Helium

Helium is a decentralized wireless network where individuals deploy hotspots to provide IoT and 5G coverage, earning HNT tokens as rewards. Its core innovation lies in the Proof of Coverage (PoC) mechanism, which uses radio frequency properties to verify that hotspots genuinely provide coverage at their stated locations, ensuring network reliability without centralized oversight. The network addresses a key market pain point: traditional telecom infrastructure is capital-intensive and geographically concentrated, leaving many areas underserved. Helium instead incentivizes community-driven deployment, creating a low-cost, crowd-built alternative that extends connectivity to both IoT devices and mobile users.

Over the past six months (February to August 2026), Helium underwent significant changes. In June 2026, Helium Mobile, the consumer-facing mobile service powered by the network, was acquired by Noble Mobile, a low-cost carrier founded by Andrew Yang. The acquisition did not affect HNT token governance, which remains under the Helium DAO, but it allowed Nova Labs, the original developer, to pivot toward enterprise data offloading services for large telecom operators. Additionally, the network continues to operate on Solana after its 2023 migration, and hotspot rewards have been adjusted to reflect actual data usage rather than theoretical coverage. However, the network has faced challenges: HNT token prices declined sharply over the past year, and hotspot earnings for new deployers in saturated urban areas have diminished significantly. Despite these headwinds, Helium's distributed model remains a notable experiment in rethinking how wireless infrastructure can be built and operated.