTeX 2.0 was launched with a modular infrastructure for verifiable DePIN projects. The ecosystem already includes over 230 dApps and 50+ DePIN projects.

Security and Data for AI

Grass Network (GRASS) allows users to monetize unused internet bandwidth. By running a node, participants provide network access to their resources for collecting public web data needed for AI training. After launching the token via airdrop (October 28, 2024), GRASS quickly grew by 200%, with a market cap of $129.84 million.

Shieldeum (SDM) — a Web3 cybersecurity platform using a DePIN approach. It offers hosting infrastructure, encryption, threat detection via a decentralized network of professional data centers. In 2024, it attracted $2 million USDT( and developed applications for all major platforms.

Key advantages of the DePIN paradigm

Resilience: No single point of failure. If one node goes offline, the rest of the network continues to operate.
Cost efficiency: Utilizing unmanaged resources )old GPUs, free disk space, excess bandwidth( turns “dead” capital into productive assets.
Scalability: Examples like Arweave )130+ active projects, 28 billion transactions in Q3 2023(, and Filecoin $200 TVL exceeding ) million$32 demonstrate that decentralized networks can operate at industrial scales.
Inclusivity: Lower entry barriers than traditional infrastructure. Anyone with a computer can join and start earning.
Transparency: All operations are recorded on the blockchain, ensuring auditability and predictability.

Challenges that DePIN still needs to overcome

Despite its potential, the sector faces real obstacles:

Technical complexity: Integrating physical systems with blockchain requires specialized knowledge in security, scalability, and protocol compatibility. Ensuring reliable communication between distributed nodes and physical assets is critical.

Regulatory uncertainty: DePIN projects intersect with regulatory requirements for both digital and physical assets. Regulation is developing asynchronously across countries, creating difficulties for global scaling.

Market adoption: Users are not yet accustomed to this new paradigm. Traditional industries are skeptical. It is necessary to demonstrate clear advantages in convenience, cost, and reliability.

Long-term outlook: where is the market heading

The current market capitalization of the DePIN sector in ** billion** represents only an early stage. Analytical forecasts suggest that by 2028, the market could reach $3.5 trillion. This growth is driven by:

Growing demand for high-performance streaming and content delivery
Need for infrastructure for storing and processing big data
Accelerated development of IoT and AI applications
Transition from centralized to distributed networks

Projects that successfully address technical and regulatory challenges will become building blocks of the next-generation internet. DePIN is not just a trend. It is a rethinking of how we organize and reward infrastructural resources.

Final outlook

The DePIN sector demonstrates that decentralization can work not only in theory but also in practice. From Internet Computer, transforming cloud computing, to Helium, revolutionizing wireless networks, projects show that blockchain can reshape traditional industries.

Investors and developers closely following this field have the opportunity to participate in shaping the infrastructure of the future. The DePIN sector attracts interest not only from crypto enthusiasts but also from major venture funds, indicating its growing strategic importance.

When selecting projects for a portfolio, keep in mind that early stages are always accompanied by volatility. But the potential to transform physical infrastructure via blockchain makes DePIN one of the most promising niches of the crypto economy on the horizon of 2025 and beyond.

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