DePIN | Crypto

The raise underscores venture investors’ selective return to infrastructure-heavy crypto bets as DePIN struggles to move beyond early token launches. Crypto-focused venture capital firm Escape Velocity has raised nearly $62 million to invest in decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) projects, signaling continued venture interest in the sector despite a broader slowdown in crypto and technology funding. As first reported by Fortune on Thursday, the raise marks Escape Velocity’s second fund dedicated to backing founders across DePIN and other crypto-native sectors. The fund closed in December and drew support from investors including Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, and Micky Malka, founder of Ribbit Capital. Cendana Capital, a venture fund-of-funds that invests in early-stage managers, allocated $15 million to the vehicle. Read more

DePIN’s “death” narrative hides a market that’s quietly compounding revenues, as Messari’s new report pegs the sector at $10 billion with growing real‑world usage and cash flow. Decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs) have been written off as dead by many investors, but a new “State of DePIN 2025” report from Messari and Escape Velocity argues the sector has steadily grown into a $10 billion market generating $72 million in onchain revenue last year alone. According to the report, the “class of 2018-2022” DePIN tokens are down a massive 94%-99% from all‑time highs. Yet, leading projects now post verifiable recurring revenue and trade at 10 to 25 times revenue multiples, levels Messari characterizes as undervalued relative to growth. Messari said the shift marks a transition from subsidy-driven growth toward networks that generate revenue through real-world usage, particularly in areas such as bandwidth, compute, energy and sensor data. Read more

Natix and Valeo are building a decentralized, self-driving camera model to offer a transparent foundation for the safe mainstream deployment of physical AIs. Automotive technology supplier Valeo and Natix Network, a Solana-based decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) provider, have partnered to build an open-source, artificial intelligence (AI) multi-camera model aimed at improving autonomous driving systems. The two companies said Thursday they are building what they call the World Foundation Model (WFM), which they say will be able to learn and predict real-world motion, while adapting to traffic situations. The multi-camera model aims to push the boundaries of AI models from text-based understanding to real-world scenarios in physical environments, according to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph. It also aims to advance research into autonomous driving. Read more

Some in the crypto world have called for DePIN to be more widely adopted to combat internet outage issues.

The partnership marks Dubai’s latest step toward regulating the “machine economy,” blending onchain robotics, AI and tokenized real-world assets. Decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) protocol peaq has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to develop a regulatory framework for onchain robotics and tokenized machines. According to a Thursday press release, the memorandum centers on peaq’s Machine Economy Free Zone, with additional areas of collaboration including guidance for projects seeking VARA licenses, joint training initiatives in technology and compliance, and data sharing to support research and regulation. Launched in July, the Machine Economy Free Zone is a controlled environment to test how robotics and AI can function within decentralized networks. Read more

While Silicon Valley dominates Web2, emerging markets like the UAE and Singapore lead DePIN adoption with better regulations and real infrastructure needs. Opinion by: Yanal M. Hammouda, head of market expansion at Wingbit The decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) sector saw $150 million of capital flow during Q1 2025, with a projected market size of $3.5 trillion by 2028. Yet the most significant development isn’t the capital raised but where these networks operate.  Emerging markets like the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America — rather than Silicon Valley — are driving the future of DePIN adoption.  Read more

The next frontier for crypto innovation is clear: Decentralized physical infrastructure networks need a tailored legal framework to unlock their full potential. It’s time for lawmakers to provide regulatory clarity for DePIN. Opinion by: Aaron Basi, head of product at IoTeX With the recent passage of the GENIUS Act, the United States has taken its first real step toward regulating crypto nationally. The bill focuses on stablecoins, establishing reserve rules, audits and authorized issuers. This is a milestone for the industry. If lawmakers want to support the next wave of innovation, they cannot stop here.  One of the fastest-growing sectors, decentralized physical infrastructure networks, or DePINs, still lacks a legal framework . Read more

With crypto on the rise globally, it’s hard to predict just what area of the blockchain sector will generate enough interest to become the next big thing. Using a ChatGPT analysis, we’ve broken down the most up-and-coming crypto trends you should know about before they likely dominate the industry in the years to come.“Narrative waves” […] The post AI Predicts 2026 Crypto Sector Surge as DePIN, RWA, SocialFi Steal Spotlight appeared first on Cryptonews.

The decentralized physical infrastructure network market could surge to $3.5 trillion by 2028 as AI and blockchain converge, according to a new World Economic Forum report. The growing convergence of blockchain and artificial intelligence could see the decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) market soar past $3.5 trillion in the next three years, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). DePIN merges blockchain technology with community-owned physical infrastructure to create decentralized networks where participants can contribute resources in exchange for cryptocurrency. “Currently valued at $30 billion-$50 billion with over 1,500 active projects worldwide, this relatively new sector is projected to grow to $3.5 trillion by 2028,” the report said. Read more

When centralized infrastructure fails, entire societies are left in the dark. Recent blackouts across Europe and beyond reveal the urgent need for DePIN, empowering communities to build resilient, community-driven solutions that can withstand crises. Opinion by: Carlos Lei, co-founder and CEO of Uplink Seeing Spain, Portugal, and France go dark recently? Sure, millions lost power. It was a connectivity collapse, showing just how brittle communication lifelines become when the power dies. Don't think for a second this is just a European problem. The same script plays out all over. South Africa's endless power woes. Pakistan's massive blackout in 2023. Then there was that crazy Texas freeze in 2021. Another time, locals in Houston melted snow off their roofs into buckets just to flush toilets for an entire week. Most people were without heat in sub-zero temperatures, and power and phones were completely out. It was an unforgettable lesson about just how fragile essential systems can be. Read more

The journey from hype to reality in DePIN and AI shows that genuine innovation lies in solving real-world problems with practical and efficient solutions, says Bullish Capital Management’s Sylvia To.

The following is a guest post and opinion by Ruchir Punjabi, Co-Founder at ReNRG. Crypto, for all its growth, has an energy reputation problem. The proof-of-work era left a lingering carbon footprint, and while the industry has largely pivoted to more efficient mechanisms, the perception persists. Yet within the technology that birthed this conundrum lies […] The post Crypto’s energy problem may have a DePIN solution appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Blockchain gamification has offered a measurable path to on-chain growth as Base, Quai, peaq and Eclipse integrate point systems, NFTs and micro-rewards. Data show repeat spins, six-figure user inflows and billions of interactions, while teams refine user experience to sustain momentum. The post Blockchain gamification drives 230K‑user growth as DePIN market hits $18.9B appeared first on Cryptonews.

This report argues that the United States is undergoing a structural shift away from the neoliberal international order and toward a strategy of neo-isolationism, driven by the need to preserve relative power in the face of China’s rise. Drawing from realist theory and the historical precedent of the Nixon administration, the report outlines how the U.S. is prioritizing containment over global growth. This reversion includes reshoring manufacturing, accelerating the clean energy transition, and restricting technological flows, particularly in AI, to prevent espionage and maintain strategic advantage. In this environment, crypto emerges not as a tool of global integration but as a beneficiary of fragmentation. The report concludes that we are entering an era where power, not efficiency, will define economic policy, and in this new industrial paradigm, Bitcoin, DePIN, and DePAI are uniquely positioned to thrive.