How Helium demonstrates crypto’s utility

Key Points

1. Helium, founded in 2012, pivoted from IoT to mobile services, with its network usage growing significantly, as shown by the increase in Data Credit (DC) burn from $189,000 in March 2025 to $361,000 in June 2025.

2. Major carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile use Helium's network to improve coverage in areas where traditional cell towers struggle, paying via the HNT token on the Solana blockchain.

3. Helium Mobile is acquiring customers at a low cost of $10-$15 per customer, compared to over $100 for traditional competitors, due to its free mobile service offering.

4. Frank Mong of Nova Labs envisions Helium expanding beyond internet access, with aspirations to dominate the telco industry and explore other applications, leveraging crypto's potential for new economic activity.

5. Helium's success is cited as proof of crypto's real-world utility, enabling decentralized networks and innovative payment solutions without traditional infrastructure constraints.