Solana DePIN Report: The Rise and Future of Decentralization Infrastructure Networks

Among the many innovations in the blockchain industry, the decentralized physical infrastructure network ( DePIN ) is rapidly emerging as a bridge for on-chain real-world assets. Whether it's shared GPUs, telecom networks, or street map collection, DePIN is reshaping the construction and operation of infrastructure through cryptographic incentive mechanisms. Solana is gradually becoming the core platform of this trend, with its high-performance network providing an ideal expansion foundation for DePIN projects.

This article is based on the latest research report, providing an in-depth analysis of the development status, market performance, and on-chain data of multiple core DePIN projects on Solana. The report data is as of April 22, 2025, offering us a clear picture of this emerging ecosystem and revealing its true verifiable growth trajectory.

The Concept of DePIN and the Advantages of Solana

What is DePIN?

Decentralization physical infrastructure network ( DePIN ) is an innovative model that utilizes cryptocurrency incentive mechanisms to launch and operate real-world infrastructure. These projects typically target markets with strong demand but inefficient supply, mobilizing idle resources ( such as idle GPUs, wireless bandwidth, etc. ) Unlike traditional infrastructure models dominated by large enterprises, DePIN allocates ownership to individuals, thereby improving efficiency, enhancing resilience, and expanding accessibility.

Why choose Solana?

Solana has become the ideal platform for transparent scaling of DePIN applications with its high throughput, low transaction fees, and composable infrastructure. Its thriving ecosystem and strong developer community are making it the center of this emerging field.

DePIN Market Overview

As of April 2025, the total market value of global DePIN projects listed on the chain, excluding independent projects L1/chains, has reached $7.1 billion, with the total market value of DePIN projects on Solana being $3.25 billion, leading EVM's $2.84 billion and Cosmos's $1.6525 billion, Cardano's $1.1952 billion, and Sora's $1.1601 billion among other blockchain platforms.

Based on the average market capitalization of each project, Solana leads again with $191.3 million, followed by Cardano ( $197.6 million ), Cosmos ( $193.2 million ), Sora ( $180.1 million ), and EVM ( $406 million ).

( Project Category Distribution

The DePIN project is primarily divided into five major categories:

• Compute ): holds a market share of 71.2%, providing Decentralization processing power, GPU, and computing infrastructure.
• Wireless (Wireless ): holds a market share of 22.2%, providing community-driven wireless and mobile access networks
• Sensor (: Collecting real-world data through distributed sensing devices.
• 服务器)Server(: Provides distributed cloud and storage servers for hosting or accessing data.
• AI: Supports AI data generation, labeling, or robotics technology in a decentralized network

The computing and wireless categories account for 93.4% of the market share and also have the highest average market capitalization.

![Solana DePIN Report: How Can Ordinary People Make Money Easily from "Mining" to "Mapping"?])https://img-cdn.gateio.im/webp-social/moments-5d6b58c62ba1467f93b5edd183be4e84.webp(

) Node Growth and Network Participation

As of April 22, 2025, the total number of registered on-chain nodes for DePIN projects on Solana has reached 238,165. DePIN nodes are physical or digital infrastructure units, such as GPUs, IoT hotspots, or dash cameras, that perform critical network functions such as computation, data collection, or wireless transmission.

In terms of node growth, the Solana DePIN project shows significant changes. Hivemapper initially led, but Helium quickly surpassed it after the launch of Helium Mobile, now accounting for over 60% of the new node share. Although Render contributes fewer new nodes, it leads in revenue per node. Nosana gained traction in early 2025, while Uprock leveled off after rapid growth at the end of 2024.

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) On-chain network income

As of April 22, 2025, the total on-chain revenue of DePIN projects on Solana reached $5.98 million.

The income of the DePIN project on Solana has been steadily growing, increasing from about $4,000 per week in April 2023 to over $100,000 per week by early 2025, peaking at $130,000 in mid-April. Helium is the highest weekly earner, reaching $60,000 with a 60% share, while Render leads in total revenue with $2.65 million, compared to Helium's $2.3 million. Render also maintains the record for the highest single-week income of $300,000 set at the end of 2024.

Main Project Analysis

( 1. Helium: Leader of the Decentralization Wireless Network

Helium is a decentralized wireless network that enables individuals to deploy hotspots and provide low-cost, secure connectivity for IoT and mobile devices. Users earn HNT token rewards by extending coverage and routing data.

Key Data:

• Total subscribed users: 176,301
• Total number of nodes: 69,449
• Total on-chain revenue: 2.29 million USD

The growth of Helium's subscription users is influenced by a clear product-driven inflection point. In January 2024, within a week of the official launch of Helium Mobile, the number of new subscription users reached 10,300, facilitating the deployment of more hotspots and network expansion. Subsequently, the Zero Plan), the first free 5G mobile plan in the United States, launched in February 2025, triggered a second wave of growth, quickly filling the waiting list. After the free plan was opened to everyone in April, the number of users peaked again at 10,000.

2. Hivemapper: Decentralization map network

Hivemapper is a decentralized, community-driven mapping network where users collect street-level images through dashcams to earn HONEY tokens.

Key Data:

• Total nodes: 77,483
• Weekly Rewards: Over $60,000 HONEY

As of April 2025, the network has 77,483 nodes, most of which are active in AI training and bounty activities, yet less than 10% of the nodes receive rewards due to map coverage. Although Hivemapper's weekly rewards have decreased from the peak of 1.4 million USD in December 2023, the network still distributes over 60,000 HONEY tokens each week.

![Solana DePIN Report: How can ordinary people make money effortlessly from "mining" to "mapping"?]###https://img-cdn.gateio.im/webp-social/moments-be6daa522ed8f7401aa0067bfc07c0e0.webp(

) 3. Render: Decentralization GPU rendering network

The Render Network is a high-performance distributed GPU rendering network that facilitates a computing marketplace between GPU providers and requesters using industry-leading software from OTOY Inc.

Key Data:

• Active on-chain nodes: 3,784
• Burned RENDER tokens: over 121 million
• Tokens distributed to node operators: over 2.4 million

As of April 2025, Render Network has 3,784 active on-chain nodes, providing decentralized computing power for the growing ecosystem of creative and AI applications. To date, users have burned over 121 million RENDER tokens to access GPU capabilities, while over 2.4 million tokens have been minted as rewards for node operators, demonstrating healthy demand and active participation in the ecosystem.

4. Nosana: Decentralization AI Computing Network

Nosana is a Decentralization computing network where users can run AI inference tasks through a global GPU host grid.

Key Data:

• Number of global nodes: over 4,200
• Daily Active Nodes: Increase from an average of 300 in 2024 to over 600 in 2025.

In January 2025, Nosana officially launched its decentralized GPU marketplace to the public. This release, after a year of closed testing, triggered a significant increase in node activity: daily active nodes rose from an average of 300 in 2024 to over 600, peaking over 800 in March 2025.

( 5. UpRock: Mobile-first data intelligence network

UpRock is a decentralized data intelligence network driven by a mobile-first DePIN model. Users can share unused internet bandwidth and computing power through the UpRock app, transforming everyday devices into passive data contributors, thereby earning $UPT tokens.

UpRock monetizes through SaaS subscriptions and pay-per-use APIs, with a portion of the revenue used for on-chain $UPT token buybacks, providing funding for contributor rewards and strengthening the ecosystem. After reaching a peak of over $3,000 in weekly on-chain network revenue in February 2025, the revenue has remained stable at $1,500 per week.

![Solana DePIN Report: How Can Ordinary People Make Money Lying Down from "Mining" to "Maps"?])https://img-cdn.gateio.im/webp-social/moments-52910e4561d7675862108f6432193b06.webp###

Conclusion and Key Insights

• Solana's leadership position in the DePIN space: If the protocol chooses not to launch its own independent L1/blockchain, Solana has become the leading chain for DePIN, with a total market capitalization of DePIN projects reaching $3.25 billion, and an average market capitalization of $191.3 million per project.
• On-chain activities prove the real value of DePIN: DePIN is not just a narrative. Projects like Helium, Render, and Hivemapper have generated nearly $6 million in on-chain network revenue, which is a strong signal of real product-market fit.
• Computing and Wireless