Helium Network
The Helium Network is a decentralized, blockchain-based platform that coordinates wireless coverage for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and mobile services through a global array of user-operated hotspots, which provide low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) connectivity via LoRaWAN and cellular data offload, earning rewards in its native cryptocurrency HNT via proof-of-coverage consensus.[1][2][3] Launched in 2019, the network has expanded to over 370,000 hotspots worldwide by 2025, enabling cumulative mobile data offload exceeding 2,700 terabytes in recent quarters and supporting nearly one million mobile devices, thereby challenging centralized telecommunications infrastructure with crowdsourced, incentivized deployment.[4][5][6] Its proof-of-coverage mechanism, which verifies hotspot locations and coverage without relying on trusted third parties, underpins the blockchain's consensus while data credits, generated by burning HNT, facilitate micropayments for network usage.[7][8] Helium's defining characteristics include its dual-network architecture for IoT and mobile, with expansions into 5G-compatible hotspots and governance via HNT staking, though it has faced scrutiny over hotspot profitability amid halvings that reduced annual emissions to 7.5 million HNT in August 2025, shifting focus from speculative mining hype to sustainable utility-driven growth.[9][10][11]