How DePIN is bringing real infrastructure and real users to Web3

What you can expect

• What DePIN is and how it works
• A look at how DePIN projects like Silencio and Acurast work
• Why DePIN reflects core Web3 values
• How DePIN can drive mainstream adoption
• What’s next: interoperability, AI, and composability

A recent episode of The Decentralized Mic brought together leaders from Silencio, Acurast, and DePIN Hub to discuss one of the most promising movements in Web3: decentralized physical infrastructure networks, or DePIN.

From smartphones capturing environmental data to repurposed mobile devices running compute jobs, these projects demonstrate how DePIN networks are addressing real-world needs while keeping control and value in the hands of participants.

This blog highlights their insights to show what successful DePIN projects look like today and where the movement may be headed. Through examples like Silencio and Acurast, it offers a glimpse into how DePIN is reshaping Web3 around practical, user-owned infrastructure.

What is DePIN?

At its core, DePIN is about distributing infrastructure ownership to individuals. These networks enable people to contribute real-world resources like compute power, sensor data, or bandwidth to a shared network, in exchange for rewards. Instead of relying on large corporations to deliver infrastructure, DePIN networks use blockchain to coordinate and incentivize contributions from everyday users.

Think of it as the next evolution of the gig economy, but permissionless, composable, and onchain.

As Daniel Andrade from DePIN Hub explained, Web3 incentives help push real-world infrastructure projects beyond what’s possible in Web2. Token models, he said, are “the extra cherry on top” that enable projects to “expand and grow like crazy”—reaching scale that wouldn’t happen on goodwill alone.

Real-world DePIN projects in action

Silencio: crowd-powered noise mapping

Silencio turns smartphones into passive environmental sensors. Built on peaq, which is part of the Polkadot ecosystem, users install the app, walk through cities, and anonymously collect decibel-level noise data. That data powers a live global map and can be used to make better decisions about where to stay, eat, or visit.

Unlike many Web2 platforms that collect personal data without clear consent or compensation, Silencio takes a privacy-first, user-owned approach. Contributors collect their own data, decide what to share, and are rewarded for participating. “We only collect decibel levels, never audio recordings,” said CMO Daniel Ferraro. “And users control what they choose to share.”

Because Silencio runs on smartphones that users already carry, it can grow without requiring anyone to purchase extra hardware, lowering the barrier to entry and making participation more accessible to anyone, anywhere. As more people contribute data, the platform continues to evolve, with features like venue-level filtering and upcoming AI-powered tools designed to enhance both user experience and data quality.

Acurast: confidential computing from upcycled smartphones

Acurast turns unused smartphones into decentralized cloud computers. Built on Polkadot, it uses secure hardware already present in mobile devices to create a global network for running tasks like data analysis, AI processing, or other high-trust compute jobs without relying on centralized servers. Contributors can upcycle old phones by sharing spare processing power and are rewarded for participating.

Acurast's model relies on real hardware rather than virtual machines, using trusted elements built into the devices themselves. This gives it a stronger security foundation and greater control over how workloads are executed and protected.

By distributing compute across everyday devices, Acurast is helping to democratize participation in cloud infrastructure. Instead of relying solely on massive data centers, the network allows individuals to contribute what they already have, reducing barriers to entry and potentially lowering reliance on centralized systems by making better use of distributed, existing hardware.

“Wherever there are people, we see computing activity on the Acurast network,” said co-founder Alessandro De Carli, noting how quickly the network is growing across the globe. Today, the project operates more than 65,000 compute units across 133 countries.

How DePIN rewards participation

Sustainable incentives are critical to DePIN’s success. Projects like Silencio and Acurast rely not only on token emissions but also on revenue from real-world customers.

Silencio, for example, earns revenue by offering anonymized environmental data to businesses. A portion of that revenue is earmarked for token burns and community rewards. As Daniel Ferraro noted, they’ve designed a system where 75% of revenue from sources like ads or data sales will go toward supporting the ecosystem.

Acurast takes a similarly thoughtful approach. Rather than maximizing short-term emissions, it emphasizes slow, organic growth and participant retention. Alessandro pointed to Bitcoin as an example of a network with resilient incentive design: when participants leave, rewards concentrate among those who stay, keeping the system attractive. He suggested that similar principles could help DePIN projects like Acurast remain sustainable as they scale.

Projects are also exploring creative mechanics like point-based reward systems, raffles, and staking to encourage sustained participation and reduce volatility during down markets.

Why DePIN matters

During the episode, all three panelists echoed a similar point: DePIN feels like a return to the original goals of Web3.

Rather than financial speculation or meme-driven cycles, DePIN networks are built around real services, real users, and real-world utility. Whether it’s recording noise pollution to improve city planning or contributing compute cycles to a decentralized AI model, participants are helping to build infrastructure that benefits more than just token holders.

“We went through a couple of identity crises in Web3,” said Alessandro De Carli. “DePIN is bringing a lot of those values back… it’s less about extraction or casino games, and more about solving problems by coordinating people with software.”

This spirit of coordination and utility mirrors Polkadot’s own ethos: decentralization, interoperability, and accessible participation. As more DePIN networks like Silencio and Acurast join the ecosystem, they’ll find infrastructure designed to support collaboration, without reinventing the wheel.

DePIN as a gateway to Web3 adoption

DePIN’s accessibility makes it a powerful onramp to Web3 for non-technical users. Anyone with a smartphone can participate, no need to run a validator or set up a wallet in advance.

DePIN Hub, co-founded by panelist Daniel Andrade, helps users explore this fast-growing ecosystem. It serves as a central resource for discovering, comparing, and deploying DePIN projects, with tools like data dashboards, a marketplace, node infrastructure services, and a podcast featuring project founders.

Daniel described how users in underserved regions are already earning meaningful income through these networks. In some places, even $10 or $50 a month can be life-changing. “Same way that Airbnb and Uber became possible… because I don’t have to ask permission from my boss to do Uber or Airbnb.”

As explored in Polkadot’s earlier blog on tokenization and infrastructure accessibility, this bottom-up model gives more people a stake in the systems that power their lives. And it enables builders to tap into global idle resources that were previously hard to monetize.

Looking ahead: interoperability, AI, and the DePIN Association

Looking to the future, panelists stressed the importance of composability. DePIN networks will increasingly connect with one another, and with AI tools, to create seamless experiences for users.

Silencio is already exploring SDKs to make its data accessible across apps and platforms. Acurast enables the confidential processing of that data. And through initiatives like the DePIN Association, these and other projects are working together to set shared standards and grow the ecosystem collaboratively.

That’s where DePIN intersects with the idea of chain abstraction—the subject of another recent Decentralized Mic. As infrastructure gets more complex, users shouldn’t have to think about the blockchain powering their experience. They should be able to open an app, contribute value, and get rewarded, just like they do in Web2, but with more ownership and privacy.

Final thoughts

DePIN may still be early, but the direction is clear. With its focus on real-world utility, user rewards, and open infrastructure, it’s well-positioned to bring new energy—and new users—into Web3.

As Ferraro said, “The community is our greatest asset. That’s where growth, resilience, and real change start.”

In a time when Web3 is searching for grounded use cases, DePIN offers something clear and actionable.