Wireless and Connectivity

Wireless DePIN targets one of the hardest infrastructure markets: cellular and IoT connectivity. Incumbent carriers spend billions on spectrum licenses and tower builds. DePIN projects like Helium pioneered a different path — individuals deploy small radios and earn tokens for proving coverage in their area.

Helium's migration to Solana and its Mobile and IoT subnetworks reflect maturation: early hotspot mining gave way to emphasis on usable data credits and carrier offload deals. Other projects explore WiFi mesh, decentralized 5G, and community networks in underserved regions.

Key questions for any wireless DePIN: Who buys the data? Is backhaul included or assumed? How does proof-of-coverage resist gaming with collocated fake nodes? Spectrum compliance remains non-negotiable — tokens do not replace telecom law.