DePIN Pioneers Helium and Filecoin Face Critical Challenges Amid Market Fears

The cryptocurrency market has recently experienced a surge, particularly in AI and DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) tokens, which have captured the attention of traders. Among the standout performers is Aethir (ATH), a decentralized GPU cloud platform that has seen its price skyrocket by 67% in just 24 hours, reaching a market cap of approximately $470 million. This impressive growth can be attributed to a significant partnership with OpenLedger, enhancing Aethir's enterprise-level integrations. Additionally, a collaboration with Arizona State University for AI research has further solidified its position in the market, highlighting the increasing demand for GPU utilization in real-world applications. Worldcoin (WLD), another notable player, has also made headlines with a remarkable 130% increase over the past few days, driven by the launch of its Anonymized Multi-Party Computation (AMPC) upgrade. This new technology allows users to verify their identities anonymously, addressing privacy concerns that have surrounded the project since its inception. As a result, WLD has gained substantial support from both traders and privacy advocates, with analysts predicting a potential push towards the next resistance level at $2.5. The growing interest in AI-driven projects has provided a favorable backdrop for Worldcoin's rally, suggesting that the AI meta may be gaining traction once again. Lastly, Ultima (ULTIMA) has experienced a strong rally fueled by positive updates regarding its financial services network and token utility. After a period of consolidation, the price surged over 44%, reflecting traders' optimism about the project's future. Currently holding steady at around $6.8K, Ultima is seen as quietly building momentum for its next breakout. Meanwhile, Bitcoin Hyper is making waves in the presale market, combining Bitcoin's trust with meme coin energy and offering attractive staking rewards. As the crypto landscape evolves, these projects are at the forefront of the ongoing transformation, capturing the interest of investors and traders alike.

The convergence of on-chain AI agents and decentralized data infrastructure is reshaping the Web3 landscape, creating a new paradigm where autonomous systems optimize physical and digital resources. This shift is driven by DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks), which leverage blockchain incentives to coordinate distributed hardware and services. As of 2025, the DePIN sector has surpassed $50 billion in market capitalization, with over 350 tokens representing compute power, storage, wireless connectivity, and energy grids. Strategic investors are now prioritizing projects that integrate AI-driven automation, decentralized data validation, and cross-chain interoperability to unlock scalable, real-world applications. The DePIN ecosystem has matured rapidly, with projects like Helium (HNT), Filecoin (FIL), and Render (RENDER) leading the charge. Helium’s transition from a community-driven LoRaWAN network to a 5G infrastructure model demonstrates the sector’s evolution, while Filecoin and Render address decentralized storage and GPU rendering, respectively. In the compute domain, IoTeX is pioneering secure, privacy-preserving AI processing through Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), enabling enterprises to outsource sensitive workloads without compromising data integrity. Ethereum and Solana have emerged as dominant ecosystems for DePIN projects, hosting numerous top-tier initiatives that underscore the importance of technical efficiency in scaling decentralized infrastructure. AI agents are now integral to DePIN’s value proposition, automating tasks like demand forecasting, resource allocation, and predictive maintenance. For example, IoTeX’s Quicksilver AI framework processes 1,700 daily requests, enabling autonomous decision-making in energy grids and mobility systems. These agents enhance DeFi and DAOs by optimizing returns and streamlining decision-making processes. Investors should focus on projects that combine technical innovation with real-world utility, such as IoTeX and Aethir Cloud’s GPU-as-a-Service model. The DePIN sector is poised for further growth, but risks include regulatory uncertainty and competition from centralized providers. Strategic allocations to projects like IoTeX and Aethir will be essential for long-term growth in this evolving landscape.

The blockchain industry is entering a new phase focused on enhancing the infrastructure that supports decentralized applications. A significant development in this area is the recent partnership between Pocket Network (POKT) and Kleomedes, a prominent staking platform within the Cosmos ecosystem. This collaboration aims to tackle the centralization risks associated with Remote Procedure Call (RPC) services, which are crucial for dApps and user interactions with blockchains. By deploying decentralized RPC and open data services across 14 Cosmos chains, including Akash Network and Osmosis, Pocket and Kleomedes are setting a precedent for resilient and censorship-resistant infrastructure, vital for the long-term sustainability of Web3 ecosystems. Centralization in RPC services poses a critical vulnerability for many Cosmos-based chains, which often depend on centralized providers, leading to potential outages and censorship. The partnership will allow Kleomedes to operate nodes within Pocket’s relay marketplace, which boasts hundreds of independently run nodes. This diversification enhances data access and ensures higher uptime, benefiting projects like Router Protocol and Osmosis by providing faster and more reliable data without the risks of vendor lock-in. The collaboration not only addresses immediate technical challenges but also aligns with the broader goals of the Cosmos ecosystem, which emphasizes interoperability through the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol. Looking ahead, the partnership between Pocket and Kleomedes represents a strategic move towards decentralization and scalability within the Cosmos ecosystem. While challenges remain, such as governance complexities and the need for developer adoption, the trend towards decentralized infrastructure suggests a promising future. This collaboration is not merely a technical enhancement; it embodies a strategic alignment with the evolving landscape of Web3. For investors, the Pocket-Kleomedes partnership is a compelling opportunity, as it strengthens the Cosmos ecosystem’s defensibility and positions it favorably in the transition to decentralized, interoperable systems.

The second season of Crypto’s Got Talent, organized by IoTeX, focuses on decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) that are revolutionizing real-world applications of blockchain and IoT. This season highlights startups that are innovating infrastructure through these technologies. The first season garnered nearly two hundred thousand impressions and successfully financed five initiatives in energy, drone delivery, and mapping. IoTeX aims to accelerate the global adoption of DePIN by tapping into untapped talent, serving as a bridge between advanced blockchain technology and intelligent real-world devices. DePIN, which stands for decentralized physical infrastructure networks, decentralizes tangible resources like WiFi hotspots, energy grids, and sensors. These assets are contributed by individuals worldwide, who are rewarded with tokens and shares in ownership. IoTeX provides the necessary infrastructure for this ecosystem, supporting over 50 DePIN projects on its blockchain. This platform ensures secure and efficient processing of real-world data from connected devices, making DePIN networks transparent, trustless, and scalable. Notable examples include Envirobloq, which monitors environmental data, and Drop Wireless, which enhances broadband connectivity using IoTeX. The introduction of IoTeX 2.0 marks a significant advancement in the DePIN ecosystem with its modular platform design. It enhances core functionalities such as identity management and off-chain computing, while W3bstream serves as a crucial tool that links IoT devices with smart contracts through zero-knowledge proofs. This integration not only lowers entry barriers but also fosters innovation, targeting mass adoption and simplifying interactions with physical devices. Furthermore, IoTeX envisions the fusion of AI with DePIN, enabling intelligent networks that enhance the autonomy and responsiveness of applications in healthcare, energy, and robotics, ultimately transforming the operational landscape of AI in the physical realm.

In Q2 2025, Filecoin experienced a notable increase in network utilization, which rose to 32% despite a 13% decline in total storage capacity. This reduction was attributed to provider churn and the expiration of existing allocations. The demand for large-scale storage remained robust, with the number of onboarded datasets growing by 3% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) to 2,416, and 864 of these datasets exceeding 1,000 TiB in size. Additionally, daily new storage deals surged by 25% QoQ, reaching 3.5 PiB per day. The launch of Proof of Data Possession (PoDP) in May 2025 introduced lightweight verification of stored data, enhancing the network's capabilities and supporting high-speed data availability through a new hot-storage tier. The introduction of Avalanche’s cross-chain data bridge in Q2 2025 further expanded Filecoin's ecosystem, allowing data availability on Avalanche chains and broadening cross-chain use cases. Filecoin's marketplace for data services, built on the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), operates on a market-driven model where users negotiate storage deals with providers. The network employs cryptographic proofs like Proof of Replication (PoRep) and Proof of Spacetime (PoSt) to ensure reliable data storage, rewarding providers with FIL tokens for their participation. However, the total data stored through active storage deals fell to 1,100 PiB, down 11% QoQ, reflecting a strategic shift towards high-value, enterprise-oriented workloads. Despite the decline in overall active storage volumes, the average daily new storage deals increased, indicating a growing interest in Filecoin's offerings. The Network v25 upgrade, deployed in April 2025, improved deal efficiency and prepared the network for Fast Finality (F3), which significantly reduced transaction finality times. Furthermore, the market cap of FIL decreased by 13.1% to $1.6 billion, driven by a 17% drop in token price. Nevertheless, the ecosystem showed resilience with the growth of USDFC, a FIL-backed stablecoin, which reached a market cap of $301,000, indicating deeper integration within the DeFi landscape. Overall, Q2 2025 highlighted Filecoin's ongoing expansion and adaptation in a competitive market.

The convergence of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) and artificial intelligence (AI) is witnessing a significant transformation, particularly through strategic partnerships like that of IoTeX and 0G Network. As the need for verifiable real-world data and scalable infrastructure intensifies, these collaborations are foundational in ushering in a new era of Web3 innovation. The partnership exemplifies a forward-thinking approach, co-hosting "Crypto’s Got Talent Season 2" to identify and fund 25 DePIN startups, with six winners receiving milestone-based grants and ongoing support. This initiative builds on the success of Season 1, which funded projects in energy, mapping, and environmental data, showcasing a clear trajectory toward scaling real-world applications. IoTeX’s Quicksilver framework, which processed 1,700 daily requests in July 2025—a 70% increase from the previous month—demonstrates its expanding AI capabilities. This framework facilitates real-time AI applications by connecting DePIN devices with machine learning models, enabling autonomous decision-making in sectors like mobility and energy. Additionally, the Unify Protocol enhances the discovery and validation of physical-world data, crucial for AI systems that rely on trustless, real-time inputs. User-facing innovations such as ioPay’s binoAI democratize access to DePIN insights, allowing users to query on-chain data directly within their wallets, while multi-agent collaborations signify a shift toward autonomous AI networks. IoTeX’s strategic alliances with HashKey Exchange and Animoca Brands further solidify its position as a bridge between DePIN and institutional-grade infrastructure. The AI Ecosystem Center in Hong Kong, launched with HashKey, promotes regulated digital asset development and the tokenization of real-world assets, including EV charging station management via IoTeX’s blockchain. Furthermore, cross-chain expansions into Solana, Ethereum, and Base enable interoperable DePIN networks, aligning with broader industry trends. IoTeX’s recent funding round and increasing daily request volume for Quicksilver reflect strong investor confidence, making this partnership not just a collaboration but a blueprint for the future of DePIN and AI, addressing scalability, trust, and real-world applicability challenges.