Roam: 3 million nodes driving the DePIN track, technology and dual deflation reshaping wireless networks

In 2025, the DePIN track is becoming a bridge for the integration of Web3 and the real world. The “DePIN Annual Report” released by Messari earlier this year revealed several key data points: over 13 million DePIN devices globally serve infrastructure networks daily; although DePIN is in its early stages and accounts for less than 0.1% of the trillion-dollar terminal market, it has already attracted over $350 million in early financing; in 2024, the “on-chain battle” accelerates, with Solana leading in the network infrastructure field. In this large-scale deployment of global Web3 applications, ROAM stands out with nearly 3 million WiFi nodes and 2.5 million users.

Two months ago, Roam had 1.2 million WiFi nodes, and with over a million nodes, it made its debut in the Messari report, becoming one of the five DePIN projects globally with over a million hardware nodes. Now, the number of nodes has surpassed 3 million, with users reaching 2.5 million and a total of 220 million network check-in verifications, demonstrating strong growth and an active community. Roam relies on the deep integration of OpenRoaming technology and blockchain DID/VC technology, combined with a business model of free eSIM services + token incentives, to rapidly expand the scope of its wireless network business and the demographic it serves, guiding users seamlessly into the Web3 ecosystem and providing opportunities for continuous income.

On March 6, the ROAM token was launched on 12 exchanges including Bybit and Bitget, with a trading volume of $120 million on the first day of TGE, ranking first in spot trading on Bybit and Bitget. Roam not only drives the construction of decentralized wireless networks with its technical strength but also shifts from supply-side growth to demand-side exploration through a unique dual deflationary economic model of points/tokens, driving revenue enhancement. This article will analyze how Roam builds a global open wireless network and supports the large-scale deployment of Web3 from three dimensions: application prospects, post-TGE performance, and token economics and future potential.

Application Prospects of ROAM: A Leader in the DePIN Track

Roam is the only Web3 IDP project in the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) OpenRoaming™ enterprise alliance, standing alongside giants like BT, Comcast, Cisco, and Google. Its network covers over 190 countries worldwide, and in addition to 3 million self-built nodes, it also has over 4 million available OpenRoaming™ WiFi hotspots.

At the beginning of this year, Roam was included in the Messari annual DePIN status report due to its hardware node count exceeding one million. Recently, Messari released a new special report Understanding Roam, analyzing Roam. Additionally, Solana’s official channels have recommended Roam in two videos. Since December 2024, Roam has consistently ranked first in the DePINscan hardware node leaderboard, with an increasing gap from the second place. These data not only showcase Roam’s strong growth momentum but also confirm the core competitiveness of the technology and business model behind the project.

△ On March 11, Messari released the special report Understanding Roam: A Comprehensive Overview

Through DID/VC privacy protection mechanisms, WiFi OpenRoaming security standards, 5G network integration, EAP authentication frameworks, and Trust-Over-IP decentralized identity management, Roam has built a secure, private, and decentralized wireless network service system, ensuring that global users can enjoy seamless and secure network connections while protecting their privacy, achieving a truly cross-national and cross-connection mode of future telecommunications.

The Roam Discovery platform has partnered with 25 projects, covering fields such as Layer1, PayFi, and AI, providing WiFi node resources, software tools, and community support to ecological partners, facilitating the landing of more ecological Web3 applications. Roam also addresses the data closure issues of traditional operators by ensuring data privacy and portability through DID/VC and TEE+ZK technologies. As an AI data layer infrastructure, Roam’s 3W data (Who, When, Where) + payment/device data breaks down industry data barriers, distinguishing between real and generated data, and improving AI training quality. Furthermore, Roam provides DID identities and OpenRoaming certificates for AI agents, supporting smart home and IoT collaboration, accelerating the era of human-machine symbiosis.

After TGE, the application scenarios of the ROAM token will continue to land, and soon ROAM will be usable in gaming centers (incentivizing player participation) and direct credit card consumption (enhancing daily practicality), increasing token consumption and user stickiness.

The practicality of ROAM spans from short-term consumption scenarios (gaming, credit card payments) to long-term ecological expansion (Web3 collaborations, AI infrastructure), solidifying its leading position in the DePIN track. Its technological and data advantages not only drive global wireless network coverage but also pave the way for the large-scale application of Web3 and AI through open cooperation and data innovation, showcasing comprehensive potential from the supply side to the demand side.

Market Performance Post-TGE: Potential Signals Amidst Volatility

Roam completed its TGE on March 6, launching on 12 exchanges including Bybit and Bitget, with a first-day trading volume of $120 million, quickly igniting market enthusiasm. On March 18, ROAM saw a 30% increase in 24 hours, briefly ranking first in DePIN-related spot trading on Bybit and Bitget. CoinGlass data shows that in the early listing phase, ROAM increased by 36.95% in the DePIN track (ranking first), while the Solana ecosystem saw an increase of 36.99% (ranking second), demonstrating its strong appeal in both ecosystems.

△ CoinGlass data shows that in the early listing phase, ROAM increased by 36.95% in the DePIN track (ranking first), while the Solana ecosystem saw an increase of 36.99% (ranking second)

The potential signals of ROAM are also reflected in its staking and liquidity mechanisms. The project launched a high APY staking plan, with an APY of 50% for ordinary users and up to 200% for mining machine users. In the future, Roam will introduce a sticker acceleration feature, which will increase staking rewards by an additional 20%-30%, further incentivizing users to lock up tokens and enhance the stability of token value. Additionally, users can participate in a locked flow activity, with each locking period lasting 28 days. Based on the amount of locked tokens, users will receive additional flow rewards upon expiration: locking 100 ROAM earns 5GB, 200 ROAM earns 12GB, and 500 ROAM earns 30GB. Users can increase their locked tokens at any time to receive more flow rewards. This design ties the tokens to actual network usage, enhancing practicality and laying the foundation for reducing circulating supply and alleviating sell-off pressure.

△ On March 18, ROAM ranked first in popularity in DePIN-related spot trading on Bybit and Bitget

The performance of ROAM post-TGE contains potential for both short-term activity and long-term growth. The initial trading volume of $120 million and high rankings on Bybit and Bitget demonstrate its market recognition, while the trading volume of $28.81 million on March 18 and its top position further reinforce this trend. Compared to the Solana ecosystem (which saw a 24-hour decline of 4.59% on the same day), ROAM’s activity and rebound ability are particularly prominent. The combination of high APY staking and locked flow activities injects vitality into its ecosystem, signaling a shift from supply-side expansion to deepening demand-side engagement. The trading resilience, staking potential, and upcoming adjustments to mining rules collectively lay a solid foundation for its continued growth in the DePIN track. In the short term, market enthusiasm and liquidity provide support for ROAM; in the long term, its technology-driven practicality and community participation will be key drivers for value enhancement.

Innovative Design of Token Economics: Dual Deflationary Mechanism Driving Scarcity

Roam’s total token supply is 1 billion, of which 120 million is allocated to the team (with a 6-year linear unlocking), 280 million is allocated to past and future investors (including airdrops), and the remainder is generated through mining. Currently, the circulating supply is 280 million, with an FDV of $180 million, and there is still significant room for growth in staking and locking rates. After TGE, Roam will adjust mining rules to optimize supply management and lay the groundwork for long-term value growth.

The token economics of ROAM centers on a dual deflationary mechanism of points/tokens, reducing circulating supply through burn pools and reverse burn pools, promoting scarcity and value enhancement. Previously, Roam launched a Pilot burn pool testing mechanism, which received enthusiastic community feedback, destroying a quarter of the total points accumulated over the past year and a half within just over ten days, with stable online participation exceeding 10,000. After TGE, the official burn pool and reverse burn pool further stimulate enthusiasm. The burn pool destroys points: ordinary users earn points by adding WiFi, checking in, and participating in activities, with the upcoming AI interactions also providing points rewards; mining machine users can additionally earn points through mining, and the adjusted new mining rules may yield even higher returns. The reverse burn allows users to convert ROAM tokens into points (conversion rates are based on the weighted average of sticker pools and general pools, dynamically adjusted), with 97% of the tokens permanently destroyed, directly reducing circulating supply. Pilot burn pool data shows that the point burn ratio for general pools, sticker pools, and mining pools is 5:3:2, and reverse burning provides arbitrage opportunities for users holding stickers (which can only be earned through check-ins), incentivizing them to buy tokens from exchanges and participate.

This dual deflationary design draws on the principle of the “impossible triangle,” ensuring the sustainability of the system. The token release curve is similar to Bitcoin’s exponential decay: initially releasing 0.6% monthly, decreasing to 0.35% after 5 years, 0.2% after 10 years, 0.05% after 20 years, and only 0.001% after 50 years. At the same time, ROAM introduces a difficulty adjustment mechanism that dynamically adjusts the release speed based on network activity (number of check-ins). If activity declines, token release slows down to avoid value collapse; conversely, it increases moderately to eliminate inefficient nodes and enhance the returns of high-value nodes. This mechanism is similar to Bitcoin’s hash rate adjustments, ensuring that token value is linked to network health, preventing a death spiral.

The enhancement of practicality further strengthens the stability of the economic model. The number of WiFi nodes has increased from 1.2 million to 3 million, with users reaching 2.5 million, continuously growing in intrinsic value. The upcoming gaming center and credit card consumption scenarios will increase the demand for ROAM tokens, stimulating circulation consumption. The staking plan offers ordinary users an annual yield of 50% and up to 200% for mining machine users, with the current locked amount at 627,000 ROAM. The upcoming acceleration feature will increase yields by 20%-30%, potentially driving the staking rate up to 10% (28 million ROAM), significantly reducing sell-off pressure.

Roam’s economic model is uniquely innovative in the DePIN track. Compared to FIL (with fewer nodes than ROAM and a market cap of $10 billion) and TAO (with a single technology), ROAM stands out in terms of cost-effectiveness and design advantages. Assuming the future node count reaches 5 million, with the burn pool and reverse burn reducing a cumulative 100 million tokens, the price could break through $0.50-$1.00. The dual deflationary mechanism links points and tokens, ties mining adjustments to network activity, and stimulates demand through practical scenarios, collectively transforming potential supply into a scarcity advantage, providing long-term support for Roam’s global wireless network ecosystem.

Roam: A Leader in Decentralized Networks

As a pioneer in the DePIN track, Roam is committed to building a decentralized global open wireless network in the long term. Through continuous delivery, it not only drives the large-scale deployment of crypto applications but also provides critical support for AI development. Roam’s core advantage lies in the synergy of technology and economic models: OpenRoaming and DID/VC technologies lay a secure and seamless network foundation, while the dual deflationary mechanism of points/tokens and mining adjustments optimize supply management. This transformation from the supply side to the demand side demonstrates Roam’s strategic vision in building a distributed ecosystem. It is a technology-driven future layout, and Roam deserves continued attention.