DePIN Must Overcome Lack of Cohesive Narrative to Reach Mass Adoption, Movement Labs Co-Founder Rushi Manche Says

The Web3 executive said DePIN has so many diverse use cases, many of which are highly technical, that it is often difficult to pitch projects

Web3 infrastructure venture Movement Labs is aiming to reach mass adoption with decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) in 2025.

Despite the broad range of use cases for DePIN, Movement Labs co-founder Rushi Manche told Cointelegraph in an interview that a lack of a cohesive narrative could hinder mass adoption.

“There are so many diverse use cases for DePIN, and many of them are quite technical, which makes it difficult to pitch these projects to the general public or to achieve product-market fit,” said Manche, who is also a member of the Forbes Technology Council.

However, Manche does believe that the future is bright for DePIN, especially with the pro-crypto policies being implemented by the Trump administration.

“Tokens being issued in the United States would be a huge thing, and I think Trump was talking about it in the last few weeks,” Manche told Cointelegraph.

According to Manche, DePIN is one of the crypto sectors that venture capitalists are eyeing in 2025 as anticipated regulatory clarity on digital assets comes to the United States and previous restrictions are lifted.

DePIN tokens narrative performance in 2024. Source: CoinGecko

This story is part of a Cointelegraph Magazine special on DePIN, which includes an interview with Manche and a deep dive into the tokenomics of DePIN projects.

DePIN: The most diverse sector in crypto?

Decentralized physical infrastructure networks feature broad, diverse use cases that span across industries.

From telecommunication networks to automotive data collection and cloud storage, DePIN tokens power a wide range of applications. Here are a few examples:

Helium is a decentralized telecommunication and wireless network that aims to disrupt traditional communication services and expand wireless coverage to dead spots.

In July 2024, Helium Mobile released its first post-roadmap update and announced expanded coverage, increased compatibility with third-party hardware, and telecom interoperability pilot programs.

Centralized cloud storage services are also set for massive disruption by decentralized infrastructure and distributed networks.

One example of this is Functionland’s FxBlox device and the Fula Network, which provide users with a decentralized form of data storage as an alternative to the cloud-based storage offered by tech companies.

Decentralized physical infrastructure networks have even been pitched as a way to decentralize law enforcement and place its control back in the hands of communities.

A July 2024 article from pseudonymous writer Luffistotle argues that radar arrays, ballistic triangulation devices and distributed surveillance systems could be completely community-owned through tokenization.

Moreover, community patrol decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) could give communities direct control over the governance of their police forces.

Magazine Most DePIN projects barely even use blockchain: True or false?

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