Is it worth to join DePIN in 2025? The DePIN highlights of 2024

2024 was the year DePIN hit its momentum, with the market cap skyrocketing 132% year-over-year to over $40B. Projects launched, tokens mooned, and communities leveled up big time. Some networks started generating real revenue, while others made waves with game-changing partnerships.

Early-stage funding hit an all-time high of $350M. @helium_mobile crushed it with 120K+ subscribers in year one, Glow rolled out 70 solar farms globally, and @GEODNET_ partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to revolutionize precision farming. Plus, big collabs like @DIMO_Network integrating with Tesla and @XNET_Mobile teaming up with telecom giants showed the world DePIN’s massive potential.

In 2024, casual users could earn passively around $5.5K annually through DePIN participation, while dedicated users running multiple projects could generate up to $91.8K per year.

By harnessing blockchain’s power and distributed infrastructure, DePIN is already shaking up various industries.

2024 was just the beginning. DePIN is ready to break out.

@MessariCrypto analysts project 2025 to be a breakout year for DePIN, with sector revenue expected to surpass $150 million, a clear signal of the industry’s growing validation. Glow’s $25M in revenue, alongside @helium and @ionet each exceeding $12M, highlights the accelerating demand for decentralized infrastructure. Other networks like Filecoin and Render also crossed the $1M ARR milestone, showcasing the real-world value of DePIN solutions.

In parallel, DePIN’s potential for government partnerships is gaining traction. Building on collaborations like the USDA’s precision farming initiative with @GEODNET_, analysts foresee a major government partnership or initiative emerging in 2025. With the new U.S. AI and Crypto Czar, @DavidSacks, already invested in DePIN projects like @helium and @rendernetwork, there’s a growing likelihood of DePIN playing a key role in energy, AI, and infrastructure policy.

While analysts focus on project revenues, what about the community members themselves? We did a little research on how much regular users could earn from popular DePIN projects last year.

2024 was a remarkable year for the DePIN community, with participants seeing strong results across different projects. Let’s examine the earnings from some popular DePIN players:

@getgrass_io lets you monetize your Internet by using it for the data crawling, a process needed in AI education. Casual users, who joined before TGE, running the extension could make between $4 and $15 a month, totaling $250 to $1000+ over eight months. Top users who mastered referrals earned up to $500 a month, racking up over $4,000 shortly after the token launch.

Getting started was simple. If you had a smartphone or computer with internet access, you were ready to go. Grass even rewarded early adopters with an airdrop of 100+ GRASS tokens.

@Hivemapper turns mapping into a money-making venture. Average users earned $0.10 to $1 for every kilometer mapped, while dedicated mappers in high-demand areas could make as much as $1,000 a month.

Participation required a dash cam. Basic models ranged from $50 to $200, but professional setups for serious mappers could cost over $1,000.

@GEODNET_ offered strong earnings before its halving. Running a single GNSS base station brought in $50 to $150 a month for average users, and top users in prime locations earned over $1,200 monthly.

After the halving, earnings decreased. A single station now makes around $75 a month, but strategic setups with multiple stations still bring in up to $600. Starting costs were reasonable, with the GEODNET Hyfix miner priced at $696, or $626 with discounts.

@helium has been a standout in the DePIN ecosystem. Average users with a hotspot in a solid urban location earned between $50 and $150 a month. Top participants with multiple hotspots in ideal locations saw earnings exceed $600 a month.

Hotspot devices start at $400, with premium options for 5G or IoT networks reaching $1,000 or more. While HNT rewards have declined (some users now earn less than $1 per day), optimizing placement or using Helium Mobile and IoT services could still boost earnings.

While Helium currently operates only in the US, this means they have many markets yet to conquer. I hope that one day I’ll be able to switch to Helium from the outdated mobile providers we have in country, where I live.

@WeatherXM turns weather data into steady income. Operating a single weather station earned users between $10 and $50 a month. Those who scaled up with multiple stations in optimal areas could see earnings soar to $1,950 monthly. However, it’s not just an extension setup, you should own a real device WeatherXM station.

They cost between $400 and $900, depending on the model, making it an accessible choice for turning weather data into cash.

If you’re just chilling, setting up these devices, and letting them run in the background, here’s what you can expect:

1. By simply setting up and maintaining the basics, you could potentially earn around $5,580 per year. That’s not bad for a few devices running in your background, huh?
2. But if you’re a top DePINoor, putting in the effort with strategic placements, optimized setups, and building referrals, you could scale that up to around $91,800 annually. Yeah, you read that right — $91,800. Effort = $$$.

So, whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, there’s a solid opportunity here. Set everything up, let it run, and watch those rewards roll in. Or take it up a notch and turn your DePIN game into a full-on revenue machine. Either way, it’s a win.

This past year was a warm-up. 2025 is set to be even bigger, with more top-tier teams building, more funding flowing in, and way more users getting onboarded. Here’s a quick shoutout to some of the most exciting projects shaking up the DePIN ecosystem.

Yep, that’s us! If you’re not familiar with Ping yet, let’s fix that:

Ping is on a mission to decentralize bandwidth market. We’re creating an infrastructure that lets anyone monetize unused Internet connection while providing businesses scalable, affordable networking solutions.

We recently closed a community-led pre-seed round with investors like @CogitentV and 282 angels from across the industry, led by @nativecryptox on @echodotxyz.

What’s next?

Ping VPN is dropping soon to showcase the power of our network with the testnet launch shortly after.

There’s been plenty of fun lately in the Ping community with the DePIN szn campaign and the Bandwidth OG role claim. However we’re just starting.

Want to stay ahead too? Join the waitlist, follow us on X, and hop into our Discord so you don’t miss when Ping VPN goes live.

@CudisWellness is redefining personal wellness with its AI-powered smart ring, creating a decentralized ecosystem where users are rewarded for their health journeys. Combining wearable tech innovation with blockchain, Cudis aims to give individuals ownership of their wellness data while promoting healthier lifestyles. NGL, that ring looks swaggy.

They’re backed with 5M seed round with participation from funds like Draper Associates, Draper Dragon and others.

If you’re looking to engage, the activities are super easy. Just check in daily, spin the roulette wheel, chat with their AI, walk or run to earn points, and play a mini game while stacking up rewards in their app.

@daylightenergy_ is revolutionizing renewable energy by decentralizing solar power through a DePIN approach. Users can monetize their solar energy generation, fostering a sustainable and community-driven energy network while reducing reliance on centralized systems. Solar power combined with DePIN? Game-change.

Daylight Energy is backed by industry giants like a16z and Framework Ventures, having secured $9M in Series A funding.

Users can earn Daylight Points through various activities like daily check-ins, connecting devices, bringing in referrals, upgrading their energy setup, and staying active in the app. The more you engage with Daylight and invest in home electrification, the more points you stack up — these can be swapped for goodies in their store. While points can’t be transferred between users, they won’t expire as long as you stay active. Check your points balance anytime in the app’s rewards section.

@375AI_ is decentralizing AI computing by enabling users to contribute their computing power to AI tasks and earn rewards. Focused on building a global edge AI network, the project bridges the gap between blockchain and artificial intelligence to create a seamless, reward-driven ecosystem.

375AI raised $5M in initial funding with participation from hedge funds, corporations, and VCs!

375AI launched their incentivized testnet in late 2024, allowing early users to test the platform and earn rewards. The testnet focuses on validating the network’s core features and gathering user feedback. Users can participate by downloading the mobile app from Google Play, creating an account, and connecting their Phantom wallet to start earning rewards.

@PulseNoLimits empowers users to take control of their health data by decentralizing health information and prioritizing privacy. By combining health tech with blockchain, Pulse is creating a future where individuals own their personal health data and unlock new opportunities for incentives and rewards.

Pulse secured $1.8M in pre-seed funding from top-tier investors like Lemniscap, Collab+Currency, Delphi Ventures, and others. While the exact rewards haven’t been announced yet, early adopters can already preorder the device and download the app to get ahead of the game.

And yeah their X is fire, your dear Ping intern is a huge fan.

While 2024 was a breakout year for DePIN with every metric exploding, 2025 is shaping up to be even bigger.

From decentralized clouds and health data to renewable energy and AI computing, the next wave of DePIN projects is tackling increasingly ambitious challenges. And Ping Network is positioned to be at the forefront of this movement.

2025 will be DePINned.