Helium's Token Burns Fuel Surge in Network Adoption and Value

Helium Network's Q3 2025 performance underscored its strategic shift toward token buybacks and network utility, driving annualized revenue to $18.3 million, according to a Messari report. The decentralized wireless network burned 100% of its Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) subscription revenue, a move that accelerated data credit (DC) burns by 196.6% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) to $30,920 daily, as Messari's Q3 report notes. This surge, coupled with a 35.4% QoQ increase in daily users to 1.2 million, highlights the network's expanding adoption and operational efficiency, as Messari's Q3 report notes.

The burn strategy directly tied HNT's value to network activity, with the token's price rising 7.8% QoQ to $2.44, while its circulating market cap grew 9.1% to $453.9 million, according to the Messari report. Messari analysts attributed this demand to Helium's dual focus on scaling infrastructure and reducing token supply. The August 1 emissions halving, part of HIP-20, cut daily HNT emissions to 20,548 tokens without diminishing hotspot rewards, reinforcing scarcity while maintaining validator incentives, as CoinEdition reports.

Network expansion was fueled by telecom partnerships, with cumulative carrier offloaded data doubling to 5,451 TB by quarter-end. Collaborations with AT&T, Telefónica's Movistar, and LongFi Solutions expanded coverage in Latin America, particularly in Mexico's Oaxaca region, as Messari's Q3 report notes. Helium Plus, launched in Q2 2025, further lowered barriers for businesses and public Wi-Fi providers to join the network using existing equipment, accelerating hotspot deployment to 115,750 by Q3's close, as Messari's Q3 report notes.

User growth was bolstered by promotional campaigns, including Solana Seeker's Air plan offering, which drove 48.3% QoQ account signups to 461,500, as Messari's Q3 report notes. Governance upgrades, such as HIP-147, reallocated 60% of emissions to reward data transfer, aligning token distribution with network utility, as CoinEdition reports. These changes, alongside technical improvements like adjusted Pyth price feeds and coverage templates, optimized hotspot efficiency, as CoinEdition reports.

Looking ahead, analysts at CoinEdition noted HNT's consolidation near $2.30, with potential breakout targets at $2.63 and $3.56 if bullish momentum continues. Helium's strategic focus on buybacks, coupled with expanding partnerships and a deflationary token model, positions it for sustained growth into 2026, according to Messari's Q3 report.