DePIN's Scaling Demands Push Akash to Seek New Blockchain Home

Akash Network, a decentralized compute platform, has announced its intention to deprecate its proprietary Cosmos SDK-based chain and initiate a public search for a new blockchain homeThis is the Full Title of the First News Article^[1]. Founder Greg Osuri emphasized the need for a network offering "strong security, a high-quality community, deep liquidity, and exciting growth," while maintaining Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) compatibilityThis is the Full Title of the Second News Article^[2]. The migration, though yet to be timed, will prioritize preserving integrations with tools like Osmosis and Keplr to ensure continuity for usersFull Title of the Third Source Used^[3].

The decision reflects broader challenges in scaling decentralized infrastructure. Akash, which launched in 2020 as a Cosmos appchain, has grown to over 350 contributors across 49 repositories, but Osuri noted increasing complexity in coordination and development as the codebase expandedThis is the Full Title of the Fourth News Article^[4]. The search for a new chain also aligns with rising demand for AI compute resources, a sector where Akash has positioned itself as a lower-cost alternative to centralized cloud providers by offering decentralized GPU capacityThis is the Full Title of the Fifth News Article^[5].

Solana emerged as a potential candidate, with Osuri calling it a "strong contender"This is the Full Title of the Sixth News Article^[6]. However, the team remains open to evaluating chains both within and outside the Cosmos ecosystem. The process will involve a Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting foundations to participate in the selection, and will emphasize transparency and community inputThis is the Full Title of the Seventh News Article^[7]. Osuri also hinted at reimagining staking mechanisms, suggesting they will evolve beyond traditional consensus security modelsThis is the Full Title of the Eighth News Article^[8].

The migration underscores the growing importance of Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN), a sector projected to reach $3.5 trillion by 2028This is the Full Title of the Ninth News Article^[9]. DePIN projects like Akash are redefining infrastructure by combining blockchain with real-world resources, enabling decentralized access to compute, storage, and wireless networks. Recent reports highlight AI-driven DePIN (DePAI) as a key growth catalyst, with decentralized networks offering scalable, cost-effective solutions to meet surging demand for AI training and inferenceThis is the Full Title of the Tenth News Article^[10].

Challenges persist, however. Regulatory uncertainties, hardware access barriers, and scalability issues remain critical hurdles. For DePIN to achieve mainstream adoption, interoperability and reliable throughput will be essential to establish decentralized networks as default infrastructure for real-world applications.

Akash's migration strategy mirrors broader trends in the sector. As traditional cloud providers struggle with rising costs and centralization risks, decentralized alternatives are gaining traction. Projects like Render Network, Fluence DAO, and Krako are also vying to capitalize on this shift, with some predicting DePIN could become a multi-trillion-dollar asset class by the end of the decade.