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ETHDenver 2025: Key Web3 Trends and Insights from the Festival

· 23 min read

ETHDenver 2025, branded the “Year of The Regenerates,” solidified its status as one of the world’s largest Web3 gatherings. Spanning BUIDLWeek (Feb 23–26), the Main Event (Feb 27–Mar 2), and a post-conference Mountain Retreat, the festival drew an expected 25,000+ participants. Builders, developers, investors, and creatives from 125+ countries converged in Denver to celebrate Ethereum’s ethos of decentralization and innovation. True to its community roots, ETHDenver remained free to attend, community-funded, and overflowing with content – from hackathons and workshops to panels, pitch events, and parties. The event’s lore of “Regenerates” defending decentralization set a tone that emphasized public goods and collaborative building, even amid a competitive tech landscape. The result was a week of high-energy builder activity and forward-looking discussions, offering a snapshot of Web3’s emerging trends and actionable insights for industry professionals.

ETHDenver 2025

No single narrative dominated ETHDenver 2025 – instead, a broad spectrum of Web3 trends took center stage. Unlike last year (when restaking via EigenLayer stole the show), 2025’s agenda was a sprinkle of everything: from decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) to AI agents, from regulatory compliance to real-world asset tokenization (RWA), plus privacy, interoperability, and more. In fact, ETHDenver’s founder John Paller addressed concerns about multi-chain content by noting “95%+ of our sponsors and 90% of content is ETH/EVM-aligned” – yet the presence of non-Ethereum ecosystems underscored interoperability as a key theme. Major speakers reflected these trend areas: for example, zk-rollup and Layer-2 scaling was highlighted by Alex Gluchowski (CEO of Matter Labs/zkSync), while multi-chain innovation came from Adeniyi Abiodun of Mysten Labs (Sui) and Albert Chon of Injective.

The convergence of AI and Web3 emerged as a strong undercurrent. Numerous talks and side events focused on decentralized AI agents and “DeFi+AI” crossovers. A dedicated AI Agent Day showcased on-chain AI demos, and a collective of 14 teams (including Coinbase’s developer kit and NEAR’s AI unit) even announced the Open Agents Alliance (OAA) – an initiative to provide permissionless, free AI access by pooling Web3 infrastructure. This indicates growing interest in autonomous agents and AI-driven dApps as a frontier for builders. Hand-in-hand with AI, DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure) was another buzzword: multiple panels (e.g. Day of DePIN, DePIN Summit) explored projects bridging blockchain with physical networks (from telecom to mobility).

Cuckoo AI Network made waves at ETHDenver 2025, showcasing its innovative decentralized AI model-serving marketplace designed for creators and developers. With a compelling presence at both the hackathon and community-led side events, Cuckoo AI attracted significant attention from developers intrigued by its ability to monetize GPU/CPU resources and easily integrate on-chain AI APIs. During their dedicated workshop and networking session, Cuckoo AI highlighted how decentralized infrastructure could efficiently democratize access to advanced AI services. This aligns directly with the event's broader trends—particularly the intersection of blockchain with AI, DePIN, and public-goods funding. For investors and developers at ETHDenver, Cuckoo AI emerged as a clear example of how decentralized approaches can power the next generation of AI-driven dApps and infrastructure, positioning itself as an attractive investment opportunity within the Web3 ecosystem.

Privacy, identity, and security remained top-of-mind. Speakers and workshops addressed topics like zero-knowledge proofs (zkSync’s presence), identity management and verifiable credentials (a dedicated Privacy & Security track was in the hackathon), and legal/regulatory issues (an on-chain legal summit was part of the festival tracks). Another notable discussion was the future of fundraising and decentralization of funding: a Main Stage debate between Dragonfly Capital’s Haseeb Qureshi and Matt O’Connor of Legion (an “ICO-like” platform) about ICOs vs. VC funding captivated attendees. This debate highlighted emerging models like community token sales challenging traditional VC routes – an important trend for Web3 startups navigating capital raising. The take-away for professionals is clear: Web3 in 2025 is multidisciplinary – spanning finance, AI, real assets, and culture – and staying informed means looking beyond any one hype cycle to the full spectrum of innovation.

Sponsors and Their Strategic Focus Areas

ETHDenver’s sponsor roster in 2025 reads like a who’s-who of layer-1s, layer-2s, and Web3 infrastructure projects – each leveraging the event to advance strategic goals. Cross-chain and multi-chain protocols made a strong showing. For instance, Polkadot was a top sponsor with a hefty $80k bounty pool, incentivizing builders to create cross-chain DApps and appchains. Similarly, BNB Chain, Flow, Hedera, and Base (Coinbase’s L2) each offered up to $50k for projects integrating with their ecosystems, signaling their push to attract Ethereum developers. Even traditionally separate ecosystems like Solana and Internet Computer joined in with sponsored challenges (e.g. Solana co-hosted a DePIN event, and Internet Computer offered an “Only possible on ICP” bounty). This cross-ecosystem presence drew some community scrutiny, but ETHDenver’s team noted that the vast majority of content remained Ethereum-aligned. The net effect was interoperability being a core theme – sponsors aimed to position their platforms as complementary extensions of the Ethereum universe.

Scaling solutions and infrastructure providers were also front and center. Major Ethereum L2s like Optimism and Arbitrum had large booths and sponsored challenges (Optimism’s bounties up to $40k), reinforcing their focus on onboarding developers to rollups. New entrants like ZkSync and Zircuit (a project showcasing an L2 rollup approach) emphasized zero-knowledge tech and even contributed SDKs (ZkSync promoted its Smart Sign-On SDK for user-friendly login, which hackathon teams eagerly used). Restaking and modular blockchain infrastructure was another sponsor interest – EigenLayer (pioneering restaking) had its own $50k track and even co-hosted an event on “Restaking & DeFAI (Decentralized AI)”, marrying its security model with AI topics. Oracles and interoperability middleware were represented by the likes of Chainlink and Wormhole, each issuing bounties for using their protocols.

Notably, Web3 consumer applications and tooling had sponsor support to improve user experience. Uniswap’s presence – complete with one of the biggest booths – wasn’t just for show: the DeFi giant used the event to announce new wallet features like integrated fiat off-ramps, aligning with its sponsorship focus on DeFi usability. Identity and community-focused platforms like Galxe (Gravity) and Lens Protocol sponsored challenges around on-chain social and credentialing. Even mainstream tech companies signaled interest: PayPal and Google Cloud hosted a stablecoin/payments happy hour to discuss the future of payments in crypto. This blend of sponsors shows that strategic interests ranged from core infrastructure to end-user applications – all converging at ETHDenver to provide resources (APIs, SDKs, grants) to developers. For Web3 professionals, the heavy sponsorship from layer-1s, layer-2s, and even Web2 fintechs highlights where the industry is investing: interoperability, scalability, security, and making crypto useful for the next wave of users.

Hackathon Highlights: Innovative Projects and Winners

At the heart of ETHDenver is its legendary #BUIDLathon – a hackathon that has grown into the world’s largest blockchain hackfest with thousands of developers. In 2025 the hackathon offered a record $1,043,333+ prize pool to spur innovation. Bounties from 60+ sponsors targeted key Web3 domains, carving the competition into tracks such as: DeFi & AI, NFTs & Gaming, Infrastructure & Scalability, Privacy & Security, and DAOs & Public Goods. This track design itself is insightful – for example, pairing DeFi with AI hints at the emergence of AI-driven financial applications, while a dedicated Public Goods track reaffirms community focus on regenerative finance and open-source development. Each track was backed by sponsors offering prizes for best use of their tech (e.g. Polkadot and Uniswap for DeFi, Chainlink for interoperability, Optimism for scaling solutions). The organizers even implemented quadratic voting for judging, allowing the community to help surface top projects, with final winners chosen by expert judges.

The result was an outpouring of cutting-edge projects, many of which offer a glimpse into Web3’s future. Notable winners included an on-chain multiplayer game “0xCaliber”, a first-person shooter that runs real-time blockchain interactions inside a classic FPS game. 0xCaliber wowed judges by demonstrating true on-chain gaming – players buy in with crypto, “shoot” on-chain bullets, and use cross-chain tricks to collect and cash out loot, all in real time. This kind of project showcases the growing maturity of Web3 gaming (integrating Unity game engines with smart contracts) and the creativity in merging entertainment with crypto economics. Another category of standout hacks were those merging AI with Ethereum: teams built “agent” platforms that use smart contracts to coordinate AI services, inspired by the Open Agents Alliance announcement. For example, one hackathon project integrated AI-driven smart contract auditors (auto-generating security test cases for contracts) – aligning with the decentralized AI trend observed at the conference.

Infrastructure and tooling projects were also prominent. Some teams tackled account abstraction and user experience, using sponsor toolkits like zkSync’s Smart Sign-On to create wallet-less login flows for dApps. Others worked on cross-chain bridges and Layer-2 integrations, reflecting ongoing developer interest in interoperability. In the Public Goods & DAO track, a few projects addressed real-world social impact, such as a dApp for decentralized identity and aid to help the homeless (leveraging NFTs and community funds, an idea reminiscent of prior ReFi hacks). Regenerative finance (ReFi) concepts – like funding public goods via novel mechanisms – continued to appear, echoing ETHDenver’s regenerative theme.

While final winners were being celebrated by the end of the main event, the true value was in the pipeline of innovation: over 400 project submissions poured in, many of which will live on beyond the event. ETHDenver’s hackathon has a track record of seeding future startups (indeed, some past BUIDLathon projects have grown into sponsors themselves). For investors and technologists, the hackathon provided a window into bleeding-edge ideas – signaling that the next wave of Web3 startups may emerge in areas like on-chain gaming, AI-infused dApps, cross-chain infrastructure, and solutions targeting social impact. With nearly $1M in bounties disbursed to developers, sponsors effectively put their money where their mouth is to cultivate these innovations.

Networking Events and Investor Interactions

ETHDenver is not just about writing code – it’s equally about making connections. In 2025 the festival supercharged networking with both formal and informal events tailored for startups, investors, and community builders. One marquee event was the Bufficorn Ventures (BV) Startup Rodeo, a high-energy showcase where 20 hand-picked startups demoed to investors in a science-fair style expo. Taking place on March 1st in the main hall, the Startup Rodeo was described as more “speed dating” than pitch contest: founders manned tables to pitch their projects one-on-one as all attending investors roamed the arena. This format ensured even early-stage teams could find meaningful face time with VCs, strategics, or partners. Many startups used this as a launchpad to find customers and funding, leveraging the concentrated presence of Web3 funds at ETHDenver.

On the conference’s final day, the BV BuffiTank Pitchfest took the spotlight on the main stage – a more traditional pitch competition featuring 10 of the “most innovative” early-stage startups from the ETHDenver community. These teams (separate from the hackathon winners) pitched their business models to a panel of top VCs and industry leaders, competing for accolades and potential investment offers. The Pitchfest illustrated ETHDenver’s role as a deal-flow generator: it was explicitly aimed at teams “already organized…looking for investment, customers, and exposure,” especially those connected to the SporkDAO community. The reward for winners wasn’t a simple cash prize but rather the promise of joining Bufficorn Ventures’ portfolio or other accelerator cohorts. In essence, ETHDenver created its own mini “Shark Tank” for Web3, catalyzing investor attention on the community’s best projects.

Beyond these official showcases, the week was packed with investor-founder mixers. According to a curated guide by Belong, notable side events included a “Meet the VCs” Happy Hour hosted by CertiK Ventures on Feb 27, a StarkNet VC & Founders Lounge on March 1, and even casual affairs like a “Pitch & Putt” golf-themed pitch event. These gatherings provided relaxed environments for founders to rub shoulders with venture capitalists, often leading to follow-up meetings after the conference. The presence of many emerging VC firms was also felt on panels – for example, a session on the EtherKnight Stage highlighted new funds like Reflexive Capital, Reforge VC, Topology, Metalayer, and Hash3 and what trends they are most excited about. Early indications suggest these VCs were keen on areas like decentralized social media, AI, and novel Layer-1 infrastructure (each fund carving a niche to differentiate themselves in a competitive VC landscape).

For professionals looking to capitalize on ETHDenver’s networking: the key takeaway is the value of side events and targeted mixers. Deals and partnerships often germinate over coffee or cocktails rather than on stage. ETHDenver 2025’s myriad investor events demonstrate that the Web3 funding community is actively scouting for talent and ideas even in a lean market. Startups that came prepared with polished demos and a clear value proposition (often leveraging the event’s hackathon momentum) found receptive audiences. Meanwhile, investors used these interactions to gauge the pulse of the developer community – what problems are the brightest builders solving this year? In summary, ETHDenver reinforced that networking is as important as BUIDLing: it’s a place where a chance meeting can lead to a seed investment or where an insightful conversation can spark the next big collaboration.

A subtle but important narrative throughout ETHDenver 2025 was the evolving landscape of Web3 venture capital itself. Despite the broader crypto market’s ups and downs, investors at ETHDenver signaled strong appetite for promising Web3 projects. Blockworks reporters on the ground noted “just how much private capital is still flowing into crypto, undeterred by macro headwinds,” with seed stage valuations often sky-high for the hottest ideas. Indeed, the sheer number of VCs present – from crypto-native funds to traditional tech investors dabbling in Web3 – made it clear that ETHDenver remains a deal-making hub.

Emerging thematic focuses could be discerned from what VCs were discussing and sponsoring. The prevalence of AI x Crypto content (hackathon tracks, panels, etc.) wasn’t only a developer trend; it reflects venture interest in the “DeFi meets AI” nexus. Many investors are eyeing startups that leverage machine learning or autonomous agents on blockchain, as evidenced by venture-sponsored AI hackhouses and summits. Similarly, the heavy focus on DePIN and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization indicates that funds see opportunity in projects that connect blockchain to real economy assets and physical devices. The dedicated RWA Day (Feb 26) – a B2B event on the future of tokenized assets – suggests that venture scouts are actively hunting in that arena for the next Goldfinch or Centrifuge (i.e. platforms bringing real-world finance on-chain).

Another observable trend was a growing experimentation with funding models. The aforementioned debate on ICOs vs VCs wasn’t just conference theatrics; it mirrors a real venture movement towards more community-centric funding. Some VCs at ETHDenver indicated openness to hybrid models (e.g. venture-supported token launches that involve community in early rounds). Additionally, public goods funding and impact investing had a seat at the table. With ETHDenver’s ethos of regeneration, even investors discussed how to support open-source infrastructure and developers long-term, beyond just chasing the next DeFi or NFT boom. Panels like “Funding the Future: Evolving Models for Onchain Startups” explored alternatives such as grants, DAO treasury investments, and quadratic funding to supplement traditional VC money. This points to an industry maturing in how projects are capitalized – a mix of venture capital, ecosystem funds, and community funding working in tandem.

From an opportunity standpoint, Web3 professionals and investors can glean a few actionable insights from ETHDenver’s venture dynamics: (1) Infrastructure is still king – many VCs expressed that picks-and-shovels (L2 scaling, security, dev tools) remain high-value investments as the industry’s backbone. (2) New verticals like AI/blockchain convergence and DePIN are emerging investment frontiers – getting up to speed in these areas or finding startups there could be rewarding. (3) Community-driven projects and public goods might see novel funding – savvy investors are figuring out how to support these sustainably (for instance, investing in protocols that enable decentralized governance or shared ownership). Overall, ETHDenver 2025 showed that while the Web3 venture landscape is competitive, it’s brimming with conviction: capital is available for those building the future of DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and beyond, and even bear-market born ideas can find backing if they target the right trend.

Developer Resources, Toolkits, and Support Systems

ETHDenver has always been builder-focused, and 2025 was no exception – it doubled as an open-source developer conference with a plethora of resources and support for Web3 devs. During BUIDLWeek, attendees had access to live workshops, technical bootcamps, and mini-summits spanning various domains. For example, developers could join a Bleeding Edge Tech Summit to tinker with the latest protocols, or drop into an On-Chain Legal Summit to learn about compliant smart contract development. Major sponsors and blockchain teams ran hands-on sessions: Polkadot’s team hosted hacker houses and workshops on spinning up parachains; EigenLayer led a “restaking bootcamp” to teach devs how to leverage its security layer; Polygon and zkSync gave tutorials on building scalable dApps with zero-knowledge tech. These sessions provided invaluable face-time with core engineers, allowing developers to get help with integration and learn new toolkits first-hand.

Throughout the main event, the venue featured a dedicated #BUIDLHub and Makerspace where builders could code in a collaborative environment and access mentors. ETHDenver’s organizers published a detailed BUIDLer Guide and facilitated an on-site mentorship program (experts from sponsors were available to unblock teams on technical issues). Developer tooling companies were also present en masse – from Alchemy and Infura (for blockchain APIs) to Hardhat and Foundry (for smart contract development). Many unveiled new releases or beta tools at the event. For instance, MetaMask’s team previewed a major wallet update featuring gas abstraction and an improved SDK for dApp developers, aiming to simplify how apps cover gas fees for users. Several projects launched SDKs or open-source libraries: Coinbase’s “Agent Kit” for AI agents and the collaborative Open Agents Alliance toolkit were introduced, and Story.xyz promoted its Story SDK for on-chain intellectual property licensing during their own hackathon event.

Bounties and hacker support further augmented the developer experience. With over 180 bounties offered by 62 sponsors, hackers effectively had a menu of specific challenges to choose from, each coming with documentation, office hours, and sometimes bespoke sandboxes. For example, Optimism’s bounty challenged devs to use the latest Bedrock opcodes (with their engineers on standby to assist), and Uniswap’s challenge provided access to their new API for off-ramp integration. Tools for coordination and learning – like the official ETHDenver mobile app and Discord channels – kept developers informed of schedule changes, side quests, and even job opportunities via the ETHDenver job board.

One notable resource was the emphasis on quadratic funding experiments and on-chain voting. ETHDenver integrated a quadratic voting system for hackathon judging, exposing many developers to the concept. Additionally, the presence of Gitcoin and other public goods groups meant devs could learn about grant funding for their projects after the event. In sum, ETHDenver 2025 equipped developers with cutting-edge tools (SDKs, APIs), expert guidance, and follow-on support to continue their projects. For industry professionals, it’s a reminder that nurturing the developer community – through education, tooling, and funding – is critical. Many of the resources highlighted (like new SDKs, or improved dev environments) are now publicly available, offering teams everywhere a chance to build on the shoulders of what was shared at ETHDenver.

Side Events and Community Gatherings Enriching the ETHDenver Experience

What truly sets ETHDenver apart is its festival-like atmosphere – dozens of side events, both official and unofficial, created a rich tapestry of experiences around the main conference. In 2025, beyond the National Western Complex where official content ran, the entire city buzzed with meetups, parties, hackathons, and community gatherings. These side events, often hosted by sponsors or local Web3 groups, significantly contributed to the broader ETHDenver experience.

On the official front, ETHDenver’s own schedule included themed mini-events: the venue had zones like an NFT Art Gallery, a Blockchain Arcade, a DJ Chill Dome, and even a Zen Zone to decompress. The organizers also hosted evening events such as opening and closing parties – e.g., the “Crack’d House” unofficial opening party on Feb 26 by Story Protocol, which blended an artsy performance with hackathon award announcements. But it was the community-led side events that truly proliferated: according to an event guide, over 100 side happenings were tracked on the ETHDenver Luma calendar.

Some examples illustrate the diversity of these gatherings:

  • Technical Summits & Hacker Houses: ElizaOS and EigenLayer ran a 9-day Vault AI Agent Hacker House residency for AI+Web3 enthusiasts. StarkNet’s team hosted a multi-day hacker house culminating in a demo night for projects on their ZK-rollup. These provided focused environments for developers to collaborate on specific tech stacks outside the main hackathon.
  • Networking Mixers & Parties: Every evening offered a slate of choices. Builder Nights Denver on Feb 27, sponsored by MetaMask, Linea, EigenLayer, Wormhole and others, brought together innovators for casual talks over food and drink. 3VO’s Mischief Minded Club Takeover, backed by Belong, was a high-level networking party for community tokenization leaders. For those into pure fun, the BEMO Rave (with Berachain and others) and rAIve the Night (an AI-themed rave) kept the crypto crowd dancing late into the night – blending music, art, and crypto culture.
  • Special Interest Gatherings: Niche communities found their space too. Meme Combat was an event purely for meme enthusiasts to celebrate the role of memes in crypto. House of Ink catered to NFT artists and collectors, turning an immersive art venue (Meow Wolf Denver) into a showcase for digital art. SheFi Summit on Feb 26 brought together women in Web3 for talks and networking, supported by groups like World of Women and Celo – highlighting a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  • Investor & Content Creator Meetups: We already touched on VC events; additionally, a KOL (Key Opinion Leaders) Gathering on Feb 28 let crypto influencers and content creators discuss engagement strategies, showing the intersection of social media and crypto communities.

Crucially, these side events weren’t just entertainment – they often served as incubators for ideas and relationships in their own right. For instance, the Tokenized Capital Summit 2025 delved into the future of capital markets on-chain, likely sparking collaborations between fintech entrepreneurs and blockchain developers in attendance. The On-Chain Gaming Hacker House provided a space for game developers to share best practices, which may lead to cross-pollination among blockchain gaming projects.

For professionals attending large conferences, ETHDenver’s model underscores that value is found off the main stage as much as on it. The breadth of unofficial programming allowed attendees to tailor their experience – whether one’s goal was to meet investors, learn a new skill, find a co-founder, or just unwind and build camaraderie, there was an event for that. Many veterans advise newcomers: “Don’t just attend the talks – go to the meetups and say hi.” In a space as community-driven as Web3, these human connections often translate into DAO collaborations, investment deals, or at the very least, lasting friendships that span continents. ETHDenver 2025’s vibrant side scene amplified the core conference, turning one week in Denver into a multi-dimensional festival of innovation.

Key Takeaways and Actionable Insights

ETHDenver 2025 demonstrated a Web3 industry in full bloom of innovation and collaboration. For professionals in the space, several clear takeaways and action items emerge from this deep dive:

  • Diversification of Trends: The event made it evident that Web3 is no longer monolithic. Emerging domains like AI integration, DePIN, and RWA tokenization are as prominent as DeFi and NFTs. Actionable insight: Stay informed and adaptable. Leaders should allocate R&D or investment into these rising verticals (e.g. exploring how AI could enhance their dApp, or how real-world assets might be integrated into DeFi platforms) to ride the next wave of growth.
  • Cross-Chain is the Future: With major non-Ethereum protocols actively participating, the walls between ecosystems are lowering. Interoperability and multi-chain user experiences garnered huge attention, from MetaMask adding Bitcoin/Solana support to Polkadot and Cosmos-based chains courting Ethereum developers. Actionable insight: Design for a multi-chain world. Projects should consider integrations or bridges that tap into liquidity and users on other chains, and professionals may seek partnerships across communities rather than staying siloed.
  • Community & Public Goods Matter: The “Year of the Regenerates” theme wasn’t just rhetoric – it permeated the content via public goods funding discussions, quadratic voting for hacks, and events like SheFi Summit. Ethical, sustainable development and community ownership are key values in the Ethereum ethos. Actionable insight: Incorporate regenerative principles. Whether through supporting open-source initiatives, using fair launch mechanisms, or aligning business models with community growth, Web3 companies can gain goodwill and longevity by not being purely extractive.
  • Investor Sentiment – Cautious but Bold: Despite bear market murmurs, ETHDenver showed that VCs are actively scouting and willing to bet big on Web3’s next chapters. However, they are also rethinking how to invest (e.g. more strategic, perhaps more oversight on product-market fit, and openness to community funding). Actionable insight: If you’re a startup, focus on fundamentals and storytelling. The projects that stood out had clear use cases and often working prototypes (some built in a weekend!). If you’re an investor, the conference affirmed that infrastructure (L2s, security, dev tools) remains high-priority, but differentiating via theses in AI, gaming, or social can position a fund at the forefront.
  • Developer Experience is Improving: ETHDenver highlighted many new toolkits, SDKs, and frameworks lowering the barrier for Web3 development – from account abstraction tools to on-chain AI libraries. Actionable insight: Leverage these resources. Teams should experiment with the latest dev tools unveiled (e.g. try out that zkSync Smart SSO for easier logins, or use the Open Agents Alliance resources for an AI project) to accelerate their development and stay ahead of the competition. Moreover, companies should continue engaging with hackathons and open developer forums as a way to source talent and ideas; ETHDenver’s success in turning hackers into founders is proof of that model.
  • The Power of Side Events: Lastly, the explosion of side events taught an important lesson in networking – opportunities often appear in casual settings. A chance encounter at a happy hour or a shared interest at a small meetup can create career-defining connections. Actionable insight: For those attending industry conferences, plan beyond the official agenda. Identify side events aligned with your goals (whether it’s meeting investors, learning a niche skill, or recruiting talent) and be proactive in engaging. As seen in Denver, those who immersed themselves fully in the week’s ecosystem walked away with not just knowledge, but new partners, hires, and friends.

In conclusion, ETHDenver 2025 was a microcosm of the Web3 industry’s momentum – a blend of cutting-edge tech discourse, passionate community energy, strategic investment moves, and a culture that mixes serious innovation with fun. Professionals should view the trends and insights from the event as a roadmap for where Web3 is headed. The actionable next step is to take these learnings – whether it’s a newfound focus on AI, a connection made with an L2 team, or inspiration from a hackathon project – and translate them into strategy. In the spirit of ETHDenver’s favorite motto, it’s time to #BUIDL on these insights and help shape the decentralized future that so many in Denver came together to envision.

Altera.al Is Hiring: Join the Pioneers of Digital Human Development ($600K-1M Compensation)

· 2 min read

We're excited to share a transformative opportunity at Altera.al, a breakthrough AI startup that recently made waves with their groundbreaking work in developing digital humans. Recently featured in MIT Technology Review, Altera.al has demonstrated remarkable progress in creating AI agents that can develop humanlike behaviors, form communities, and interact meaningfully in digital spaces.

Altera.al: Join the Frontier of Digital Human Development with Compensation of $600K-1M

About Altera.al

Founded by Robert Yang, who left his position as an assistant professor in computational neuroscience at MIT to pursue this vision, Altera.al has already secured over $11 million in funding from prestigious investors including A16Z and Eric Schmidt's emerging tech VC firm. Their recent Project Sid demonstration showed AI agents spontaneously developing specialized roles, forming social connections, and even creating cultural systems within Minecraft - a significant step toward their goal of creating truly autonomous AI agents that can collaborate at scale.

Why Now Is an Exciting Time to Join

Altera.al has achieved a significant technical breakthrough in their mission to develop machines with fundamental human qualities. Their work goes beyond traditional AI development - they're creating digital beings that can:

  • Form communities and social hierarchies
  • Develop specialized roles and responsibilities
  • Create and spread cultural patterns
  • Interact meaningfully with humans in digital spaces

Who They're Looking For

Following their recent breakthrough, Altera.al is scaling their team and offering exceptional compensation packages ranging from $600,000 to $1,000,000 for:

  • Experts in AI agent research
  • Strong Individual Contributors in:
    • Distributed systems
    • Security
    • Operating systems

How to Apply

Ready to be part of this groundbreaking journey? Apply directly through their careers page: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/altera.al

Join the Future of Digital Human Development

This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human behavior modeling, with a team that's already demonstrating remarkable results. If you're passionate about pushing the boundaries of what's possible in AI and human-machine interaction, Altera.al could be your next adventure.


For more updates on groundbreaking opportunities in tech and blockchain, follow us on Twitter or join our Discord community.

This post is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting innovation and connecting talent with transformative opportunities in the tech industry.

A16Z’s Crypto 2025 Outlook: Twelve Ideas That Might Reshape the Next Internet

· 8 min read

Every year, a16z publishes sweeping predictions on the technologies that will define our future. This time, their crypto team has painted a vivid picture of a 2025 where blockchains, AI, and advanced governance experiments collide.

I’ve summarized and commented on their key insights below, focusing on what I see as the big levers for change — and possible stumbling blocks. If you’re a tech builder, investor, or simply curious about the next wave of the internet, this piece is for you.

1. AI Meets Crypto Wallets

Key Insight: AI models are moving from “NPCs” in the background to “main characters,” acting independently in online (and potentially physical) economies. That means they’ll need crypto wallets of their own.

  • What It Means: Instead of an AI just spitting out answers, it might hold, spend, or invest digital assets — transacting on behalf of its human owner or purely on its own.
  • Potential Payoff: Higher-efficiency “agentic AIs” could help businesses with supply chain coordination, data management, or automated trading.
  • Watch Out For: How do we ensure an AI is truly autonomous, not just secretly manipulated by humans? Trusted execution environments (TEEs) can provide technical guarantees, but establishing trust in a “robot with a wallet” won’t happen overnight.

2. Rise of the DAC (Decentralized Autonomous Chatbot)

Key Insight: A chatbot running autonomously in a TEE can manage its own keys, post content on social media, gather followers, and even generate revenue — all without direct human control.

  • What It Means: Think of an AI influencer that can’t be silenced by any one person because it literally controls itself.
  • Potential Payoff: A glimpse of a world where content creators aren’t individuals but self-governing algorithms with million-dollar (or billion-dollar) valuations.
  • Watch Out For: If an AI breaks laws, who’s liable? Regulatory guardrails will be tricky when the “entity” is a set of code housed on distributed servers.

3. Proof of Personhood Becomes Essential

Key Insight: With AI lowering the cost of generating hyper-realistic fakes, we need better ways to verify that we’re interacting with real humans online. Enter privacy-preserving unique IDs.

  • What It Means: Every user might eventually have a certified “human stamp” — hopefully without sacrificing personal data.
  • Potential Payoff: This could drastically reduce spam, scams, and bot armies. It also lays the groundwork for more trustworthy social networks and community platforms.
  • Watch Out For: Adoption is the main barrier. Even the best proof-of-personhood solutions need broad acceptance before malicious actors outpace them.

4. From Prediction Markets to Broader Information Aggregation

Key Insight: 2024’s election-driven prediction markets grabbed headlines, but a16z sees a bigger trend: using blockchain to design new ways of revealing and aggregating truths — be it in governance, finance, or community decisions.

  • What It Means: Distributed incentive mechanisms can reward people for honest input or data. We might see specialized “truth markets” for everything from local sensor networks to global supply chains.
  • Potential Payoff: A more transparent, less gameable data layer for society.
  • Watch Out For: Sufficient liquidity and user participation remain challenging. For niche questions, “prediction pools” can be too small to yield meaningful signals.

5. Stablecoins Go Enterprise

Key Insight: Stablecoins are already the cheapest way to move digital dollars, but large companies haven’t embraced them — yet.

  • What It Means: SMBs and high-transaction merchants might wake up to the idea that they can save hefty credit-card fees by adopting stablecoins. Enterprises that process billions in annual revenue could do the same, potentially adding 2% to their bottom lines.
  • Potential Payoff: Faster, cheaper global payments, plus a new wave of stablecoin-based financial products.
  • Watch Out For: Companies will need new ways to manage fraud protection, identity verification, and refunds — previously handled by credit-card providers.

6. Government Bonds on the Blockchain

Key Insight: Governments exploring on-chain bonds could create interest-bearing digital assets that function without the privacy issues of a central bank digital currency.

  • What It Means: On-chain bonds could serve as high-quality collateral in DeFi, letting sovereign debt seamlessly integrate with decentralized lending protocols.
  • Potential Payoff: Greater transparency, potentially lower issuance costs, and a more democratized bond market.
  • Watch Out For: Skeptical regulators and potential inertia in big institutions. Legacy clearing systems won’t disappear easily.

Key Insight: Wyoming introduced a new category called the “decentralized unincorporated nonprofit association” (DUNA), meant to give DAOs legal standing in the U.S.

  • What It Means: DAOs can now hold property, sign contracts, and limit the liability of token holders. This opens the door for more mainstream usage and real commercial activity.
  • Potential Payoff: If other states follow Wyoming’s lead (as they did with LLCs), DAOs will become normal business entities.
  • Watch Out For: Public perception is still fuzzy on what DAOs do. They’ll need a track record of successful projects that translate to real-world benefits.

8. Liquid Democracy in the Physical World

Key Insight: Blockchain-based governance experiments might extend from online DAO communities to local-level elections. Voters could delegate their votes or vote directly — “liquid democracy.”

  • What It Means: More flexible representation. You can choose to vote on specific issues or hand that responsibility to someone you trust.
  • Potential Payoff: Potentially more engaged citizens and dynamic policymaking.
  • Watch Out For: Security concerns, technical literacy, and general skepticism around mixing blockchain with official elections.

9. Building on Existing Infrastructure (Instead of Reinventing It)

Key Insight: Startups often spend time reinventing base-layer technology (consensus protocols, programming languages) rather than focusing on product-market fit. In 2025, they’ll pick off-the-shelf components more often.

  • What It Means: Faster speed to market, more reliable systems, and greater composability.
  • Potential Payoff: Less time wasted building a new blockchain from scratch; more time spent on the user problem you’re solving.
  • Watch Out For: It’s tempting to over-specialize for performance gains. But specialized languages or consensus layers can create higher overhead for developers.

10. User Experience First, Infrastructure Second

Key Insight: Crypto needs to “hide the wires.” We don’t make consumers learn SMTP to send email — so why force them to learn “EIPs” or “rollups”?

  • What It Means: Product teams will choose the technical underpinnings that serve a great user experience, not vice versa.
  • Potential Payoff: A big leap in user onboarding, reducing friction and jargon.
  • Watch Out For: “Build it and they will come” only works if you truly nail the experience. Marketing lingo about “easy crypto UX” means nothing if people are still forced to wrangle private keys or memorize arcane acronyms.

11. Crypto’s Own App Stores Emerge

Key Insight: From Worldcoin’s World App marketplace to Solana’s dApp Store, crypto-friendly platforms provide distribution and discovery free from Apple or Google’s gatekeeping.

  • What It Means: If you’re building a decentralized application, you can reach users without fear of sudden deplatforming.
  • Potential Payoff: Tens (or hundreds) of thousands of new users discovering your dApp in days, instead of being lost in the sea of centralized app stores.
  • Watch Out For: These stores need enough user base and momentum to compete with Apple and Google. That’s a big hurdle. Hardware tie-ins (like specialized crypto phones) might help.

12. Tokenizing ‘Unconventional’ Assets

Key Insight: As blockchain infrastructure matures and fees drop, tokenizing everything from biometric data to real-world curiosities becomes more feasible.

  • What It Means: A “long tail” of unique assets can be fractionalized and traded globally. People could even monetize personal data in a controlled, consent-based way.
  • Potential Payoff: Massive new markets for otherwise “locked up” assets, plus interesting new data pools for AI to consume.
  • Watch Out For: Privacy pitfalls and ethical landmines. Just because you can tokenize something doesn’t mean you should.

A16Z’s 2025 outlook shows a crypto sector that’s reaching for broader adoption, more responsible governance, and deeper integration with AI. Where previous cycles dwelled on speculation or hype, this vision revolves around utility: stablecoins saving merchants 2% on every latte, AI chatbots operating their own businesses, local governments experimenting with liquid democracy.

Yet execution risk looms. Regulators worldwide remain skittish, and user experience is still too messy for the mainstream. 2025 might be the year that crypto and AI finally “grow up,” or it might be a halfway step — it all depends on whether teams can ship real products people love, not just protocols for the cognoscenti.

Can 0G’s Decentralized AI Operating System Truly Drive AI On-Chain at Scale?

· 11 min read

On November 13, 2024, 0G Labs announced a $40 million funding round led by Hack VC, Delphi Digital, OKX Ventures, Samsung Next, and Animoca Brands, thrusting the team behind this decentralized AI operating system into the spotlight. Their modular approach combines decentralized storage, data availability verification, and decentralized settlement to enable AI applications on-chain. But can they realistically achieve GB/s-level throughput to fuel the next era of AI adoption on Web3? This in-depth report evaluates 0G’s architecture, incentive mechanics, ecosystem traction, and potential pitfalls, aiming to help you gauge whether 0G can deliver on its promise.

Background

The AI sector has been on a meteoric rise, catalyzed by large language models like ChatGPT and ERNIE Bot. Yet AI is more than just chatbots and generative text; it also includes everything from AlphaGo’s Go victories to image generation tools like MidJourney. The holy grail that many developers pursue is a general-purpose AI, or AGI (Artificial General Intelligence)—colloquially described as an AI “Agent” capable of learning, perception, decision-making, and complex execution similar to human intelligence.

However, both AI and AI Agent applications are extremely data-intensive. They rely on massive datasets for training and inference. Traditionally, this data is stored and processed on centralized infrastructure. With the advent of blockchain, a new approach known as DeAI (Decentralized AI) has emerged. DeAI attempts to leverage decentralized networks for data storage, sharing, and verification to overcome the pitfalls of traditional, centralized AI solutions.

0G Labs stands out in this DeAI infrastructure landscape, aiming to build a decentralized AI operating system known simply as 0G.

What Is 0G Labs?

In traditional computing, an Operating System (OS) manages hardware and software resources—think Microsoft Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, or Android. An OS abstracts away the complexity of the underlying hardware, making it easier for both end-users and developers to interact with the computer.

By analogy, the 0G OS aspires to fulfill a similar role in Web3:

  • Manage decentralized storage, compute, and data availability.
  • Simplify on-chain AI application deployment.

Why decentralization? Conventional AI systems store and process data in centralized silos, raising concerns around data transparency, user privacy, and fair compensation for data providers. 0G’s approach uses decentralized storage, cryptographic proofs, and open incentive models to mitigate these risks.

The name “0G” stands for “Zero Gravity.” The team envisions an environment where data exchange and computation feel “weightless”—everything from AI training to inference and data availability happens seamlessly on-chain.

The 0G Foundation, formally established in October 2024, drives this initiative. Its stated mission is to make AI a public good—one that is accessible, verifiable, and open to all.

Key Components of the 0G Operating System

Fundamentally, 0G is a modular architecture designed specifically to support AI applications on-chain. Its three primary pillars are:

  1. 0G Storage – A decentralized storage network.
  2. 0G DA (Data Availability) – A specialized data availability layer ensuring data integrity.
  3. 0G Compute Network – Decentralized compute resource management and settlement for AI inference (and eventually training).

These pillars work in concert under the umbrella of a Layer1 network called 0G Chain, which is responsible for consensus and settlement.

According to the 0G Whitepaper (“0G: Towards Data Availability 2.0”), both the 0G Storage and 0G DA layers build on top of 0G Chain. Developers can launch multiple custom PoS consensus networks, each functioning as part of the 0G DA and 0G Storage framework. This modular approach means that as system load grows, 0G can dynamically add new validator sets or specialized nodes to scale out.

0G Storage

0G Storage is a decentralized storage system geared for large-scale data. It uses distributed nodes with built-in incentives for storing user data. Crucially, it splits data into smaller, redundant “chunks” using Erasure Coding (EC), distributing these chunks across different storage nodes. If a node fails, data can still be reconstructed from redundant chunks.

Supported Data Types

0G Storage accommodates both structured and unstructured data.

  1. Structured Data is stored in a Key-Value (KV) layer, suitable for dynamic and frequently updated information (think databases, collaborative documents, etc.).
  2. Unstructured Data is stored in a Log layer which appends data entries chronologically. This layer is akin to a file system optimized for large-scale, append-only workloads.

By stacking a KV layer on top of the Log layer, 0G Storage can serve diverse AI application needs—from storing large model weights (unstructured) to dynamic user-based data or real-time metrics (structured).

PoRA Consensus

PoRA (Proof of Random Access) ensures storage nodes actually hold the chunks they claim to store. Here’s how it works:

  • Storage miners are periodically challenged to produce cryptographic hashes of specific random data chunks they store.
  • They must respond by generating a valid hash (similar to PoW-like puzzle-solving) derived from their local copy of the data.

To level the playing field, the system limits mining competitions to 8 TB segments. A large miner can subdivide its hardware into multiple 8 TB partitions, while smaller miners compete within a single 8 TB boundary.

Incentive Design

Data in 0G Storage is divided into 8 GB “Pricing Segments.” Each segment has both a donation pool and a reward pool. Users who wish to store data pay a fee in 0G Token (ZG), which partially funds node rewards.

  • Base Reward: When a storage node submits valid PoRA proofs, it gets immediate block rewards for that segment.
  • Ongoing Reward: Over time, the donation pool releases a portion (currently ~4% per year) into the reward pool, incentivizing nodes to store data permanently. The fewer the nodes storing a particular segment, the larger the share each node can earn.

Users only pay once for permanent storage, but must set a donation fee above a system minimum. The higher the donation, the more likely miners are to replicate the user’s data.

Royalty Mechanism: 0G Storage also includes a “royalty” or “data sharing” mechanism. Early storage providers create “royalty records” for each data chunk. If new nodes want to store that same chunk, the original node can share it. When the new node later proves storage (via PoRA), the original data provider receives an ongoing royalty. The more widely replicated the data, the higher the aggregate reward for early providers.

Comparisons with Filecoin and Arweave

Similarities:

  • All three incentivize decentralized data storage.
  • Both 0G Storage and Arweave aim for permanent storage.
  • Data chunking and redundancy are standard approaches.

Key Differences:

  • Native Integration: 0G Storage is not an independent blockchain; it’s integrated directly with 0G Chain and primarily supports AI-centric use cases.
  • Structured Data: 0G supports KV-based structured data alongside unstructured data, which is critical for many AI workloads requiring frequent read-write access.
  • Cost: 0G claims $10–11/TB for permanent storage, reportedly cheaper than Arweave.
  • Performance Focus: Specifically designed to meet AI throughput demands, whereas Filecoin or Arweave are more general-purpose decentralized storage networks.

0G DA (Data Availability Layer)

Data availability ensures that every network participant can fully verify and retrieve transaction data. If the data is incomplete or withheld, the blockchain’s trust assumptions break.

In the 0G system, data is chunked and stored off-chain. The system records Merkle roots for these data chunks, and DA nodes must sample these chunks to ensure they match the Merkle root and erasure-coding commitments. Only then is the data deemed “available” and appended into the chain’s consensus state.

DA Node Selection and Incentives

  • DA nodes must stake ZG to participate.
  • They’re grouped into quorums randomly via Verifiable Random Functions (VRFs).
  • Each node only validates a subset of data. If 2/3 of a quorum confirm the data as available and correct, they sign a proof that’s aggregated and submitted to the 0G consensus network.
  • Reward distribution also happens through periodic sampling. Only the nodes storing randomly sampled chunks are eligible for that round’s rewards.

Comparison with Celestia and EigenLayer

0G DA draws on ideas from Celestia (data availability sampling) and EigenLayer (restaking) but aims to provide higher throughput. Celestia’s throughput currently hovers around 10 MB/s with ~12-second block times. Meanwhile, EigenDA primarily serves Layer2 solutions and can be complex to implement. 0G envisions GB/s throughput, which better suits large-scale AI workloads that can exceed 50–100 GB/s of data ingestion.

0G Compute Network

0G Compute Network serves as the decentralized computing layer. It’s evolving in phases:

  • Phase 1: Focus on settlement for AI inference.
  • The network matches “AI model buyers” (users) with compute providers (sellers) in a decentralized marketplace. Providers register their services and prices in a smart contract. Users pre-fund the contract, consume the service, and the contract mediates payment.
  • Over time, the team hopes to expand to full-blown AI training on-chain, though that’s more complex.

Batch Processing: Providers can batch user requests to reduce on-chain overhead, improving efficiency and lowering costs.

0G Chain

0G Chain is a Layer1 network serving as the foundation for 0G’s modular architecture. It underpins:

  • 0G Storage (via smart contracts)
  • 0G DA (data availability proofs)
  • 0G Compute (settlement mechanisms)

Per official docs, 0G Chain is EVM-compatible, enabling easy integration for dApps that require advanced data storage, availability, or compute.

0G Consensus Network

0G’s consensus mechanism is somewhat unique. Rather than a single monolithic consensus layer, multiple independent consensus networks can be launched under 0G to handle different workloads. These networks share the same staking base:

  • Shared Staking: Validators stake ZG on Ethereum. If a validator misbehaves, their staked ZG on Ethereum can be slashed.
  • Scalability: New consensus networks can be spun up to scale horizontally.

Reward Mechanism: When validators finalize blocks in the 0G environment, they receive tokens. However, the tokens they earn on 0G Chain are burned in the local environment, and the validator’s Ethereum-based account is minted an equivalent amount, ensuring a single point of liquidity and security.

0G Token (ZG)

ZG is an ERC-20 token representing the backbone of 0G’s economy. It’s minted, burned, and circulated via smart contracts on Ethereum. In practical terms:

  • Users pay for storage, data availability, and compute resources in ZG.
  • Miners and validators earn ZG for proving storage or validating data.
  • Shared staking ties the security model back to Ethereum.

Summary of Key Modules

0G OS merges four components—Storage, DA, Compute, and Chain—into one interconnected, modular stack. The system’s design goal is scalability, with each layer horizontally extensible. The team touts the potential for “infinite” throughput, especially crucial for large-scale AI tasks.

0G Ecosystem

Although relatively new, the 0G ecosystem already includes key integration partners:

  1. Infrastructure & Tooling:

    • ZK solutions like Union, Brevis, Gevulot
    • Cross-chain solutions like Axelar
    • Restaking protocols like EigenLayer, Babylon, PingPong
    • Decentralized GPU providers IoNet, exaBits
    • Oracle solutions Hemera, Redstone
    • Indexing tools for Ethereum blob data
  2. Projects Using 0G for Data Storage & DA:

    • Polygon, Optimism (OP), Arbitrum, Manta for L2 / L3 integration
    • Nodekit, AltLayer for Web3 infrastructure
    • Blade Games, Shrapnel for on-chain gaming

Supply Side

ZK and Cross-chain frameworks connect 0G to external networks. Restaking solutions (e.g., EigenLayer, Babylon) strengthen security and possibly attract liquidity. GPU networks accelerate erasure coding. Oracle solutions feed off-chain data or reference AI model pricing.

Demand Side

AI Agents can tap 0G for both data storage and inference. L2s and L3s can integrate 0G’s DA to improve throughput. Gaming and other dApps requiring robust data solutions can store assets, logs, or scoring systems on 0G. Some have already partnered with the project, pointing to early ecosystem traction.

Roadmap & Risk Factors

0G aims to make AI a public utility, accessible and verifiable by anyone. The team aspires to GB/s-level DA throughput—crucial for real-time AI training that can demand 50–100 GB/s of data transfer.

Co-founder & CEO Michael Heinrich has stated that the explosive growth of AI makes timely iteration critical. The pace of AI innovation is fast; 0G’s own dev progress must keep up.

Potential Trade-Offs:

  • Current reliance on shared staking might be an intermediate solution. Eventually, 0G plans to introduce a horizontally scalable consensus layer that can be incrementally augmented (akin to spinning up new AWS nodes).
  • Market Competition: Many specialized solutions exist for decentralized storage, data availability, and compute. 0G’s all-in-one approach must stay compelling.
  • Adoption & Ecosystem Growth: Without robust developer traction, the promised “unlimited throughput” remains theoretical.
  • Sustainability of Incentives: Ongoing motivation for nodes depends on real user demand and an equilibrium token economy.

Conclusion

0G attempts to unify decentralized storage, data availability, and compute into a single “operating system” supporting on-chain AI. By targeting GB/s throughput, the team seeks to break the performance barrier that currently deters large-scale AI from migrating on-chain. If successful, 0G could significantly accelerate the Web3 AI wave by providing a scalable, integrated, and developer-friendly infrastructure.

Still, many open questions remain. The viability of “infinite throughput” hinges on whether 0G’s modular consensus and incentive structures can seamlessly scale. External factors—market demand, node uptime, developer adoption—will also determine 0G’s staying power. Nonetheless, 0G’s approach to addressing AI’s data bottlenecks is novel and ambitious, hinting at a promising new paradigm for on-chain AI.

Decentralized AI: Permissionless LLM Inference on BlockEden.xyz

· 5 min read
Dora Noda
Software Engineer

BlockEden.xyz, known for its Remote Procedure Call (RPC) infrastructure, is expanding into AI inference services. This evolution leverages its open-source, permissionless design to create a marketplace where model researchers, hardware operators, API providers, and users interact seamlessly. The network's Relay Mining algorithm ensures a transparent and verifiable service, presenting a unique opportunity for large model AI researchers to monetize their work without infrastructure maintenance.

The Core Problem

The AI landscape faces significant challenges, including:

  • Restricted Model-Serving Environments: Resource-intensive infrastructure limits AI researchers' ability to experiment with various models.
  • Unsustainable Business Models for Open Source Innovation: Independent engineers struggle to monetize their work, relying on major infrastructure providers.
  • Unequal Market Access: Enterprise-grade models dominate, leaving mid-tier models and users underserved.

BlockEden.xyz’s Unique Value Proposition

BlockEden.xyz addresses these issues by decoupling the infrastructure layer from the product and services layer, ensuring an open and decentralized framework. This setup enables high-quality service delivery and aligns incentives among all network participants.

Key benefits include:

  • Established Network: Utilizing an existing network of BlockEden.xyz's services to streamline model access and service quality.
  • Separation of Concerns: Each stakeholder focuses on their strengths, improving overall ecosystem efficiency.
  • Incentive Alignment: Cryptographic proofs and performance measurements drive competition and transparency.
  • Permissionless Models & Supply: An open marketplace for cost-effective hardware supply.

Decentralized AI Inference Stakeholders

Model Providers: Coordinators

Coordinators manage the product and services layer, optimizing service quality and providing seamless access for applications. Coordinators discreetly ensure supplier integrity by posing as regular users, offering unbiased performance assessments.

Model Users: Applications

Applications typically use first-party coordinators but can also access the network with a third-party for enhanced privacy and cost savings. Direct access allows for diverse use case experimentation and eliminates intermediary costs.

Model Suppliers: Hardware Operators

Suppliers run inference nodes to earn tokens. Their competencies in DevOps, hardware maintenance, and logging are crucial for network growth. The permissionless approach encourages participation from various hardware providers, including those with idle or dormant resources.

Model Sources: Engineers & Researchers

Researchers and institutions that open-source models can earn revenue based on usage. This model incentivizes innovation without the need for infrastructure maintenance, providing a sustainable business model for open-source contributors.

Working with Cuckoo Network

BlockEden.xyz collaborates with Cuckoo Network to revolutionize AI inference through a decentralized and permissionless infrastructure. This partnership focuses on leveraging both platforms' strengths to create a seamless and efficient ecosystem for AI model deployment and monetization.

Key Collaboration Areas

  • Infrastructure Integration: Combining BlockEden.xyz's robust RPC infrastructure with Cuckoo Network's decentralized model-serving capabilities to offer a scalable and resilient AI inference service.
  • Model Distribution: Facilitating the distribution of open-source AI models across the network, enabling researchers to reach a broader audience and monetize their innovations without the need for extensive infrastructure.
  • Quality Assurance: Implementing mechanisms for continuous monitoring and assessment of model performance and supplier integrity, ensuring high-quality service delivery and reliability.
  • Economic Incentives: Aligning economic incentives across all stakeholders through cryptographic proofs and performance-based rewards, fostering a competitive and transparent marketplace.
  • Privacy and Security: Enhancing privacy-preserving operations and secure model inference through advanced technologies like Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and decentralized data storage solutions.
  • Community and Support: Building a supportive community for AI researchers and developers, providing resources, guidance, and incentives to drive innovation and adoption within the decentralized AI ecosystem.

By partnering with Cuckoo Network, BlockEden.xyz aims to create a holistic and decentralized approach to AI inference, empowering researchers, developers, and users with a robust, transparent, and efficient platform for AI model deployment and utilization. You can now try decentralized text-to-image API at https://blockeden.xyz/api-marketplace/cuckoo-ai.

Input/Output of a Decentralized Inference Network

LLM Inputs to Cuckoo Network:

  • Open-source models
  • Demand from end-users or Applications
  • Aggregated supply from commodity hardware
  • Quality of service guarantees

LLM Outputs from Cuckoo Network:

  • No downtime
  • Seamless model experimentation
  • Public model evaluation
  • Privacy-preserving operations
  • Censorship-free models

Web3 Ecosystem Integrations

BlockEden.xyz's RPC protocol can integrate with other Web3 protocols to enhance Decentralized AI (DecAI):

Data & Storage Networks: Seamless integration with decentralized storage solutions like Filecoin/IPFS and Arweave for model storage and data integrity.

Compute Networks: Complementary services leveraging decentralized computing layers like Akash and Render, supporting both dedicated and idle hardware.

Inference Networks: Flexible deployment models and robust ecosystems supporting diverse inference tasks.

Applications: AI agents, consumer apps, and IoT devices benefit from DecAI inference for personalized services, data privacy, and edge decision-making.

Summary

BlockEden.xyz's established infrastructure and economic design unlock new opportunities for open-source AI. By providing a decentralized and verifiable service, it bridges the gap between open-source AI and Web3, enabling innovative, sustainable, and reliable services. This approach allows for greater model diversity, better market access for SMEs, and a new business model for open-source researchers. Future developments will continue to expand the ecosystem, ensuring BlockEden.xyz remains a robust and adaptable solution in the evolving AI and blockchain landscapes.

Unveiling the Integration of OpenAI ChatGPT API in BlockEden.xyz's API Marketplace

· 4 min read
Dora Noda
Software Engineer

We are glad to announce that BlockEden.xyz, web3 developers' go-to platform for API marketplace, has added a new, powerful capability – OpenAI API. Yes, you heard it right! Developers, tech enthusiasts, and AI pioneers can now leverage the cutting-edge machine learning models offered by OpenAI, directly through BlockEden's API Marketplace.

Before we dive into the how-to guide, let's understand what OpenAI API brings to the table. OpenAI API is a gateway to AI models developed by OpenAI, such as the industry-renowned GPT-3, the state-of-the-art transformer-based language model known for its remarkable ability to understand and generate human-like text. The API enables developers to use this advanced technology for a variety of applications, including drafting emails, writing code, answering questions, creating written content, tutoring, language translation, and much more.

Now, let's see how you can incorporate the power of OpenAI API into your applications using BlockEden.xyz. You can do it in three ways: using Python, using JavaScript (Node.js), or using curl directly from the command line. In this blog, we're going to provide the basic setup for each method, using a simple "Hello, World!" example.

The API key below is public and subject to change and rate limit. Get your own BLOCKEDEN_API_KEY from https://blockeden.xyz/dash instead.

Python:

Using Python, you can use the OpenAI API as shown in the following snippet:

import openai

BLOCKEDEN_API_KEY = "8UuXzatAZYDBJC6YZTKD"
openai.api_key = ""
openai.api_base = "https://api.blockeden.xyz/openai/" + BLOCKEDEN_API_KEY + "/v1"

response = openai.ChatCompletion.create(
model="gpt-3.5-turbo-16k",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "hello, world!"}],
temperature=0,
max_tokens=2048,
top_p=1,
frequency_penalty=0,
presence_penalty=0
)

print(response["choices"])

JavaScript (Node.js):

You can also utilize the OpenAI API with JavaScript. Here's how you can do it:

const { Configuration, OpenAIApi } = require("openai");

const BLOCKEDEN_API_KEY = "8UuXzatAZYDBJC6YZTKD";
const configuration = new Configuration({
basePath: "https://api.blockeden.xyz/openai/" + BLOCKEDEN_API_KEY + "/v1"
});
const openai = new OpenAIApi(configuration);

(async () => {
const response = await openai.createChatCompletion({
model: "gpt-3.5-turbo-16k",
messages: [{role: "user", content: "hello, world!"}],
temperature: 0,
max_tokens: 2048,
top_p: 1,
frequency_penalty: 0,
presence_penalty: 0,
});

console.log(JSON.stringify(response.data.choices, null, 2));
})()

cURL:

Last but not least, you can call the OpenAI API using curl directly from your terminal:

curl https://api.blockeden.xyz/openai/8UuXzatAZYDBJC6YZTKD/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "gpt-3.5-turbo-16k",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hello, world!"}],
"temperature": 0,
"max_tokens": 2048,
"top_p": 1,
"frequency_penalty": 0,
"presence_penalty": 0
}'

So, what's next? Dive in, experiment, and discover how you can leverage the power of OpenAI API for your projects, be it for chatbots, content generation, or any other NLP-based application. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination. With BlockEden.xyz's seamless integration with OpenAI, let's redefine the boundaries of what's possible.

For more information on OpenAI's capabilities, models, and usage, visit the official OpenAI documentation.

Happy Coding!

What is BlockEden.xyz

BlockEden.xyz is an API marketplace powering DApps of all sizes for Sui, Aptos, Solana, and 12 EVM blockchains. Why do our customers choose us?

  1. High availability. We maintain 99.9% uptime since our first API - Aptos main net launch.
  2. Inclusive API offerings and community. Our services have expanded to include Sui, Ethereum, IoTeX, Solana, Polygon, Polygon zkEVM, Filecoin, Harmony, BSC, Arbitrum, Optimism, Gnosis, Arbitrum Nova & EthStorage Galileo. Our community 10x.pub has 4000+ web3 innovators from Silicon Valley, Seattle, and NYC.
  3. Security. With over $45 million worth of tokens staked with us, our clients trust us to provide reliable and secure solutions for their web3 and blockchain needs.

We provide a comprehensive suite of services designed to empower every participant in the blockchain space, focusing on three key areas:

  • For blockchain protocol builders, we ensure robust security and decentralization by operating nodes and making long-term ecosystem contributions.
  • For DApp developers, we build user-friendly APIs to streamline development and unleash the full potential of decentralized applications.
  • For token holders, we offer a reliable staking service to maximize rewards and optimize asset management.