Solana DePIN Sees Significant Growth Amidst Meme-Coin Decline

In the fourth quarter, Helium's native token, HNT, experienced a significant decline, with its circulating market capitalization dropping from $1.3 billion to $1.0 billion, marking a 20% quarter-over-quarter decrease. The token's price also fell by 22%, decreasing from $7.54 to $5.88. Despite this downturn in the market, the Helium network continued to expand, particularly in the area of hotspot adoption. According to a report from Messari, Helium Mobile's number of hotspots grew by 14% QoQ, reaching 24,800 from 21,800. The service's unlimited plans remain competitively priced compared to traditional telecom providers in the US, and the introduction of the Discovery Mapping feature has incentivized users to share location data, although rewards have recently shifted from HNT to Cloud Points. During the recent Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Helium Mobile showcased its utility by maintaining operational hotspots that provided 5G coverage while many were left without electricity or water. The team also took proactive measures by distributing emergency kits, including Starlink devices, to assist affected communities. In addition to Helium Mobile, the IoT network also saw a 20% increase in hotspots during Q4, with a total of over 375,000 hotspots onboarded since migrating to Solana in early 2023. However, despite rapid infrastructure growth, demand has not yet caught up, as evidenced by low daily data credits (DC) usage. Helium has faced controversies in the past, including allegations that its founders hoarded a significant portion of early token rewards, with insiders reportedly mining millions of HNT tokens worth $250 million at their peak. Additionally, Helium faced criticism for overstating partnerships, such as with Lime, the rideshare company, which clarified that their relationship was limited to a 2019 test. Similar issues arose with Salesforce, which denied any partnership, leading Helium to remove their logos from promotional materials. These controversies have raised questions about the company's transparency and the sustainability of its growth strategies.

Spring has arrived, bringing a wave of innovation to the DIMO Developer ecosystem. With over 250 developer licenses minted, the platform is witnessing a surge in app launches and builder updates. Recent enhancements to the Data SDKs, including new functions for retrieving vehicle data and streamlined token exchanges, aim to simplify the development process. The naming conventions have also been updated for clarity, making it easier for developers to access privileged vehicle data without excessive boilerplate code. In an exciting development, DIMO has officially begun support for Tesla Streaming as of March 1st. This feature allows developers to access real-time data from Tesla vehicles down to the second, a significant improvement from the previous five-minute interval data. However, it's important for developers to note that this feature is only available to Tesla drivers who have reconnected their vehicles with the DIMO mobile app and added a Virtual Key. This update opens new avenues for applications that require immediate and detailed data from Tesla vehicles. Additionally, the DIMO Developer Console is set to undergo significant changes, including the consolidation of multiple apps under individual developer licenses. This update will streamline the user experience, allowing developers to manage their applications more efficiently. Furthermore, a redesign of the Developer Console is on the horizon, featuring an improved onboarding experience, a cleaner purchase process, and new integration options. These enhancements are designed to foster a more supportive environment for builders, ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed in their projects. Developers are encouraged to engage with the community and explore funding opportunities through the DIMO Ignite Grants Program as they embark on their building journeys.

In 2025, the DePIN track is emerging as a vital link between Web3 and real-world applications. According to the "DePIN Annual Report" by Messari, over 13 million DePIN devices are currently operational globally, contributing to infrastructure networks. Despite being in its infancy and representing less than 0.1% of the trillion-dollar terminal market, DePIN has attracted more than $350 million in early funding. As the on-chain battle intensifies in 2024, Solana is leading the charge in network infrastructure, while ROAM has gained significant traction with nearly 3 million WiFi nodes and 2.5 million users, showcasing its rapid growth and community engagement. Roam's impressive expansion is attributed to its integration of OpenRoaming technology and blockchain DID/VC technology, alongside a business model that combines free eSIM services with token incentives. This approach not only broadens its wireless network reach but also facilitates user entry into the Web3 ecosystem, offering continuous income opportunities. The recent launch of the ROAM token on 12 exchanges, including Bybit and Bitget, saw a remarkable trading volume of $120 million on its first day, establishing it as a leader in decentralized wireless networks. Roam's unique dual deflationary economic model further enhances its revenue potential, shifting focus from supply-side growth to demand-side exploration. Looking ahead, Roam is poised to solidify its position in the DePIN track through innovative applications and robust token economics. The upcoming use cases for ROAM tokens in gaming centers and credit card transactions will enhance user engagement and token consumption. With a total supply of 1 billion tokens and a strategic dual deflationary mechanism, Roam aims to create scarcity and drive long-term value. As it continues to expand its global open wireless network, Roam exemplifies the potential of decentralized technologies in shaping the future of connectivity and AI development, warranting close attention from the blockchain community.

The landscape of Confidential AI is undergoing a significant transformation, primarily driven by the introduction of Intel® Trust Domain Extensions (Intel® TDX). For years, developers faced challenges when trying to secure AI workloads using Intel SGX, which often required extensive modifications to applications and led to compatibility issues. This cumbersome process not only wasted time but also hindered the real-world adoption of Confidential AI solutions. However, with Intel TDX, developers can now run AI workloads in secure virtual machines without needing to rewrite their code, thereby streamlining the development process and enhancing performance. Intel TDX is designed to create a hardware-isolated trusted execution environment (TEE) that enhances data confidentiality and integrity in virtualized environments. Built into Intel’s 4th Generation Xeon® Scalable processors, TDX introduces Trust Domains that isolate virtual machines from the hypervisor and even cloud service providers. This isolation is crucial for AI applications that handle sensitive datasets and proprietary models, as it significantly reduces the attack surface while maintaining high performance. Additionally, TDX is optimized for AI workloads, leveraging advanced CPU capabilities to accelerate deep learning and machine learning models, making it a robust choice for developers. The collaboration between Intel TDX and iExec is paving the way for a new era of Confidential AI. As a Gold Member of the Intel Partner Alliance, iExec is at the forefront of this movement, providing solutions that enable secure, decentralized, and scalable execution of AI workloads. This partnership not only enhances the security of AI computations but also ensures compliance with data protection regulations. With practical applications in sectors like healthcare and finance, iExec empowers developers to build privacy-preserving AI applications that prioritize data ownership and secure computing, ultimately leading to a more trustworthy AI ecosystem.

GLIF, the largest DeFi protocol on Filecoin, has officially launched its governance token, GLF, and is distributing 94 million tokens through an airdrop. This distribution represents 9.4% of the total GLF supply, rewarding users who have engaged with the protocol by accumulating GLIF points. Initially, GLIF had planned to allocate 100 million tokens for the airdrop, but adjusted the number based on user participation. The remaining tokens will be returned to the community rewards pool for future distribution. GLF is currently focused on governance, but the team is developing a loyalty program inspired by airline miles, which will eventually offer additional benefits to token holders. As GLIF expands beyond Filecoin, it aims to support additional decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePINs). The protocol allows FIL holders to earn rewards through liquid leasing, enabling them to lend tokens to Filecoin storage providers. These providers use FIL as collateral to offer storage services, and lenders receive rewards in return. Depositors in GLIF receive iFIL, a liquid leasing token that can be traded or utilized in other DeFi protocols while still generating yield. With over $102 million total value locked, GLIF has established itself as a dominant player in Filecoin's DeFi space and is now exploring similar systems for other DePINs. GLIF's expansion strategy involves discussions with various protocol foundations, focusing on user demand, technical feasibility, and economic risks. Many of Filecoin's storage providers are also significant miners across DePIN networks, leading to a trend of optimizing hardware for multi-chain contributions. By integrating with networks already supported by these miners, GLIF anticipates rapid scaling. Additionally, the team is exploring DePIN networks outside of storage, including those in the energy sector, and is open to adjusting their model or introducing new protocols to accommodate these networks. This strategic expansion reflects GLIF's commitment to innovation and adaptability in the evolving DeFi landscape.

Decentralized AI network iAgent has successfully raised $3 million in funding and launched its native token, $AGNT. The project aims to create a new ERC standard and has formed strategic partnerships with notable projects such as Base, LayerZero, Avalanche, Aethir, Arbitrum, and XAI Games. With the Token Generation Event (TGE) now live, iAgent is establishing a foundation for AI Agents to become verifiable digital assets that can be trained, validated, and exchanged transparently. The initiative focuses on enhancing the scalability and accessibility of AI models across various ecosystems, with products like the Visual Learning Model (VLM) designed to learn from real-world gameplay rather than traditional text-based methods. The VLM-powered AI is currently operational in games like Counter Strike 2, Off the Grid, and Citizen Conflict, where players have contributed over 25 TB of gameplay data. iAgent is also developing a new ERC asset standard to bring AI Agents on-chain, ensuring secure and interoperable digital assets that facilitate true ownership and trading. The AI Agent Marketplace is central to the iAgent ecosystem, allowing developers to list AI models for rental or sale, while businesses can purchase or integrate tailored AI solutions. Additionally, the iAgent DEV Hub provides developers with essential tools and a trustless AI validation framework to optimize AI models. As gaming serves as a primary use case for training VLM-based models, iAgent is introducing adaptive AI agents to enhance gaming experiences through AI-powered assistants, Smart NPCs, and predictive AI for in-game economies. The roadmap for iAgent includes the launch of the AI Agent Marketplace in April 2025, followed by the introduction of the ERC standard proposal and the AGNT-Hub. By Q4 2025, the protocol Testnet and main net will be launched, establishing a fully operational iAgent Protocol. The AGNT token will play a crucial role in powering AI training, trading, and governance participation, positioning iAgent at the forefront of the rapidly growing AI, gaming, and DePIN industries.