State of Autonomys Network Q1 2025

Key Insights

• Autonomys is building an AI infrastructure stack with permanent distributed storage, data availability, and decoupled execution, structured across consensus, storage, and execution layers.
• The Autonomys Network Mainnet is rolling out in three phases: Phase-1 launched in November 2024 with storage and consensus layers; Phase-2, intended to launch in Q2’25, will add decoupled execution and token transferability; Phase-3, intended to launch in 2026, will expand scalability through data sharding and additional domains.
• Total pledged storage from Farmers increased 20% QoQ from 435 petabytes (PB) to 522 PB, while archived blockchain history reached 124 GB in Q1.
• Cumulative events on Mainnet grew 203% QoQ from 33.9 million to 102.8 million, reflecting increased network activity. An event is any message or action broadcast on Mainnet (i.e. transactions, Farmer votes, token minting, etc.)
• AI3’s circulating market cap (pre-trading) declined 23% QoQ from $193 million to $148 million, while the AI3 token price fell 24% from $0.30 to $0.23 by the end of Q1.

Primer

The Autonomys Network is an AI infrastructure stack with permanent distributed storage, data availability, and modular architecture for building and deploying dApps and onchain agents.

The protocol includes storage, consensus, and execution layers. Storage is managed through a distributed storage network (DSN) that permanently stores and retrieves blockchain data, including AI agent operations and interactions. This aims to ensure that AI agent behavior is accessible, auditable, and verifiable, to allow developers and researchers to analyse and learn from agent activities without requiring any individual node to maintain the full chain history.

Consensus is managed using a Proof-of-Archival-Storage (PoAS) consensus mechanism, supported by a parallel Proof-of-Time (PoT) chain. The PoAS process can be broadly understood in three phases:

• All nodes complete a recurring archiving phase, which involves dividing the blockchain history into segments composed of equally sized pieces.
• Individual farmers process and encode their designated portions of the blockchain history for storage (a setup phase known as plotting).
• Farmers’ storage is then audited to ensure data integrity, before they are given the opportunity to propose new blocks.

The PoT chain contributes to security by enforcing a verifiable time constraint between block proposals, making it difficult for malicious actors to create long retroactive forks.

Execution is managed through Decoupled Execution (DecEx), which separates the consensus mechanism from transaction execution. Operators, selected through a stake-based election process, are responsible for executing transactions and managing state transitions within specialized environments called domains.

Domains are modular, configurable execution environments tailored for specific dApps & use cases, such as smart contracts or decentralized AI training. Each domain functions as an isolated, interoperable sub-protocol within the broader Autonomys Network ecosystem. Autonomys has launched Auto EVM (formerly Nova EVM), a permissionless EVM domain designed for deploying and running smart contracts, on their Taurus testnet, and plans to launch Auto ID, a domain dedicated to managing identities for humans and AI agents, after Phase-2. The Autonomys Network achieves computation scalability by distributing execution horizontally, with each domain handling a subset of transactions. For a full primer on the Autonomys Network, refer to our Initiation of Coverage report.

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Key Metrics

Autonomys Mainnet

Mainnet Launch Approach & Timeline

Autonomys is launching its Mainnet in three distinct phases. Phase-1, launched in November 2024, introduced the network’s storage and consensus layers. Phase-2, initially targeted for Q1’25 but delayed to Q2’25, will add the decoupled execution (DecEx) layer. Phase-3 aims to improve the network’s scalability and is planned for rollout in 2026, with specifics still being finalized by Autonomys.

The storage and consensus layers of the Mainnet went live as part of the Phase-1 launch in November 2024. This launch enabled farmers to start running nodes to begin bootstrapping storage capacity, earn Mainnet rewards, produce blocks, and establish the foundational layer for the Autonomys Network. Network activity can be monitored through a live telemetry dashboard that provides visibility into the system’s operations.

In addition to the DecEx layer, Phase-2 will include the launch of Auto EVM (formerly Nova EVM), the network’s first EVM-compatible domain for executing smart contracts, and a TGE and token transferability for Autonomys’ token AI3. Auto ID, a self-sovereign identity and proof-of-personhood framework designed for human-AI interaction, will launch in the second half of 2025.

Phase-3 will prioritize increasing the network’s capacity through data sharding and the development of additional domains tailored to support a wider range of AI and agentic applications.

Mainnet Progress

After launching Phase-1, Autonomys Network spent most of Q1’25 building the components required for the launch of Phase-2 of the Mainnet.

Ambassador Logistics

In December 2024, Autonomys introduced a new on-demand ambassador onboarding initiative. This program is designed to streamline the process of integrating ambassadors into the network’s community roles. Ambassador agreements now define the scope of responsibilities, regulatory guidelines, and reward structures associated with different positions. These agreements are incorporated into the backend of the stakeholder claim site.

Autonomys Improvement Proposals (AIPs)

Autonomys formalized its Autonomys Improvement Proposals (AIPs) system during Q1, reviewing and publishing the documentation, procedures, and submission instructions, which are now available through the Subspace Foundation website. In parallel, the team launched a revamped Autonomys Academy in March to educate users about the network and guide developers on its suite of software products.

Auto EVM and Autonomys Bridge

In December, Auto EVM, the network’s renamed EVM-compatible execution environment, went live on the Taurus testnet, enabling developers to build and test applications and smart contracts in preparation for the Phase-2 Mainnet launch. On April 9, Autonomys introduced the Autonomys Bridge for transferring assets between the Taurus Auto EVM domain and the Ethereum Sepolia testnet.

Auto Agents Framework

On Jan. 28, Autonomys launched the Autonomys Agents (Auto Agents) Framework. Still in the early stages of development, this framework is intended to enable developers to build autonomous onchain AI agents whose interactions, decisions, and reasoning processes are permanently archived on the Autonomys Network. Archiving ensures that all operations of AI agents built on the Auto Agent Framework are accessible, auditable, and cryptographically verified, meaning anyone can study, analyze, and learn from their behavior.

The Auto Agents Framework uses Autonomys’ Software Development Kit, Auto SDK, to interact with the PoAS consensus chain and interface with the distributed storage network (DSN). Technical improvements to the Auto Agents Framework during Q1 included adding DeepSeek model support, a web search tool integration, and allowing agents to perform actions such as liking tweets, following users, and more. Autonomys integrated the Model Context Protocol (MCP) into the Auto SDK. MCP provides a standardized interface for AI agents to access external tools, datasets, and systems. The integration allows frameworks like Cursor and Claude to connect directly to the DSN without requiring custom configurations. As a result, developers can build AI agents that retrieve and process data from Autonomys’ onchain archives while interacting with third-party environments.

Cross-Domain Messaging

In Q1, Cross-Domain Messaging (XDM) launched on Taurus, enabling token transfers between consensus and domain wallets. Additionally, Autonomys published documentation outlining how to integrate XDM as part of their incentivized testing initiative, Game of Domains.

Mainnet Roadmap

The key milestones to be completed before deployment of Phase-2 Mainnet are receiving the final protocol audit report from SR Labs, activating the ecosystem grants program, and finalizing exchange partnerships for AI3 token listings.

Autonomys outlined high-priority issues raised during SR Labs’ audit that must be resolved to pass and provided users with a link to track the entire audit’s progress.

The backend infrastructure for the ecosystem grants program was completed during Q1 and will be visible on the new Subspace Foundation website, set to launch alongside Mainnet Phase-2. The website will provide structured guidelines on how projects can submit proposals and apply for ecosystem grants. Autonomys invited users to submit proposals to test the application process.

The stakeholder claim site is being built with Tokensoft for investors, ambassadors, and advisors to access their vested and unlocked tokens. In Q1, the teams defined ambassador agreements, while vesting contracts and differentiated workflows for stakeholder groups are in progress.

For Q2, Autonomys’ product team will focus on its post-TGE strategy to determine the sites and methods with which end-users will interact with Autonomys, with more details to be released following the launch of Mainnet Phase-2.

Collectively, the roadmap activities this quarter advanced technical, ecosystem, and product preparations, with key dependencies progressing toward Phase-2 Mainnet launch readiness.

Financial Analysis

Market cap

Pre-market trading gives users early access to buy or sell recently launched or soon-to-be-listed tokens before regular spot trading opens. AI3 pre-market trading began on Feb. 6 on XT.com and Gate.io, allowing investors to lock USDT in exchange for pre-tokens before the official TGE. TGE is scheduled to occur alongside the launch of Mainnet Phase-2 and will allow onchain token transfers to occur.

From Feb. 6 to the end of Q1, AI3 circulating market capitalization decreased 23% from $193 million to $148 million, and the AI3 token price decreased 24% from $0.30 to $0.23.

Rewards & Fees

The Autonomys Network uses its AI3 token to compensate participants who secure and operate the network through both user-paid fees and protocol-minted AI3 rewards.

Farmers provide storage capacity by contributing solid-state drive (SSD) storage space to the network. They earn storage fees collected from users who pay to store transactions and data, block rewards for proposing new blocks on the consensus chain, and vote rewards for participating in consensus voting processes. Storage fees are calculated based on transaction size and the storage resources required.

Operators earn compute fees to validate and execute transactions, and the fee amount is proportional to the computational effort needed to process those transactions. Operators also earn relay fees for delivering messages such as asset transfers, state changes, or communications between dApps running on separate domains. These are known as cross-domain messages (XDM). XDM compute fees and relay fees are collected on the sending domain, burned there, and minted on the receiving domain before being distributed to operators following successful XDM delivery. Nominators earn a share of an operator’s compute fees when they stake AI3 tokens to an operator’s nomination pool.

Source: Autonomys Network Issuance Model

AI3 rewards minted by the Autonomys Network follow a dynamic issuance rate that adjusts in response to demand for blockspace and a decay schedule that gradually reduces rewards over 40 years. Following the Mainnet Phase-1 launch in November 2024, the Subspace Foundation set a requirement of 210 petabytes (PB) of total pledged storage from farmers before activating reward issuance. This milestone was reached in late November 2024, triggering rewards for block proposers and voters at an initial rate of 5 AI3 per block. The issuance rate then started declining linearly and will continue this for 1.5 years, reaching 4.75 AI3 per block around May 2026. While the actual number of AI3 issued per block will vary depending on network utilization and the number of votes, it plans to track the curve shown in the ‘AI3 Issuance Schedule’ graph above.

Since the launch of Mainnet Phase-1 in November 2024, a cumulative 9.1 million AI3 (0.9% of the maximum supply) have been minted as rewards to network participants.

Network Analysis

Node Count

The Autonomys Network has three node roles that contribute to its infrastructure. These roles enable the network’s data storage, consensus, and execution layers to function independently.

Farmers secure the Proof-of-Archival-Storage (PoAS) consensus chain by dedicating disk space to the network. They plot archival data onto their drives, compete for block rewards, and participate in the Distributed Storage Network (DSN). The DSN is for ensuring permanent storage of blockchain data, enabling nodes and clients to retrieve historical data when needed.

Operators maintain the state and execute transactions on Decoupled Execution (DecEx) chains, which separate transaction execution from consensus to improve scalability. They are selected through a stake-based election process and run computations within specialized environments known as domains, each tailored to specific applications such as smart contracts or AI training.

Timekeepers run the Proof-of-Time chain and maintain the randomness beacon for the consensus chain. They broadcast outputs to the network, a process requiring a powerful CPU.

In Q1, the number of nodes on the Autonomys Network Mainnet decreased by 32%, from 1,830 to 1,250. Autonomys has been testing domains and XDM on Taurus testnet in preparation for Phase-2 launch through an incentivized staking contest called Game of Domains. The decrease in nodes on Mainnet could be attributed to some nodes switching from Mainnet to Taurus testnet for incentives.

Also, farming clusters let users manage multiple farms through a single node, optimizing workload distribution and reward sharing. As more farmers adopt this setup, the number of active nodes on Mainnet may fall. A lower node count without a matching drop in total pledged storage could indicate wider use of clustered farming.

Wallet Addresses

Wallet addresses that have used the Autonomys Network Mainnet Phase-1 before increased 0.3% QoQ in Q1 from 109,400 to 109,700.

Storage

Total storage space pledged refers to the cumulative amount of storage capacity that Farmers have committed to provide for storing and serving blockchain history via the DSN. Total storage space pledged increased 20% QoQ from 435 PB to 522 PB.

Archive history size is the amount of blockchain history data that has been transformed from recent consensus blocks into a permanent archived form and stored across the network’s distributed storage system. At the end of Q1, the archive history size was 124 GB.

Events

An event on the Autonomys Network is any message or action broadcasted on Mainnet, such as transactions, Farmer votes, token minting and burning, or other network activities that trigger state changes or consensus processes. Cumulative events on Mainnet grew 203% QoQ from 33.9 million to 102.8 million.

Ecosystem & Partnerships

Source: Autonomys Ecosystem Map

Autonomys currently has 37 ecosystem participants, focusing on DePIN and infrastructure protocols. Below are notable partnership announcements in Q1.

• The Graph, a blockchain data indexing protocol, partnered with Autonomys to support data access, smart contract indexing, and improve dApp performance.
• Ringfence, a platform for monetizing AI creations and verifying ownership, partnered with Autonomys to integrate the DSN as a storage option.
• Vana, a personal data management platform, partnered with Autonomys to explore DSN use cases.
• Talisman Wallet, a multichain wallet, partnered with Autonomys to integrate with the consensus chain, Taurus testnet, and Auto EVM for better user access.
• Phala Network, a secure computing platform using TEE (Trusted Execution Environments), partnered with Autonomys to support privacy-preserving AI dApps and agents.
• Safe, a multi-sig asset management platform, partnered with Autonomys to deploy multi-sig on the Taurus Auto EVM domain.
• Multiple Network, a bandwidth aggregation DePIN, partnered with Autonomys to enable low-latency encrypted data transmission.
• DIN (Data Intelligence Network), a decentralized data intelligence network that incentivizes users to collect, validate, annotate, and preprocess data for AI training, partnered with Autonomys to provide onchain and offchain data feeds for AI agents and dApps.

Tokenomics

AI3 is the Autonomys Network’s native token and has a fixed supply of 1 billion tokens. Upon the launch of Mainnet Phase-1 in November 2024, 65% of the supply (650 million AI3) was minted (all token allocation categories except Farmer Rewards). The remaining 35% will be minted over 40 years as block rewards for farmers contributing storage to the network under a dynamic issuance model developed with BlockScience. Token transferability will begin at the Token Generation Event (TGE), scheduled to launch alongside Mainnet Phase-2. Pre-market AI3 is currently listed on XT.com and Gate.io with an AI3/USDT trading pair.

Of the tokens minted in November 2024, 494.5 million AI3 (49.45% of the total supply) were allocated to investors, the team, Autonomys Labs, the Subspace Foundation, and partners. These tokens follow a 48-month lockup with 25% unlocked after a 12-month cliff starting upon the launch of Mainnet Phase-2, with the remaining 75% released every month for 36 months at a rate of 1/36th per month. Investors hold 21.53% of the total supply under this schedule. Team allocations account for 9.49%, including founders, advisors, and staff. Autonomys Labs holds 9.00%, with 7.00% for the developer treasury under the same vesting terms and 2.00% unlocked at TGE for liquidity and operations. Partners received 1.43%, also under the same vesting schedule.

An additional 155.5 million AI3 (15.55% of total supply) was allocated to operations, the Subspace Foundation, ambassadors, and testnet participants. The Subspace Foundation holds 15.68%, divided into operating expenses, a near-term treasury, and a long-term treasury for community initiatives, grants, and ecosystem development. The long-term treasury follows the same 48-month lockup with a 12-month cliff and monthly releases. Ambassador allocations (1.00%) vest based on participation terms. Testnet and Stake Wars participants received 6.87% without vesting or lockups.

Closing Summary

In Q1 2025, the Autonomys Network continued technical development for its Mainnet Phase-2 launch after bringing Mainnet Phase-1 live in November 2024, which established the storage and consensus layers. Product milestones during the quarter included the launch of Auto EVM on the Taurus testnet to support smart contract development, the introduction of the Autonomys Bridge enabling asset transfers between Taurus Auto EVM and Ethereum Sepolia, and the deployment of Cross-Domain Messaging (XDM) on testnet.

Network metrics reflected growing participation and activity, with total pledged storage increasing 20% QoQ from 435 PB to 522 PB, and cumulative events on Mainnet rising 203% QoQ from 33.9 million to 102.8 million. The number of nodes declined 32% QoQ from 1,830 to 1,250, while AI3’s circulating market capitalization decreased 23% QoQ from $193 million to $148 million.

Progress continued on critical Phase-2 dependencies, including SR Labs' ongoing audit, the development of the ecosystem grants program, and the integration of the stakeholder claim site with vesting contracts and workflows for token distribution. Autonomys remains focused on completing the Phase-2 launch in Q2’25, which will set the stage for Phase-3’s scalability upgrades and the deployment of a modular, high-throughput AI infrastructure.

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