AI markets have been booming in the last few years due to the rise in demand along with the ability to process complex AI workloads through modern GPUs.
As AI enters our daily lives with projects like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and many other tools, several projects have turned to blockchain technology to better address the monetization of these AI tools.
1. Near Protocol (NEAR)
The Near Protocol is a blockchain network that supports AI with its scalable network. The project also has its own AI Agent.
NEAR is a well-tested blockchain that supports several real life applications of blockchain technology such as health monitoring applications (e.g., Sweatcoin), DeFi, and blockchain bridges (e.g., Allbridge).
2. Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (ASI)
Four crypto projects such as Fetch AI, The Ocean Protocol, Singularity NET and Cudos have joined under the banner of Artificial Superintelligence Alliance, a project that serves people who need democratic access to data on a blockchain.
- Fetch AI is a data trading platform on the blockchain.
- The Ocean Protocol uses blockchain technology to share data in an anonymous way to protect the privacy of those who have generated it.
- Singularity NET allows people to create, share and monetize their AI services via blockchain technology.
- Cudos is a blockchain-based decentralized infrastructure project that lets its users access decentralized computing resources.
3. Render Protocol (RENDER)
The Render Protocol is a decentralized GPU sharing network that allows its users to share GPU with each other in return for a small fee. Any user can lend their GPU over its network and in turn get rewarded in crypto, which makes Render, a key infrastructure enabler in this space.
The protocol seems to have a solid future ahead because of the increasing demand for Graphic Processing Units, which in turn has been caused by the rise in AI-based businesses. Further, since Render is decentralized, it is much more resilient than cloud-based GPU vendors like Google Cloud or AWS.
4. Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)
The Virtuals Protocol is a decentralized AI-agent marketplace where anyone can build and share AI agents and get monetary rewards.
Virtuals is one of the largest players in the AI agent space with more than 14,700 agents. This dominance in the market allowed it to remain the fastest growing crypto in the Q1 of 2025, only halted by the liquidity crisis in the USA.
5. Worldcoin (WLD)
Worldcoin is a decentralized platform that allows humans to establish their “proof of humanity” in a digital environment (such as X.com) and avoid mistaking AI agents that might seem human but are indeed bots.
The project was started by Open AI co-founder Sam Altman and has been successfully used by several individuals and institutions.
Although Worldcoin ran into some controversies last year due to its iris-scanning methods, it has now adapted to a more privacy centric scans where iris data is deleted as soon as a hash of the scan is generated.
Disclaimer: a2z Cryptocurrencies is an information website and not an advisory platform. Please contact your financial advisor before making any investment decision.
