Delaware, United States | 09:00 UAE time, 11 December 2025 – io.net, DePIN’s leading AI computing company, today announced a shift in its token science to a model focused on long-term stability and network health. The fundamental redesign, piloted by the CryptoEcon Lab, enables io.net to align stakeholder incentives and lays the foundation for sustainable value accumulation and network reliability.
The current token model has effectively incentivized initial network usage, enabling io.net to process over $20 million in gross revenue since its launch in June last year. However, the current model limits long-term growth to fixed nominal emissions, creating persistent inflationary pressure. As the io.net network moves into an advanced stage of development and adoption, a new architecture that reduces exposure to demand shocks and income fluctuations is necessary.
Today io.net proposed introducing a unique dual-paradigm token model called the Incentive Dynamic Engine (IDE). Driven by demand, not supply, the IDE implements a dynamic control system that constantly adjusts token issuance and payment levels in response to real network conditions. Instead of a fixed emissions model, the IDE uses separate token vaults, balancing network revenue and payment obligations through a sustainability ratio, automatically adjusting token emissions and burning in real-time. New model:
- Shifts from static emissions to dynamic control, holding tokens in reserve when demand is high and issuing tokens when demand falls.
- It introduces a token burning mechanism, permanently burning at least 50% of the remaining revenue from a transaction after vendors are paid for the computation.
- Reduces the number of $IO tokens by 150 million, reducing tokens in circulation by approximately 20%.
- It stabilizes USD equivalent revenues for GPU providers, ensuring compute is readily available at every point of the market cycle through two countercyclical token vaults.
- It introduces sustainable deflationary mechanisms, directing a portion of client fees to buy and burn $IO, enhancing the value of the token in the long term. IDE unites all stakeholders around one unified goal: maintaining a sustainable network.
This new approach to DePIN tokenization brings benefits to all participants, reducing income volatility for GPU providers, stimulating real-world utility rather than speculation through deflationary mechanisms for investors, and building a more resilient computing network for users.
Gaurav Sharma, CEO of io.net, said:
“We are at a critical juncture for AI: continue using centralized hyperscalers backed by opaque circular finance, or build decentralized, open markets for computing. Blockchain could be the solution, but DePINs in their current form are not fit for purpose. The IDE offers a unique approach, one that enables organizations to adopt decentralized computing by avoiding the fixed emissions model, which is the foundation for the long-term growth of io.net. GPU providers, users and investors will benefit from the first trusted computing network Open and finely aligned with incentives after its implementation next year, the IDE will enable startups, researchers and enterprises to develop and deploy AI systems on io.net in the long term.
The new symbology proposal has been presented to the io.net community in a printed paper. There will be a feedback period until February 27, during which community input will be actively reviewed and considered, and the final version will be released on March 31. The redesigned tokens will be implemented on the network in the second quarter of 2026.
