This article is provided by Roam and does not represent Wu's views.
In 2025, the DePIN sector is becoming a stronghold for the integration of Web3 and the real world. The "DePIN Annual Report" released by Messari earlier this year revealed several key figures: over 13 million DePIN devices worldwide serve daily infrastructure networks; although DePIN is still in its early stages and accounts for less than 0.1% of the trillion-dollar terminal market, it has already attracted over $350 million in early financing; in 2024, the "on-chain battle" accelerates, with Solana leading in the field of network infrastructure.
Two months ago, Roam had 1.2 million WiFi nodes, making its debut in the Messari report as one of the five DePIN projects worldwide with over one million hardware nodes. Now, the number of nodes has surpassed 3 million, with 2.5 million users and a total of 220 million network sign-in verifications. Roam leverages the deep integration of OpenRoaming technology and blockchain DID/VC technology, combined with a business model of free eSIM services and token incentives, to rapidly expand the scope of its wireless network business and service population, guiding users seamlessly into the Web3 ecosystem and providing opportunities for continuous income.
The application prospects of ROAM
Roam is the only Web3 IDP project in the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming™ corporate alliance, standing alongside giants like BT, Comcast, Cisco, and Google. Its network covers over 190 countries worldwide, with more than 3 million self-built nodes and over 4 million available OpenRoaming™ WiFi hotspots.
Roam was included in Messari's annual DePIN status report earlier this year due to having over a million hardware nodes. Recently, Messari released a special report titled Understanding Roam, which analyzes Roam. Additionally, Solana's official channel has released videos recommending Roam twice. Since December 2024, Roam has consistently ranked first in the DePINscan hardware node leaderboard, with the gap between it and the second place continuously widening.
On March 11, Messari released a special report Understanding Roam: A Comprehensive Overview.
Through the DID/VC privacy protection mechanism, WiFi OpenRoaming security standard, 5G network convergence, EAP authentication framework, and Trust-Over-IP decentralized identity management, Roam has built a secure, private, and decentralized wireless network service system to ensure that global users can enjoy seamless and secure network connections under the premise of ensuring privacy, and realize a truly transnational and cross-channel future communication operator model across different connection modes.
The Roam Discovery platform has collaborated with 25 projects, covering fields such as Layer 1, PayFi, AI, etc., providing ecosystem partners with WiFi node resources, software tools, and community support, facilitating the landing of more ecosystem Web3 applications. Roam also addresses the issue of data closure by traditional operators, ensuring data privacy and liquidity through DID/VC and TEE+ZK technology. As an AI data layer infrastructure, Roam’s 3W data (Who, When, Where) + payment/device data breaks down industry data barriers, distinguishing between real and generated data, thus enhancing AI training quality. Additionally, Roam provides DID identity and OpenRoaming certificates for AI agents, supporting smart home and IoT collaboration, accelerating the era of human-machine symbiosis.
After the TGE, the application scenarios of the ROAM token will continue to be implemented. Soon, ROAM will be usable in gaming centers (to incentivize player participation) and for direct consumption with credit cards (to enhance daily practicality), increasing token spending and user engagement.
Potential Signal in Volatility
ROAM users can also participate in the liquidity lock-up activities. Each lock-up period lasts for 28 days, and based on the amount of tokens locked, users will receive additional data rewards upon maturity: locking 100 ROAM earns 5 GB, 200 ROAM earns 12 GB, and 500 ROAM exchanges for 30 GB. Users can increase the amount of locked tokens at any time to obtain more data rewards. This design ties the tokens to actual network usage.
The total supply of Roam tokens is 1 billion, of which 120 million is allocated to the team (6 years of linear unlocking), 280 million is allocated to past and future investors (including airdrops), and the remainder is generated through mining. Currently, the circulating supply is 280 million, with a FDV of 180 million USD. There is still significant room for growth in the staking and lock-up rates. After the TGE, Roam will adjust the mining rules and optimize supply management to lay the foundation for long-term value growth.
ROAM's tokenomics is centered around a dual deflationary mechanism of points/tokens, reducing circulating supply through burn pools and reverse burn pools, thereby promoting scarcity and value enhancement. Previously, Roam launched the Pilot burn pool testing mechanism, which destroyed a quarter of the total points accumulated over the past year and a half within just over ten days of going live, with stable online participation exceeding 10,000 users. Regular users can earn points by adding WiFi, checking in, and participating in activities, and the upcoming AI interactions will also provide point rewards; mining machine users, on the other hand, can additionally earn points through mining, with potentially higher earnings after the adjustment of new mining rules. Reverse burning allows users to convert ROAM tokens into points (the conversion rate is based on the weighted average of the sticker pool and the general pool, which is dynamically adjusted), with 97% of the tokens being permanently destroyed, directly reducing circulation. Data from the Pilot burn pool shows that the point burn ratio for the general pool, sticker pool, and mining machine pool is 5:3:2, and reverse burning provides an arbitrage opportunity for users holding stickers (obtained only through check-ins), incentivizing them to purchase tokens from exchanges and participate.
This deflationary design draws on the principle of the "impossible triangle" to ensure the sustainability of the system. The token release curve is similar to Bitcoin's exponential decay: initially releasing 0.6% per month, dropping to 0.35% after 5 years, 0.2% after 10 years, 0.05% after 20 years, and only 0.001% after 50 years. At the same time, ROAM introduces a difficulty adjustment mechanism that dynamically adjusts the release speed based on network activity (number of Check-Ins). If activity declines, token release slows down to prevent value collapse; conversely, it increases moderately to eliminate inefficient nodes and enhance the returns of high-value nodes. This mechanism is similar to Bitcoin's hash rate adjustment, ensuring that token value is linked to network health, preventing a death spiral.
The practicality enhancement further strengthens the stability of the economic model. The number of WiFi nodes has increased from 1.2 million to 3 million, with users reaching 2.5 million, and intrinsic value continues to grow. The upcoming game center and credit card consumption scenarios will increase the demand for ROAM tokens, stimulating circulation consumption. The staking program offers ordinary users an annualized return of 50%, while mining machine users can reach as high as 200%, with a current locked amount of 627,000 ROAM. The upcoming acceleration feature will increase returns by 20%-30%, potentially pushing the staking rate up to 10% (28 million ROAM).
The content is for reference only, not a solicitation or offer. No investment, tax, or legal advice provided. See Disclaimer for more risks disclosure.
The application prospects and token model of DePIN newcomer Roam
This article is provided by Roam and does not represent Wu's views.
In 2025, the DePIN sector is becoming a stronghold for the integration of Web3 and the real world. The "DePIN Annual Report" released by Messari earlier this year revealed several key figures: over 13 million DePIN devices worldwide serve daily infrastructure networks; although DePIN is still in its early stages and accounts for less than 0.1% of the trillion-dollar terminal market, it has already attracted over $350 million in early financing; in 2024, the "on-chain battle" accelerates, with Solana leading in the field of network infrastructure.
Two months ago, Roam had 1.2 million WiFi nodes, making its debut in the Messari report as one of the five DePIN projects worldwide with over one million hardware nodes. Now, the number of nodes has surpassed 3 million, with 2.5 million users and a total of 220 million network sign-in verifications. Roam leverages the deep integration of OpenRoaming technology and blockchain DID/VC technology, combined with a business model of free eSIM services and token incentives, to rapidly expand the scope of its wireless network business and service population, guiding users seamlessly into the Web3 ecosystem and providing opportunities for continuous income.
The application prospects of ROAM
Roam is the only Web3 IDP project in the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming™ corporate alliance, standing alongside giants like BT, Comcast, Cisco, and Google. Its network covers over 190 countries worldwide, with more than 3 million self-built nodes and over 4 million available OpenRoaming™ WiFi hotspots.
Roam was included in Messari's annual DePIN status report earlier this year due to having over a million hardware nodes. Recently, Messari released a special report titled Understanding Roam, which analyzes Roam. Additionally, Solana's official channel has released videos recommending Roam twice. Since December 2024, Roam has consistently ranked first in the DePINscan hardware node leaderboard, with the gap between it and the second place continuously widening.
On March 11, Messari released a special report Understanding Roam: A Comprehensive Overview.
Through the DID/VC privacy protection mechanism, WiFi OpenRoaming security standard, 5G network convergence, EAP authentication framework, and Trust-Over-IP decentralized identity management, Roam has built a secure, private, and decentralized wireless network service system to ensure that global users can enjoy seamless and secure network connections under the premise of ensuring privacy, and realize a truly transnational and cross-channel future communication operator model across different connection modes.
The Roam Discovery platform has collaborated with 25 projects, covering fields such as Layer 1, PayFi, AI, etc., providing ecosystem partners with WiFi node resources, software tools, and community support, facilitating the landing of more ecosystem Web3 applications. Roam also addresses the issue of data closure by traditional operators, ensuring data privacy and liquidity through DID/VC and TEE+ZK technology. As an AI data layer infrastructure, Roam’s 3W data (Who, When, Where) + payment/device data breaks down industry data barriers, distinguishing between real and generated data, thus enhancing AI training quality. Additionally, Roam provides DID identity and OpenRoaming certificates for AI agents, supporting smart home and IoT collaboration, accelerating the era of human-machine symbiosis.
After the TGE, the application scenarios of the ROAM token will continue to be implemented. Soon, ROAM will be usable in gaming centers (to incentivize player participation) and for direct consumption with credit cards (to enhance daily practicality), increasing token spending and user engagement.
Potential Signal in Volatility
ROAM users can also participate in the liquidity lock-up activities. Each lock-up period lasts for 28 days, and based on the amount of tokens locked, users will receive additional data rewards upon maturity: locking 100 ROAM earns 5 GB, 200 ROAM earns 12 GB, and 500 ROAM exchanges for 30 GB. Users can increase the amount of locked tokens at any time to obtain more data rewards. This design ties the tokens to actual network usage.
The total supply of Roam tokens is 1 billion, of which 120 million is allocated to the team (6 years of linear unlocking), 280 million is allocated to past and future investors (including airdrops), and the remainder is generated through mining. Currently, the circulating supply is 280 million, with a FDV of 180 million USD. There is still significant room for growth in the staking and lock-up rates. After the TGE, Roam will adjust the mining rules and optimize supply management to lay the foundation for long-term value growth.
ROAM's tokenomics is centered around a dual deflationary mechanism of points/tokens, reducing circulating supply through burn pools and reverse burn pools, thereby promoting scarcity and value enhancement. Previously, Roam launched the Pilot burn pool testing mechanism, which destroyed a quarter of the total points accumulated over the past year and a half within just over ten days of going live, with stable online participation exceeding 10,000 users. Regular users can earn points by adding WiFi, checking in, and participating in activities, and the upcoming AI interactions will also provide point rewards; mining machine users, on the other hand, can additionally earn points through mining, with potentially higher earnings after the adjustment of new mining rules. Reverse burning allows users to convert ROAM tokens into points (the conversion rate is based on the weighted average of the sticker pool and the general pool, which is dynamically adjusted), with 97% of the tokens being permanently destroyed, directly reducing circulation. Data from the Pilot burn pool shows that the point burn ratio for the general pool, sticker pool, and mining machine pool is 5:3:2, and reverse burning provides an arbitrage opportunity for users holding stickers (obtained only through check-ins), incentivizing them to purchase tokens from exchanges and participate.
This deflationary design draws on the principle of the "impossible triangle" to ensure the sustainability of the system. The token release curve is similar to Bitcoin's exponential decay: initially releasing 0.6% per month, dropping to 0.35% after 5 years, 0.2% after 10 years, 0.05% after 20 years, and only 0.001% after 50 years. At the same time, ROAM introduces a difficulty adjustment mechanism that dynamically adjusts the release speed based on network activity (number of Check-Ins). If activity declines, token release slows down to prevent value collapse; conversely, it increases moderately to eliminate inefficient nodes and enhance the returns of high-value nodes. This mechanism is similar to Bitcoin's hash rate adjustment, ensuring that token value is linked to network health, preventing a death spiral.
The practicality enhancement further strengthens the stability of the economic model. The number of WiFi nodes has increased from 1.2 million to 3 million, with users reaching 2.5 million, and intrinsic value continues to grow. The upcoming game center and credit card consumption scenarios will increase the demand for ROAM tokens, stimulating circulation consumption. The staking program offers ordinary users an annualized return of 50%, while mining machine users can reach as high as 200%, with a current locked amount of 627,000 ROAM. The upcoming acceleration feature will increase returns by 20%-30%, potentially pushing the staking rate up to 10% (28 million ROAM).