The global financial landscape is undergoing a seismic shift — and at the heart of it lies artificial intelligence (AI). With ChatGPT becoming the fastest app in history to reach 100 million users in just three months, AI has officially entered the mainstream. From Microsoft’s multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI to Google funneling $300 million into Anthropic, the race for AI dominance is reshaping industries — and financial markets.
This surge isn’t limited to traditional tech giants. In the crypto world, AI-themed tokens are riding the wave of excitement, delivering impressive returns and drawing investor attention like never before. While SingularityNET (AGIX) has grabbed headlines with its 26% surge, it's far from the only player in this booming sector.
Let’s explore the most active AI-related crypto projects across three key pillars of AI: data, computing power, and AI-specific protocols.
The Three Pillars of AI in Blockchain
Artificial intelligence relies on three foundational elements: data, algorithms, and computing power (compute). In decentralized ecosystems, these components are being reimagined through blockchain-based solutions that prioritize transparency, ownership, and incentive alignment.
We’ll break down leading crypto projects by category, highlighting their use cases, performance, and potential.
🔹 Data-Centric AI Tokens
High-quality data is the lifeblood of AI models. These projects focus on decentralizing data access, ownership, and monetization.
The Graph (GRT) (+16.5% 24h)
The Graph (GRT) serves as the indexing layer for Web3, allowing developers to build open APIs called "subgraphs" that applications query using GraphQL. It supports 39 networks and powers major platforms like Uniswap and Decentraland.
GRT tokens are used for staking by indexers, curators, and delegators who earn fees for maintaining data integrity. With a 3% annual issuance rate and built-in token burn mechanisms, GRT combines utility with long-term sustainability.
👉 Discover how decentralized data fuels next-gen AI apps
Covalent (CQT) (+13.6% 24h)
Covalent (CQT) offers a unified API for querying blockchain data across more than 26 chains. Developers use it to build multi-chain wallets, NFT galleries, and analytics dashboards.
CQT enables governance, staking (with APR between 3%–20%), and access to premium data tiers. Its role in simplifying complex on-chain data makes it a strong candidate for AI training datasets.
Streamr (DATA) (+13.1% 24h)
Streamr (DATA) is a decentralized protocol for real-time data streaming. Think of it as a peer-to-peer alternative to centralized messaging systems — ideal for IoT, gaming, and live AI inference.
Nodes earn DATA tokens by contributing bandwidth. With a max supply of 2 billion and current circulation at 767 million, DATA supports data marketplaces where AI models can consume verified real-time feeds.
Ocean Protocol (OCEAN) (+8.4% 24h)
Ocean Protocol enables individuals and organizations to securely share and monetize data without sacrificing privacy. Users publish datasets on Ocean Market, while buyers access proprietary data crucial for training AI models.
OCEAN tokens (capped at 1.41 billion) are used for payments, staking, and governance — forming a decentralized data economy perfectly aligned with AI development needs.
Dock (DOCK) (+11.1% 24h)
Dock focuses on decentralized identity and verifiable credentials — think LinkedIn on blockchain. Users control their professional and personal data entirely.
Unlike other platforms, Dock doesn’t incentivize data sharing; instead, it emphasizes data sovereignty. DOCK tokens (1 billion total supply) support credential creation, network validation, and governance — laying groundwork for trusted AI training inputs.
VIDT DAO (VIDT) (+12.1% 24h)
VIDT DAO uses blockchain timestamping to verify documents, digital assets, and sensor data. Trusted by IBM and Amsterdam Vintage Watches, its tech ensures data authenticity — critical when feeding untrusted data into AI systems.
VIDT tokens (1 billion supply) are burned during verification processes, creating deflationary pressure while securing data integrity.
DIA (DIA) (+6.7% 24h)
DIA stands for Decentralized Information Asset — an open-source oracle platform aiming to become the “Bloomberg of Web3.” It aggregates financial data from both centralized and decentralized sources.
With ambitions to power transparent, auditable AI-driven trading algorithms, DIA plays a vital role in ensuring reliable input data. Its max supply is set at 200 million tokens.
🔹 Compute-Focused AI Tokens
AI models require massive computational resources. These projects decentralize cloud computing to make high-performance processing accessible and affordable.
Phala Network (PHA) (+7.4% 24h)
Built on Polkadot, Phala Network (PHA) offers privacy-preserving cloud computing using idle CPU power. It enables confidential smart contracts and secure DeFi services — ideal for sensitive AI workloads.
PHA (1 billion supply) secures the network through staking and rewards node operators — combining privacy with scalable compute.
iExec (RLC) (+7.7% 24h)
iExec (RLC) is often described as “AWS on blockchain.” It provides decentralized computing power for rendering, machine learning, and big data processing.
RLC tokens (87 million cap) act as the medium of exchange. Workers stake RLC to participate in tasks, ensuring reliability and trustlessness — essential for distributed AI training.
👉 See how decentralized computing powers AI innovation
SONM (SNM) (+1.8% 24h)
SONM is a fog computing platform that turns consumer hardware into cloud resources. Though currently less active in volume, its vision of edge-based AI computation remains compelling.
With only 44 million SNM in existence, it’s a speculative but potentially high-reward play if adoption grows.
🔹 Pure-Play AI Cryptocurrencies
These projects integrate AI directly into their core architecture — going beyond infrastructure to deliver intelligent agents and autonomous systems.
Numeraire (NMR) (+7.2% 24h)
Numeraire (NMR) powers an AI-driven hedge fund where data scientists compete to build predictive market models. Top performers earn NMR rewards — but must stake tokens to have their models deployed live.
This skin-in-the-game model reduces overfitting risks. With a hard cap of 11 million NMR and built-in burning mechanics, scarcity enhances long-term value.
Fetch.ai (FET) (+24.6% 24h)
Fetch.ai (FET) is a peer-to-peer network where autonomous AI agents perform tasks like price discovery, logistics optimization, and energy grid management.
FET (over 1 billion in circulation) is used for payments, staking, and governance. Its integration with projects like Bosch and ClimateTrade highlights real-world traction.
SingularityNET (AGIX) (+26.0% 24h)
SingularityNET (AGIX) is one of the most recognized names in AI crypto. It operates a decentralized marketplace where developers offer AI services — from robotics to bioinformatics.
AGIX tokens facilitate payments, governance, and staking. With over 1.2 billion in circulation and growing ecosystem partnerships, it remains a flagship project in the space.
Cortex (CTXC) (+16.4% 24h)
Cortex brings machine learning models directly onto the blockchain. Developers deploy AI-powered smart contracts that execute predictions on-chain.
CTXC (nearly 208 million circulating) funds transactions and rewards contributors who open-source AI models — fostering collaborative innovation.
Phoenix (PHB) (+20.9% 24h)
Phoenix is an L1/L2 infrastructure platform focused on privacy-enabled AI applications. Its EVM-compatible chain supports advanced analytics and MPC-secured computations.
PHB tokens serve as gas, staking assets, and data credits — positioning Phoenix as a next-generation hub for intelligent dApps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why are AI crypto tokens gaining traction now?
A: The explosion of generative AI tools like ChatGPT has heightened awareness of AI’s transformative potential. Investors are seeking early exposure to decentralized AI infrastructure — driving demand for related tokens.
Q: Are these projects actually using AI?
A: Yes — many go beyond branding hype. Projects like Fetch.ai and SingularityNET run autonomous agents; Ocean Protocol enables private data sharing for model training; Cortex executes on-chain inference.
Q: Is investing in AI crypto safe?
A: These are speculative assets with high volatility. Most have small market caps and limited liquidity. Always conduct thorough research and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Q: How do I evaluate an AI crypto project?
A: Look for real-world use cases, active development teams, partnerships with tech firms or research institutions, token utility beyond speculation, and community engagement.
Q: Can decentralized AI compete with Big Tech?
A: Not yet at scale — but decentralization offers advantages in transparency, data ownership, and censorship resistance. Over time, open-source collaboration may close the performance gap.
Investors chasing the next big trend should keep an eye on this evolving space. As AI continues to mature, blockchain-based solutions could redefine how intelligence is built, shared, and governed.