There is something truly exciting happening in the Web3 space this year. After seeing DePIN develop throughout 2025, it’s now clear that this is not just a temporary trend — it’s genuinely changing the way we think about infrastructure.

Simply put, what is depin? It’s basically networks where people can contribute real-world resources — whether it’s storage space, computing power, or WiFi connectivity — and receive crypto as a reward. Unlike traditional systems controlled by large corporations, DePIN allows anyone to participate without permission. Everything is managed on the blockchain, making it more transparent and fair.

There are two main types I see developing. The first involves fixed hardware — like WiFi hotspots or power grids. The second involves digital services that are location-independent, such as cloud storage or data processing. Both have enormous potential.

Looking at specific projects, Render is one of the most compelling examples. It connects people who need GPU power with those who have excess GPUs. Designers or game developers can complete tasks faster, while GPU owners can earn passive income. Initially running on Ethereum, it switched to Solana in 2023 for better speed and lower costs. Its model uses a burn-and-mint token mechanism, meaning most tokens used are destroyed while new tokens are created for providers.

Filecoin approaches storage differently. Instead of using Dropbox or AWS, it creates a decentralized marketplace where independent miners provide excess storage space. Users pay with FIL tokens, and Protocol Labs (the creators of IPFS) built it with Proof-of-Replication and Proof-of-Spacetime to ensure data is truly stored. Prices are determined by open competition, making it cheaper than traditional solutions.

Helium is a really interesting example of what depin is in practice. It’s a decentralized wireless network for IoT, where people deploy hotspot points like network nodes. They use LoRaWAN, a wireless protocol that consumes little energy but has long-range capabilities. Participants earn HNT, Helium’s native token. The network uses a unique consensus system called Proof-of-Coverage. Helium has also expanded into mobile with Helium Mobile and switched to Solana for better scalability.

IOTA is another notable project, but it operates differently. Instead of traditional blockchain, it uses Tangle — a directed acyclic graph. This means transactions are fee-less, scalable, and validated by the users themselves. To send a transaction, you must verify two other transactions first, making the network faster as more people participate. IOTA is also very energy-efficient — millions of transactions can use the same energy as a single Bitcoin transaction.

BitTorrent is an interesting case — it’s one of the earliest decentralized technologies. In 2018, Tron Fund acquired it and introduced the BTT token. Now, it offers decentralized applications like BitTorrent Speed and the BitTorrent File System (BTFS) for decentralized content storage.

Looking back, these projects demonstrate that blockchain is not just about digital tokens. It can build real-world systems that work better, faster, and more fairly. As more people understand what depin is and why it matters, we’ll see many new opportunities for creators, developers, and everyday users. That’s why DePIN is becoming one of the most promising frontiers in Web3 — it truly connects the digital and physical worlds.