BlockDAG Gains Momentum as Filecoin and XLM Struggle

On September 1st, 2025, IoTeX, a blockchain platform focused on Real-World AI, announced the launch of Season 2 of "Crypto's Got Talent" (CGT), a community-driven competition aimed at identifying and supporting promising DePIN projects. Sponsored by 0G Network, the largest Layer 1 blockchain designed for AI, this season aims to blend entertainment with ecosystem collaboration and funding to foster Web3 infrastructure adoption. Applications for the competition opened in August, with the live show set to begin on September 8. The event will consist of eight to nine episodes, culminating in a livestreamed finale where around 25 selected teams will compete for milestone-based grants, ultimately leading to six funded winners. The first season of CGT was a significant success, garnering nearly 200,000 impressions and close to 3,000 community votes. Five standout projects received grants and are now making strides in various sectors, including electric vehicle charging, 3D mapping, drone detection, environmental data, and on-chain finance. Jing Sun, co-founder of IoTeX, emphasized the program's goal of highlighting builders addressing real-world infrastructure challenges, and with the backing of 0G, Season 2 is expected to be even larger and more impactful. Season 2 will maintain the unique format of public pitch rounds, video demonstrations, and a final showcase to determine winners based on innovation, execution, and real-world impact. Michael Heinrich, Co-Founder and CEO of 0G, expressed pride in sponsoring CGT, aligning with their mission to empower builders in the AI and Web3 space. Together, IoTeX and 0G aim to support teams that are advancing decentralized infrastructure and real-world AI applications, paving the way for a democratized future of intelligence.

IoTeX has officially announced the launch of Crypto’s Got Talent (CGT) Season 2, a competition aimed at showcasing and funding high-potential decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) projects. Sponsored by 0G Network, this season is set to kick off on September 8, featuring 25 teams competing across eight to nine episodes. The previous season garnered nearly 200,000 impressions and successfully supported five innovative projects spanning various sectors, including energy, mapping, drone technology, environmental data, and finance. The CGT competition is designed to blend entertainment with ecosystem collaboration and real funding opportunities to foster Web3 adoption. Applications for the competition opened in August, and the event will culminate in a live finale. The selected teams will compete for milestone-based grants, with six winners receiving funding. Additionally, the program will provide 4-6 months of post-competition support to help projects scale and achieve measurable outcomes. Jing Sun, co-founder of IoTeX, emphasized the need for innovative DePIN projects and expressed confidence that Season 2 will be larger and more impactful. Michael Heinrich, CEO of 0G Network, expressed pride in sponsoring the CGT competition, highlighting its alignment with their mission to empower AI and Web3 builders. IoTeX, founded in 2017, currently supports over 100 projects and 40 million devices across various sectors, including mobility, robotics, energy, and health. The platform's infrastructure enables access to verified real-time physical world data, which is crucial for AI systems and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Furthermore, IoTeX has been officially listed on CF Benchmarks, allowing banks and asset managers to create regulated products with IOTX.

The DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) sector is experiencing significant transformation in 2025, with projects like Moonchain ($MCH) leading the charge in redefining blockchain's interaction with real-world data. As both institutional and retail investors seek robust opportunities in the crypto space, Moonchain's strategic integration with the Binance Alpha ecosystem positions it as a prime candidate for early-stage capital allocation. This article delves into Moonchain's unique value proposition, its alignment with Binance Alpha's institutional-grade infrastructure, and its potential to surpass traditional DePIN projects such as Helium and Filecoin. Moonchain sets itself apart by monetizing real-world data through an innovative Initial Hardware Offering (IHO) model. Unlike previous DePIN projects that depended on niche hardware, Moonchain collaborates with consumer tech brands like JBL and CyberCharge to distribute mining devices at no upfront cost, thereby democratizing access to decentralized infrastructure. This model not only lowers entry barriers but also capitalizes on the increasing demand for AI-driven data generation, a trend propelled by the rise of IoT devices and wearable technology. The project's native token, $MCH, functions as a multi-faceted utility asset, facilitating staking for network security, governance participation, and transaction fee discounts, thus fostering a self-sustaining ecosystem. The listing of Moonchain on Binance Alpha on September 3, 2025, marks a significant milestone, as Binance Alpha has emerged as a launchpad for high-conviction projects with strong institutional backing. The platform's dual airdrop for Alpha Points and GT holders ensures early liquidity and user acquisition, while its impressive daily trading volume and active user base indicate robust institutional interest. Moonchain's partnership with Binance Alpha not only enhances liquidity but also aligns with its long-term goals of cross-chain interoperability and deflationary token models. Analysts believe that Binance Alpha's validation of projects with real-world utility, such as Moonchain's AI Value layer, could significantly accelerate adoption beyond mere speculative trading, making it a compelling investment opportunity in the evolving DePIN landscape.

The memecoin market is experiencing significant shifts, with various platforms vying for supremacy across different blockchains. Notably, Pump.fun, the leading launchpad on Solana, has achieved a remarkable milestone, surpassing $800 million in lifetime revenue. This platform, which imposes a 1% swap fee on transactions, has re-established its position at the forefront of the memecoin boom. Earlier this summer, it faced stiff competition from LetsBonk.fun, a rival platform that temporarily outperformed it in token graduations. However, recent trends indicate that Pump.fun has regained its lead as many prominent memecoin deployers return to its ecosystem. Pump.fun's revenue trajectory has been impressive, generating over $1 million daily, starkly contrasting with LetsBonk's revenue, which has plummeted from nearly $1 million per day to under $30,000. This growing disparity has reinforced Pump.fun's dominance in the sector. Adding to its success, the platform launched its native token last month, raising an astounding $600 million within minutes of its offering. Currently, it is engaging in token buybacks above market prices to stabilize its token and bolster long-term investor confidence. As the memecoin landscape evolves, new challengers like Base are emerging. Backed by Coinbase, Base has recently surpassed Solana in new launches, aided by its integration with the decentralized social platform Zora. Data indicates that Base saw nearly 58,000 new memecoins created in a single day, compared to Solana's 33,000. This rapid shift highlights the volatility and potential of the memecoin market, where platforms can rise and fall swiftly. For investors, while the memecoin sector remains a high-risk, high-reward arena, projects like MAGACOIN FINANCE are attracting attention from whales, suggesting potential for significant returns in the upcoming altcoin season.

Asset Chain has officially launched the USDT/WNT trading pair, marking a significant milestone for the first public layer-1 EVM chain from Africa, co-developed by the Wicrypt team. This new trading pair aims to enhance liquidity depth for WNT and increase the Total Value Locked (TVL) on Asset Chain. The decentralized exchange (DEX) operates as an automated market maker (AMM), similar to Uniswap V3, and is currently running a Liquidity Mining Campaign designed to incentivize liquidity providers and traders. Participants can earn points based on their trading activities, which will contribute to airdrops of the blockchain’s native token after the Token Generation Event (TGE). The more transactions users complete, the more points they accumulate, ultimately increasing their airdrop potential. To further engage the community, Asset Chain is launching a special Boost Campaign for the Liquidity Mining Program, specifically targeting the USDT/WNT pair. This campaign, commencing on August 27th, will offer enhanced rewards for liquidity provision, allowing participants to earn up to 200% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on locked liquidity positions. Additionally, non-custodial wallets holding over 50,000 WNT will receive double points for liquidity provision transactions from September 9th to October 9th. This initiative is designed to maximize returns for liquidity providers and encourage more users to participate in the ecosystem. In conjunction with the liquidity provision campaign, a 30-day trading campaign will also begin on August 27th, providing users with double points for trading activities on the USDT/WNT pair. A reward pool of $3,000 USDT and $2,000 worth of WNT will be distributed among the top 10 traders based on their trading volumes during the campaign. To qualify, traders must maintain a minimum weekly trading volume of $50,000, totaling at least $200,000 over the 30 days. This dual approach aims to boost trading activity and liquidity on the Asset Chain DEX, driving the WNT token to new heights.

The decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) sector has recently witnessed a surge in online discussions, highlighting several major projects that have dominated social media activity. Leading the charge is Chainlink ($LINK), which has solidified its presence in crypto conversations with an impressive 21,600 posts and a staggering 4.6 million interactions. This level of engagement underscores Chainlink's significance in the DePIN landscape, showcasing its ability to attract attention and foster community involvement. Following Chainlink, Bittensor ($TAO) has emerged as a strong contender, securing the second position with 15,500 engaged posts and 1.7 million interactions. The growing interest in Bittensor reflects its appeal within communities, particularly due to advancements in decentralized AI and infrastructure solutions. Internet Computer ($ICP) ranks third, generating 6,200 posts and 325,600 interactions, while Render ($RENDER) also made notable strides with 4,400 posts and 248,500 interactions. Meanwhile, Helium ($HNT) and Akash Network ($AKT) demonstrated solid community engagement, with HNT achieving 1,800 posts and 59,200 interactions, and AKT garnering 1,700 posts and 70,900 interactions. The data indicates that social engagement within DePIN projects is a crucial indicator of strength, as trust and participation hinge on the representation of social capital. Projects like Chainlink, Bittensor, and Internet Computer are not only driving interaction but also shaping the future of decentralized networks in connectivity and cloud services. As the industry continues to evolve, the ability of these projects to maintain high levels of engagement will likely play a pivotal role in determining their long-term impact and relevance in the blockchain ecosystem.