DePIN in Practice: Major Trends, Case Studies, and Prospects

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) are steadily evolving from an experimental concept into a full-fledged business model. In practice, it creates new participation formats in projects, fresh monetization opportunities, and prospects for both collaboration and competition with traditional market players. In this article, we examine projects that are already gaining traction, the key trends driving their growth, and the opportunities opening up for the sector.

Major Trends Shaping DePIN Solutions

DePIN projects make it possible to launch and scale real-world infrastructure through decentralized communities. Independent participants connect and maintain physical nodes, while network operations and reward distribution are fully managed by smart contracts. The result is a new business model for infrastructure providers that blends traditional solutions with Web3 technologies.

The major trends shaping DePIN today include:

1. Rising demand for decentralized computing power, especially from AI platforms and rendering services.
2. A shift toward crowdsourced data collection across a range of fields, from mapping to telematics. 
3. The adoption of stablecoin micropayments is gradually becoming a standard for DePIN networks, paving the way for full-scale commercialization and integration into global payment processes. 

Overall, DePIN projects are entering a phase of institutionalization. Regulators are establishing quality standards, while large enterprises are investing in research and integrating specific solutions, laying the foundation for broader adoption. 

Real-World Use Cases for DePIN Solutions

The potential of DePIN solutions spans a wide range of industries, including:

1. Wireless networks and telecommunications. Community-driven global networks for mobile connectivity are emerging, where participants are rewarded for providing coverage.
2. Cloud storage and computing. A decentralized marketplace is being developed, allowing participants to rent out unused disk space and computing power.
3. Artificial intelligence (AI). DePIN solutions democratize access to costly computing resources for AI developers.
4. Data collection and analysis. Decentralized recording through sensors and cameras makes it possible to build global maps and information networks.
5. Energy and utilities. Decentralized infrastructure enables the creation of local energy grids. For example, solar panel owners can sell excess power directly to their neighbors.
6. Media and content delivery. Users can share bandwidth to support more efficient and affordable streaming.
7. Environmental projects. Global decentralized networks are used to gather verifiable environmental data.
8. Healthcare. Blockchain and cryptography enable secure management of medical records and foster the growth of telemedicine.
9. Internet of Things (IoT). Decentralized IoT-based infrastructure is being applied to smart city management, from traffic light control to monitoring urban processes.
10. Logistics. DePIN solutions ensure transparent cargo tracking through blockchain and IoT sensors. 

Of course, these examples don’t cover the full range of potential applications for decentralized infrastructure. To illustrate specific use cases more clearly, we can look at several individual projects. 

Helium Mobile: Building a Community-Powered Cellular Network 

Helium Mobile is a mobile DePIN operator aiming to radically cut the cost of cellular service. Founded in 2013 with an initial focus on IoT, the project pivoted to mobile communications in 2022 through a partnership with T-Mobile. Technically, the solution functions as an enhanced mobile virtual network operator (MVNO).

A major milestone came in 2023, when Helium migrated to the Solana blockchain. The move improved scalability and lowered transaction costs. By December same year, Helium Mobile launched a nationwide unlimited plan in the United States for just $20 a month. This pricing was made possible by savings from not having to build out its own full-scale infrastructure.

Participants in the network can install dedicated hotspots at home or in public spaces. When a Helium Mobile subscriber’s device enters the range of a hotspot, it automatically connects, offloading traffic from T-Mobile’s infrastructure. When outside Helium coverage, the device seamlessly switches back to T-Mobile towers, ensuring stable connectivity nationwide.

Helium Mobile’s tokenomics is based on two digital assets: MOBILE and HNT. Hotspot owners earn MOBILE tokens for providing network coverage. Subscribers can also collect MOBILE by sharing anonymized quality data through the Discovery Mapping program. MOBILE tokens can be exchanged for HNT, which can then be used both to pay for mobile services or as governance tokens within the Helium ecosystem.

By July 2024, the network included more than 14,000 deployed hotspots across the United States, and Helium Mobile had registered over 100,000 users.

Filecoin: Creating a Global Market for Decentralized Storage

The concept of Filecoin was introduced in 2014, and three years later, the project conducted one of the most successful initial coin offerings (ICOs) in history, raising $257 million. Filecoin’s mainnet went live in the fall of 2020.

At its core, Filecoin is built around the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), a decentralized file system that enables peer-to-peer data exchange. The native FIL token is used as a storage incentive, with data integrity cryptographically verified through the Proof-of-Replication and Proof-of-Spacetime algorithms. According to Starboard, the network counted more than 5,400 active monthly participants by September 2025.

Filecoin’s model is designed to deliver long-term, reliable, and verifiable data storage. Its partners include the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), Lockheed Martin, and the Internet Archive. Major institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Utah also rely on Filecoin’s infrastructure to store genomic and geospatial data, ensuring both security and accessibility for researchers worldwide.

Storj: Redefining Cloud Storage Through Decentralization

Storj positions itself as a decentralized alternative to Amazon S3. The project was launched in 2014 and raised about $30 million during its 2017 ICO. A key milestone came in 2019 with the release of the network’s third version, which delivered the performance, security, and most importantly, S3 compatibility needed to compete at scale. Since then, Storj has focused on attracting enterprise clients and developers, presenting itself as a more private, faster, and cost-efficient substitute for centralized cloud storage providers.

The project works as follows:

1. Before upload, the file is encrypted on the client side, meaning only the client holds the key.
2. After encryption, the file is split into many small fragments that are distributed across a global network of independent nodes run by regular users.
3. To restore the file, only part of these fragments is required, which ensures high availability and fault tolerance.

Node operators are rewarded in STORJ tokens for providing storage space and bandwidth. According to StorjDashboard, the network was supported by about 29,500 nodes as of September 2025.

The platform’s core advantages include enhanced privacy through client-side encryption and strong performance enabled by parallel file transfers from the nearest nodes. Storj also offers lower pricing compared to centralized competitors. These features make it a popular choice for storing databases, streaming video, backups, and other data. In 2024, the project confirmed full compatibility with Veeam Backup & Replication, one of the world’s leading backup solutions.  

WeatherXM: Decentralizing Global Weather Data 

WeatherXM has built a decentralized, community-owned weather network that collects hyperlocal, real-time meteorological data. The project addresses the shortage of accurate weather information, as traditional stations are usually too far apart to capture microclimate variations.

Founded in Greece in 2021, WeatherXM had deployed more than 5,000 stations across 80 countries by May 2024. As of September 2025, the network included 9,600 weather stations, over 7,500 of which were active. One of the project’s goals is to become the world’s largest weather station network by the end of 2025, with a particular focus on scaling across the Global South, where accurate weather data is especially scarce.

From a technical perspective, the project works as follows:

1. Participants purchase and install specialized WeatherXM stations at home or on their property.
2. The stations automatically collect data on temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, precipitation, and other parameters.
3. The data is transmitted to the network, and station owners are rewarded with the project’s native token, WXM.

The dataset is used to generate highly accurate forecasts with significant value for agriculture, insurance, and renewable energy, as well as serving as blockchain oracles for Web3 applications. The technical infrastructure spans two blockchain networks: Polygon for device identification, and Arbitrum for issuing the WXM token and distributing rewards. 

DIMO: Powering a Community-Driven Automotive Data Economy  

DIMO (Digital Infrastructure for Moving Objects) is a decentralized network that enables the secure collection, use, and monetization of automotive data. Small dedicated devices are connected to a car’s diagnostic port to capture information, including: 

• Core Vehicle Vitals
• Driving Dynamics
• Location Data
• EV-Specific Data
• Health & Maintenance Data 

The goal is to build an open marketplace for developers of driver-focused applications in areas such as insurance, maintenance, vehicle valuation, and more. Users are rewarded with the project’s native DIMO tokens for consistently sharing their data. They can also grant third-party applications direct access in exchange for better service terms or financial incentives.

Founded in 2021, the project secured $20 million from major venture capital firms at launch. In 2022, DIMO deployed its core infrastructure on the Polygon blockchain. By September 2025, more than 184,000 vehicles were connected to the network, nearly one-fifth of them Tesla models.

The Outlook for DePIN in the Near Future

It’s important to note that the DePIN projects highlighted here represent only a fraction of all active initiatives in the field. As of early September 2025, estimates range from 190 to 430 projects, though some on-chain data providers suggest the number may be higher. According to a report by investment firm MV Global, the total count of DePIN projects has already surpassed 1,500, with the sector’s market capitalization reaching $50 billion.

Analysts point to artificial intelligence and real-world assets (RWA) as the two primary drivers of growth for decentralized infrastructure. Rising demand for computing power from AI platforms will make decentralized GPU networks a vital layer of infrastructure, while tokenizing data captured by physical devices will position DePIN solutions as a leading source of verifiable information for AI models and on-chain protocols.

The key challenge — and at the same time, the main growth opportunity — for DePIN is the need to hide the technological complexity of Web3 solutions. The projects most likely to succeed will be those that deliver a clear, tangible benefit such as affordable mobile connectivity, precise local weather forecasts, or personalized insurance products. Blockchain mechanics and tokenomics must function under the hood, invisible to the user unless they choose to engage directly with the project.