AI compute demand keeps growing. Traditional cloud providers can't scale fast enough. GPU shortages persist. Costs stay high.

Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks distribute hardware across thousands of contributors instead of concentrating everything in corporate data centers. More competition. Lower costs. Better availability.

Five tokens dominate this space. Each solves different infrastructure problems. None are perfect. Know what they actually do before believing marketing claims.

Why AI and DePIN Matter Now

AI models need massive compute power. Training runs cost millions. Inference scales constantly. Centralized providers charge premiums and face capacity limits.

DePIN flips this model. Anyone with spare GPUs, storage, or bandwidth contributes resources and earns tokens. Global infrastructure. No corporate control.

The sector raised over $30 billion in 2025. Projects moved from concepts to working networks. Real users pay for actual services. Revenue proves demand exists.

For comprehensive explanation of how AI and DePIN infrastructure works together, see our guide to AI and decentralized infrastructure.

Token Comparison Overview

Token	Price (Feb 2026)	Primary Use	Network Status	2026 Target Range
Render (RNDR)	$1.40	GPU rendering, AI compute	Live, scaling	$3.00 - $10.00
Akash (AKT)	$0.33	Decentralized cloud compute	Live, BME launching	$1.00 - $9.00
Filecoin (FIL)	$0.90	Decentralized storage	Live, mature	$3.00 - $10.00
Helium (HNT)	$1.17	IoT/5G wireless networks	Live, growing	$2.00 - $4.00
Theta (THETA)	$0.21	Video delivery, edge compute	Live, expanding	$0.50 - $1.40

Price comparison chart showing AI and DePIN tokens current February 2026 prices versus 2026 target ranges for RNDR AKT FIL HNT and THETA

Render Network (RNDR)

Render connects GPU owners with creators needing rendering power. 3D artists, game developers, and AI researchers rent computing time. Node operators earn RNDR tokens.

The network processed 1.4 million frames in December 2025. Revenue exceeds most DePIN projects. Real usage drives token burns through the burn-and-mint model.

Recent expansion into AI inference pushes Render beyond traditional 3D rendering. Dispersed.com platform launched December 2025, onboarding 600+ AI models.

Strengths:

Proven revenue model with consistent burns
Expanding from rendering into AI compute
Strong partnerships (NVIDIA integration planned)
Migrated to Solana for better performance

Weaknesses:

Down 89% from all-time high of $13.53
High token inflation (500K monthly emissions vs 50K burns)
Competition from centralized providers still fierce
Adoption needs to accelerate significantly

Price dropped from $3+ in early 2025 to current $1.40 levels. Recovery depends on AI compute demand translating into sustained network usage.

Akash Network (AKT)

Akash provides decentralized cloud computing. Users deploy containers and virtual machines across distributed providers. Pricing undercuts AWS by 85% according to project claims.

AkashML launched November 2025, targeting AI workloads specifically. The platform processed $3.36 million in compute spending monthly as of Q4 2025.

Burn-Mint Equilibrium (BME) model launches Q1 2026. Every dollar spent burns $0.85 of AKT. Adoption growth = deflationary pressure.

Strengths:

85% cost savings vs traditional cloud (claimed)
BME model could reduce inflation significantly
GPU capacity grew 11.6% month-over-month
Enterprise partnerships developing

Weaknesses:

Down 42% in last 90 days
Blockchain migration uncertainty (evaluating move from Cosmos)
Competing against established cloud giants
Execution risk on technical roadmap

Migration from Cosmos to potentially Solana creates short-term uncertainty. Community divided on this decision. Implementation challenges could disrupt services.

Filecoin (FIL)

Filecoin built the largest decentralized storage network. Data gets stored across thousands of nodes worldwide. Proof-of-replication and proof-of-spacetime ensure files stay safe.

The network expanded beyond pure storage. Filecoin OnChain Cloud launched January 2026, integrating compute capabilities. Storage + processing in one place.

NFT and Web3 applications use Filecoin for permanent data storage. The network handles real enterprise workloads, not just crypto-native projects.

Strengths:

Mature network operational since 2020
Real enterprise adoption and partnerships
Expanding into compute alongside storage
Transparent proof mechanisms

Weaknesses:

Price down 96% from $237 all-time high
High inflation from miner rewards
Storage demand hasn't matched token supply
Competition from Arweave, Storj

Filecoin faces classic DePIN challenge: building supply (storage providers) faster than demand (users needing storage). Token economics suffer when this imbalance persists.

Helium (HNT)

Helium runs decentralized wireless networks for IoT and mobile data. Users deploy hotspots providing coverage. The network offloads data from traditional carriers in congested areas.

Major telecoms including AT&T use Helium infrastructure. The "Zero Plan" launched February 2025 offers free mobile service (3GB data, 300 texts, 100 minutes) in exchange for data sharing.

Network operates over 363,000 hotspots globally. Real revenue comes from data usage, not just token speculation.

Strengths:

Real telecom partnerships (AT&T, T-Mobile)
Actual revenue from network usage
Deflationary tokenomics (burns exceed emissions)
Two-year halving schedule reduces inflation

Weaknesses:

Down 97.9% from $54.88 all-time high
Mobile network adoption slower than projected
Competition from traditional carriers
Hotspot deployment plateauing

Migration to Solana in April 2023 improved scalability but didn't prevent price decline. Token performance lags network growth metrics.

Theta Network (THETA)

Theta decentralizes video delivery through peer-to-peer bandwidth sharing. Users cache and relay video streams, earning TFUEL rewards. This reduces costs for streaming platforms.

EdgeCloud platform expanded into AI compute. Imperial College London partnered January 2026 to use Theta infrastructure for AI research.

Enterprise validators include Google, Samsung, and Sony. Corporate backing traditional crypto projects lack.

Strengths:

Major corporate validators (Google, Samsung, Sony)
Expanding beyond video into AI compute
Academic partnerships validate technology
Smart contract platform for dApps

Weaknesses:

Down 98.7% from $15.90 all-time high
Fraud lawsuit filed by former executives (late 2025)
Legal uncertainty creates investor hesitation
Adoption hasn't matched technology claims

Whistleblower lawsuits alleging fraud and market manipulation create serious overhang. Technology development continues but trust damage persists.

Investment Considerations

DePIN tokens dropped 60-98% from all-time highs. Bear market hit infrastructure tokens hard despite real usage growth. Prices reflect skepticism more than fundamentals.

All five networks operate live infrastructure with actual users. Revenue exists. Usage metrics show growth. Token prices haven't followed.

Opportunity or value trap? Depends on adoption trajectory. Infrastructure takes years to build. Token rewards today bet on future network effects.

Risk factors apply broadly:

Competition from centralized providers with better UX
Token inflation outpacing demand growth
Regulatory uncertainty around network operations
Technology execution challenges

None of these tokens suit conservative portfolios. High volatility continues. Projects could fail despite working technology.

DePIN infrastructure sectors breakdown showing GPU rendering cloud compute storage wireless networks and video delivery with key statistics

Conclusion

AI and DePIN infrastructure demand grows regardless of token prices. Real question: does decentralized infrastructure steal meaningful market share from AWS and Google?

Render and Akash target AI compute directly - hottest sector. Filecoin provides storage AI models need. Helium tackles wireless. Theta handles video delivery and edge computing.

Spread across multiple DePIN sectors reduces single-project risk. No guarantee any reach previous highs. Current prices = heavy skepticism. Recovery needs sustained adoption proving decentralized models work at scale.

Bear markets separate survivors from failures. These five run operating networks. Real users. Actual revenue. Whether that pumps tokens? Unknown.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry substantial risk including potential total loss.