Flavor Of The Year
There’s no doubt that DePIN was one of the hottest narratives in 2024. Nothing attracts a crowd in Crypto, such as passive income or, even better, free passive income. That’s the fantastic world of DePIN. Many are familiar with DePIN weather miners and other physical DePIN mining devices. However, there are free and exciting ways to get involved with DePIN.
Any laptop, PC, or mobile device can become a node in multiple physical infrastructure networks. This is a topic I have addressed in numerous publications. Interested in DePIN? Check out some of my more recent publications:
- My Top 5 DePIN Projects For 2025
- Top DePIN Mobile Applications
- KAGE – Top DePIN Mining Game Powered By Sui!
The first round of the Grass airdrop was incredibly viable for many early users. We are currently in Stage 2, which promises to be another hot airdrop later this year. Nodepay, Silencio, and Kage have also unleashed their first airdrop allocations.
The Kage DePIN application has a Play2Earn feel and is one of the first notable DePIN projects to launch outside of Solana and Peaq. It is built on the Sui blockchain and is an introductory project for further releases.
I want to focus on projects that have yet to airdrop users with free tokens. Essentially, these are the most beneficial. It’s not a rule. However, early users and node operators are usually the most handsomely rewarded. I already published my top 5 DePIN applications for 2025. However, these more recent projects hold promise, and early participation is likely a lucrative move.
Teneo
The first is Teneo, a DePIN built on Peaq, a dedicated DePIN Layer1. The Peaq ecosystem is growing fast, and participation within this ecosystem is one of the best ways to gain exposure to top-tier DePIN projects. Teneo is primarily focused on extracting social media data. This previously inaccessible data makes it significantly more valuable than other data from alternative DePINs.
The Teneo dashboard recently went live, enabling node operators to track their activity and earnings. The Peaq Get Real promo is another way to increase your Teneo-associated rewards. Join the campaign and share in a monster reward pool of $100 million!
DeSpeed
Next up is DeSpeed, another DePIN aimed at the bandwidth market. Downloading a browser extension gets you in the game and enables node operators (users) to mine points for future token allocations via various airdrops. As mentioned, we want to find DePIN projects that are yet to distribute the first round of airdrops.
DeSpeed is one of the DePINs that offers a daily bonus, similar to Kaisar Network and Nodepay. Additional bonuses are related to uptime and consecutive daily activity. DeSpeed is a reasonably new DePIN but is headed in the right direction.
OpenLoop
OpenLoop is a Solana-based project that recently entered the scene. Interestingly, this project has already secured $15 million in funding. Furthermore, it has also secured a lengthy list of partnerships, including DeepLink and REI Network. Partnerships carry weight in the WEB3 realm as they provide authenticity and relevance.
Partnerships are beneficial, which by default suggests that the project or projects in question have some value. OpenLoop is a Solana-based DePIN you want to be mining in 2025, as it could result in a significant airdrop.
DATS
DATS is another Peaq-based DePIN project and part of the Get Real campaign. This means you can earn rewards for participating in the campaign while simultaneously running your DATS node—a double whammy! Use the code
I/JTAxNaSMSECNe5W0dVcepzXKeVeANgNVJbicIxZPIrzj4hmxUVqmZQm3MX648t
Remember, there’s $100 million in rewards up for grabs! You want to ensure you gain as many points in this campaign as possible. This is another reason Peaq is such an attractive option when DePIN hunting. Thanks to Get Real, reward structures are essentially doubled. I am very bullish on Peaq, including its ecosystem.
DeNet
As I mentioned before, DeNet is by no means new. However, this will be one of the largest airdrops this year. The reservation of Data Keeper Nodes recently went live, and the incentivization structure looks fantastic! Watcher Nodes can be downloaded as a mobile application for those looking for a free DePIN miner.
Watcher Nodes are free to download and use, and users can accumulate WN tokens for the upcoming airdrop. WN tokens can also be used to upgrade your Watcher Node. The higher the stage, the higher the earnings. Furthermore, DeNet is also part of the Get Real campaign.
Final Thoughts
DePIN is purely a numbers game. The more nodes you run, the more profitable your participation. This can be accomplished by running multiple nodes on multiple DePINs. In other words, the more DePINs you utilize, the higher your rewards. DePIN is starting to catch on. I have been addressing DePIN projects for some time. However, I have recently noticed a spike in engagement regarding DePIN-related articles.
I firmly advocate for DePIN, especially as its inherent structuring and dynamics offer better results and less manipulation than the SoFi space. Data is a modern currency, and DePIN is busy rebuilding data-based models with a decentralized edge. I hope this list helps. All the best, and have a great weekend. I will see you at the next one! Keep stacking!
Disclaimer
First of all, I am not a financial advisor. All information provided on this website is strictly my own opinion and not financial advice. I do make use of affiliate links. Purchasing or interacting with any third-party company could result in me receiving a commission. In some instances, utilizing an affiliate link can also result in a bonus or discount.
This article was first published on Sapphire Crypto.