Welcome back to Unlocking the Future! We’ve covered DePIN before, but today, we’re pitting it against its biggest rival—Cloud Computing. Cloud powers everything from apps to AI, but it comes with major drawbacks. DePIN is stepping up as a decentralised alternative. Can it compete?
What Is Cloud Computing? ☁️
Why Cloud Won 🌎
But the Problems? 🚨
Enter DePIN: The Cloud Killer? 🔥
Why DePIN Matters ️
But What’s Holding It Back?
The Future: Hybrid, Full DePIN, or Just Another Hype Cycle? 🔮
Our Take 🎙
What Is Cloud Computing? ☁️
Before we get into DePIN, let’s talk about what it’s trying to replace.
Instead of companies running their own servers, they just tap into these platforms and scale up or down as needed.
Why Cloud Won 🌎
Cloud computing became dominant because it’s:
Scalable & Convenient: You only pay for what you use, and infrastructure is available on demand.
Adopted by Enterprises: Almost every major company relies on cloud providers.
Reliable & Fast: Cloud data centers offer high uptime, global reach, and powerful processing capabilities.
But the Problems? 🚨
Expensive: Enterprise cloud costs are skyrocketing. The more you scale, the more you pay.
Censorship & Control: Cloud services can ban users or be influenced by regulations.
Single Points of Failure: AWS or Azure going down means massive outages affecting thousands of companies at once.
Cloud is efficient, but it’s also centralized. And centralization comes with risks.
Enter DePIN: The Cloud Killer? 🔥
DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) is a new way of thinking about infrastructure. Instead of relying on a few cloud giants, it leverages distributed resources provided by individuals and businesses.
That means computing, storage, and connectivity powered by the network, not a single corporation.
Here’s how it works:
Decentralized Computing: Networks like Akash and IO.net let users rent out spare GPUs and CPUs, reducing reliance on cloud monopolies.
Decentralized Storage: Platforms like Filecoin, Arweave, and Store spread data across a global network instead of storing it in one place.
Decentralized Wireless & Bandwidth: Projects like Helium, XNET, and Grass offer community-powered internet and connectivity.
Why DePIN Matters ️
Lower Costs: Without the middlemen, DePIN-based services can be cheaper than traditional cloud providers.
Resiliency: No central servers mean fewer massive outages and no single entity that can shut things down.
Permissionless Access: You can’t be deplatformed or restricted based on corporate or government decisions.
But What’s Holding It Back?
User Experience: Cloud services are plug-and-play. DePIN, not so much.
Enterprise Lock-In: Big businesses are deeply integrated into the cloud ecosystem, and switching is costly.
Performance: DePIN networks need to prove they can match the speed, reliability, and security of traditional cloud providers.
So, while DePIN is solving cloud’s biggest problems, it’s still not an easy swap for most companies. Yet.
The Future: Hybrid, Full DePIN, or Just Another Hype Cycle? 🔮
The big question: Will businesses actually migrate to DePIN, or is it destined to remain a niche alternative?
A few possible scenarios:
Hybrid Models Win: The most likely outcome is companies using both. They’ll stick with cloud for mission-critical systems but leverage DePIN for cost-cutting and censorship-resistant applications.
Full DePIN Takeover: If projects like Akash and Filecoin keep improving, we could see more companies ditch centralized cloud altogether.
Just Another Hype Cycle: There’s always a risk that DePIN doesn’t gain enough traction or usability to make a real dent in cloud’s dominance.
The reality? It’s early, and DePIN still needs to prove itself at scale. But one thing’s clear—cloud’s monopoly is being challenged, and that’s a win for everyone.
Percs Partners 🤝
Before we're heading to Our Take, we want to give a massive shout out to our partners at Percs, the masterminds behind free marketing tools for onchain creators and Farcaster Games!
Go check them out on Farcaster and X and get involved!
Our Take 🎙
Cloud computing isn’t going anywhere, but it’s no longer the only option. DePIN is bringing something new to the table—lower costs, decentralization, and a censorship-resistant infrastructure.
But for it to truly compete, it needs to solve onboarding, enterprise adoption, and performance issues.
Is DePIN the future, or are we just recreating cloud with extra steps? Let us know what you think!
