- Grayscale highlighted DATA Network, USD.AI and Pearl as blockchain projects supporting artificial intelligence infrastructure.
- According to Grayscale, DATA Network verified 280 million records from 535,000 participants, while USD.AI’s lifetime funding exceeded $400 million.
- Grayscale said Pearl’s network hashrate rose 93.5% month over month and the PEARL token gained 580% over three months.
Investment firm Grayscale highlighted DATA Network, USD.AI and Pearl in an Oct. 23, 2026, post about blockchain projects developing artificial intelligence infrastructure. Grayscale said the projects illustrate how crypto technology can support AI training data, finance computing hardware and allow compute providers to earn additional income from graphics processing units.
In its overview, Grayscale said blockchain’s role in AI development extends beyond better-known projects such as Bittensor, NEAR and World. It identified demand for high-quality data, accessible financing and more efficient use of computing resources as AI systems expand.
Projects target data, financing and compute
DATA Network (DATA) develops tools to collect, license and track human-provided data, including photos, videos and voice recordings. Applications on the network can license those datasets to AI companies and reward contributors for their input.
According to Grayscale’s overview, DATA Network verified the provenance of 280 million records collected from 535,000 participants worldwide.
USD.AI (CHIP) finances AI infrastructure through loans backed by GPUs and related cash flows. Its onchain pools allow participants to raise capital to fund those loans. Grayscale reported that USD.AI had provided more than $400 million in total funding over its lifetime.
Pearl (PEARL) aims to combine GPUs used for AI computing with the operation of a Proof-of-Work blockchain. Grayscale said the model could let compute providers earn token rewards in addition to revenue from AI workloads.
According to Grayscale, Pearl’s network hashrate increased 93.5% over the past month, while the PEARL token gained 580% over three months.
Grayscale said blockchain projects are attempting to meet the infrastructure needs created by AI growth through decentralized reward systems, lending and infrastructure monetization. The firm cautioned, however, that the projects’ long-term relevance will depend on real-world adoption of their products and the competitiveness of their economic models, and said it would continue monitoring the segment.
Source: Incrypted
