DePIN Crypto Projects: The Best Investment Opportunities 2024-2025

The decentralized physical infrastructure sector (DePIN crypto) is experiencing impressive growth, becoming one of the most dynamic segments of the crypto industry. As of December 2025, the total market capitalization of DePIN crypto projects significantly exceeds previous periods, reflecting increasing interest from institutional investors and retail traders.

Why Is DePIN Crypto Becoming a Trend?

Decentralized physical infrastructure networks represent a revolutionary approach to traditional systems. They combine blockchain’s digital capabilities with real physical assets — energy grids, wireless communications, data storage systems. This symbiotic system creates an ecosystem where participants are rewarded with tokens for providing their resources.

Major venture funds, including Borderless Capital with $100 million in DePIN Fund III, demonstrate confidence in the long-term potential of this direction. VanEck analysts predict that DePIN will become a key mechanism for attracting the next billion users to the Web3 ecosystem.

DePIN Architecture: How Does It Work?

The functionality of DePIN crypto is based on three pillars:

Blockchain infrastructure ensures immutability of records and automation through smart contracts, creating transparency in the reward system.

Tokenized incentives — an economic engine encouraging people to contribute their (computing power, bandwidth, physical equipment) and receive cryptographic rewards.

Cross-platform compatibility guarantees that DePIN solutions seamlessly integrate with existing digital and physical infrastructure.

An example can be seen in the energy sector: a solar panel owner can directly sell excess electricity to neighbors using smart contracts for secure and reliable settlement.

Catalog of Top DePIN Crypto Projects

Internet Computer (ICP) - The Global Computer

Internet Computer is a decentralized computing platform developed by DFINITY Foundation. Instead of traditional cloud providers, which are centralized and prone to failures, ICP uses a distributed network of independent data centers worldwide.

Developers can deploy decentralized applications directly on the blockchain without third-party intermediaries. In 2024, the platform implemented critical updates (Tokamak, Beryllium, Stellarator), significantly improving scalability and performance.

Current ICP metrics:

• Market cap exceeded $4.3 billion
• Annual growth in value: 121%
• Planned integration with Solana and development of AI capabilities

Bittensor (TAO) - Decentralized AI Market

Bittensor is an open protocol combining blockchain with artificial intelligence to create a collaborative machine learning network. Participants train AI models collectively, earning rewards in TAO tokens based on the informational value of their contributions.

This approach democratizes access to machine learning resources and creates a peer-to-peer market for AI services.

Current TAO data:

• Price: $222.60 USD
• Change over 24 hours: -0.17%
• Market cap: $2.14 billion
• Integration of Proof of Intelligence and Mixture of Experts models has expanded the ecosystem

Render Network (RENDER) - Distributed Rendering

Render Network utilizes underused GPU power worldwide, offering scalable and cost-effective solutions for 3D graphics, animation, and virtual reality.

In 2024, migration from Ethereum to Solana with rebranding of the token (RNDR → RENDER) was completed, increasing transaction speed and scalability.

RENDER data:

• Price: $1.28 USD
• Daily change: +0.94%
• Market cap: $662.23 million
• Yearly growth exceeded 150%

Filecoin (FIL) - Decentralized Storage

Filecoin creates an open marketplace for storage services, where providers and clients make direct deals. Users pay for secure long-term storage of files with continuous integrity verification.

The launch of Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM) opened new horizons for usage, allowing developers to deploy Ethereum-compatible smart contracts. TVL surpassed $200 million.

Current FIL metrics:

• Price: $1.24 USD
• Change over 24 hours: -1.81%
• Market cap: $906.99 million

Theta Network (THETA) - Decentralized Video Delivery

Theta Network addresses high costs of video delivery by enabling users to share excess bandwidth. The network operates on a dual-token system: THETA for governance and TFUEL for transactions.

In 2024, EdgeCloud solution was introduced — a next-generation edge computing platform supporting video, multimedia, and AI applications.

THETA metrics:

• Price: $0.27 USD
• Daily change: -1.43%
• Market cap: $267.40 million
• Yearly growth: 76%

Arweave (AR) - Permanent Data Storage

Arweave offers a revolutionary approach to storage — using a “blockweave” structure instead of a traditional linear blockchain. The Succinct Proof of Random Access (SPoRA) consensus mechanism incentivizes miners to store historical information.

November protocol update 2.8 significantly improved network efficiency, scalability, and energy efficiency.

AR data:

• Price: $3.47 USD
• Change over 24 hours: -0.23%
• Market cap: $227.13 million
• Yearly growth exceeds 171%

JasmyCoin (JASMY) - IoT and Data Sovereignty

JasmyCoin integrates blockchain with the Internet of Things, creating a decentralized data marketplace. Users gain full control over their personal information, managing data and earning profits from it.

Founded by former Sony executives in 2016, the project experienced a significant surge in 2024, reaching a market cap of $1.35 billion.

Current JASMY metrics:

• Price: $0.01 USD
• Daily change: -0.77%
• Market cap: $299.34 million

Grass Network (GRASS) - Bandwidth Monetization

Grass Network allows users to earn from unused internet bandwidth by providing it to the network for collecting public web data needed for AI model training.

In beta testing, it attracted over 2 million users. The GRASS token was distributed via a major airdrop — 100 million tokens allocated to 1.5 million wallets.

GRASS data:

• Price: $0.30 USD
• Daily change: -1.32%
• Market cap: $129.36 million
• 200%+ growth since launch

IoTeX (IOTX) - Blockchain for the Internet of Things

IoTeX combines blockchain with IoT, creating a secure and scalable ecosystem for machine-to-machine communication. The Roll-DPoS consensus ensures high throughput and minimal latency.

In 2024, IoTeX 2.0 was launched with a modular infrastructure for verifiable DePIN projects. The ecosystem grew to over 230 dApps and 50+ DePIN projects.

IOTX metrics:

• Price: $0.01 USD
• Daily change: -0.06%
• Market cap: $68.34 million

The Graph (GRT) - Blockchain Indexing

The Graph is a decentralized protocol for organizing access to blockchain data. Developers create (subgraphs) to facilitate queries to blockchain data for decentralized applications.

The protocol supports multiple blockchains: Ethereum, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, and others. GRT market cap is $1.93 billion with a 67% annual growth.

Shieldeum (SDM) - Web3 Cybersecurity

Shieldeum applies AI technologies in DePIN for protecting cryptocurrency users and Web3 enterprises. The platform uses data center servers for hosting applications, encrypting data, and threat detection.

In 2024, applications were released for all major platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS). Over $2 million USDT was attracted for testing the network infrastructure.

Helium (HNT) - Decentralized Wireless Network

Helium operates on the Solana blockchain, providing long-range connectivity for IoT devices. Users set up hotspots and earn rewards in HNT. Helium Mobile service already has over 335,000 subscribers.

The introduction of subnets (IOT, MOBILE) diversified the ecosystem. HNT market cap grew by over 190% and reached $990 million.