The internet’s new backbone isn’t Big Tech’s cloud—it’s DePIN | Opinion

Key Points

1. The cloud abstraction has led to a loss of control and is ill-suited for the demands of AI and edge computing, prompting the need for decentralized alternatives like DePIN.

2. DePIN networks are powered by collectives of contributors who are rewarded with tokens for providing compute, storage, or bandwidth, aligning incentives at the protocol layer.

3. Over 50% of enterprise-managed data will be generated and processed outside centralized data centers by 2025, driving the shift toward edge-native infrastructure.

4. DePIN fills the gap left by earlier distributed computing projects by introducing tokenized, programmable rewards, making participation scalable beyond altruism.

5. Privacy is a critical advantage of DePIN, as edge-first, user-owned networks allow data to stay local, reducing reliance on centralized providers.

6. The future of infrastructure will combine cloud and edge solutions, with DePIN playing a key role in enabling distributed, transparent, and performance-driven networks.