Helium partners with DAWN to create ‘last-mile internet solution’

Two Solana DePIN projects are teaming up to take on big telecom

article-image

Akif CUBUK/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

This is a segment from the Empire newsletter. To read full editions, subscribe.


Crypto is a creature of extremes. Look no further than the major narratives right now. 

AI agents and memecoins are almost completely virtual. DePIN, meanwhile, derives practically its entire value proposition from very physical networks of hardware. In the real world. 

So, you can’t fault Helium — the decentralized wireless carrier powered by Solana — for teaming up with DAWN to expand both their networks, together.

The pair have struck a partnership to allow Helium hotspot operators to serve DAWN broadband internet, and vice versa, to create “the world’s first fully decentralized last-mile internet solution.”

Like how Helium is shooting to disrupt centralized telecoms, DAWN is pushing to change our relationship with traditional ISPs, allowing regular users to both own the infrastructure and be rewarded in crypto for providing wireless broadband to anyone in range.

“The conversation started with a strong alignment on the mission of decentralizing internet access,” a Helium spokesperson told me. “We’re moving toward making connectivity owned by the many and accessible to everyone.”

It means that the Helium Network will automatically grow by 8,000 nodes that already serve the DAWN ecosystem, according to a press release.

A Helium Foundation dashboard meanwhile points to more than 25,000 mobile hotspots onboarded since last April, which hypothetically could serve DAWN broadband once the functionality is rolled out, although it’s not immediately clear how many are currently active.

Helium’s HNT is still working on reclaiming highs from the last cycle. DAWN, which has an active points program, is yet to confirm a token launch

The spokesperson said that there’s no equity or investment deal as part of the partnership. Still, it all suggests a certain coalescence in the DePIN space. 

Like how GPUs and ASIC mining rigs can be used to mine a number of different cryptocurrencies — switching between them based on profitability — we could be headed for a world where DePIN devices in our homes can be pointed to all sorts of different use cases depending on demand. 

It might mean additional income for the household without the often extreme overheads related to proof-of-work mining, although how much would be largely dependent on token prices and whatnot.

Helium users are spending ~$6,000 HNT per week right now, up from under $3,000 in January 2024

What’s interesting is that had this partnership not been made, eventually Helium and DAWN would’ve been considered competitors. But not really anymore.

Wouldn’t that make Elon Musk’s Starlink the biggest rival to the Helium-DAWN partnership, outside of the traditional carriers?

“Starlink is disrupting the connectivity industry in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago,” the Helium spokesperson said. “Several Helium deployments use Starlink as an internet backhaul in the US and Mexico.” 

The team has also developed a connectivity kit that combines Starlink with Helium Hotspots, to better serve phones in areas without cell coverage.

In any case, the Helium-DAWN partnership makes total sense, especially considering the latter is expected to airdrop a token to early adopters at some point.

After all, when it comes to incentivizing people to set up physical devices in their homes, two token flywheels must be better than one.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Nillion_DeSci_Report_Template.png

Research

Nillion’s Monad Integration is poised to catalyze the next phase of DeSci’s evolution by eliminating key privacy bottlenecks. This synergy allows researchers, institutions, and DAOs to exchange sensitive data and insights securely while managing governance and payments onchain.

article-image

Time and competition will push Vanguard to eventually update its “antiquated, 2013-era view of bitcoin,” Bitwise CIO says

article-image

Halliday CEO Griffin Dunaif said that there may be smaller margins on stablecoins, but lots of potential in the services around them

article-image

Discounted cash flow is as close as you can get to a fundamental truth in the art of financial valuation

article-image

Solana’s focus remains on fundamentals: stable usage, high yields, and expanding infrastructure

article-image

While new XRP futures ETFs are set to launch, the SEC could wait several months to greenlight more spot offerings

article-image

Bitcoin may have traded like a safe haven asset Wednesday, but analysts warn the trend may not last