Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN): Challenges and Opportunities

The widespread use of the Internet has posed challenges to existing centralized physical infrastructure networks. Issues such as data privacy risks, service disruptions, and substantial expansion costs have emerged. To address these challenges, an innovative network architecture called Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) has emerged. DePIN leverages blockchain technology to decentralize the control and management of physical devices, addressing limitations of traditional infrastructure network. This article provides a comprehensive exploration of DePIN, presenting its five-layer architecture, key design principles. Furthermore, it presents a detailed survey of the extant applications, operating mechanisms, and provides an in-depth analysis of market data pertaining to DePIN. Finally, it discusses a wide range of the open challenges faced by DePIN.