DePin Projects ATOR, Verida, and Synternet Make Strides in the Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks Sector

Leading privacy protocol ATOR rebranded to Anyone, decentralized personal information network Verida raised $5 million, and Layer-1 blockchain Synternet launched its mainnet on the Cosmos network.

Several notable developments have occurred recently in the decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePin) sector, showcasing the growing interest in merging Web3 technologies with the physical world. Here's a summary of the latest updates.

Privacy protocol ATOR has undergone a significant rebranding effort, changing its name to Anyone. This shift marks a departure from the protocol's initial focus on the dark web-related browser Tor and aligns with a broader vision of making privacy accessible to all internet users. The Anyone native token has also commenced trading, with former ATOR holders automatically receiving the new token. After a brief pause, exchange-based holders will also receive the token.

Anyone began as an incentive protocol for The Onion Router (Tor), amassing a dedicated community centered on running relays for bandwidth rewards. Now, Anyone is independently developing its network, leveraging onion routing technology for broader applications. The protocol aims to integrate a modular privacy layer for the internet, enabling any application to connect to the network either manually or through code. This capability facilitates the creation of new apps with privacy as a default setting, aiming to shift the responsibility for privacy from users to making it a standard in every product and service.

Web3 company Verida has announced a seed and strategic funding round, raising over $5 million. This funding will contribute to the development of Verida's decentralized data network and self-custody wallet. Among the investors participating in the round are O-DE Capital Partners, ChaiTech Ventures, Simurg Labs, and existing investors such as Gate Labs, HASH CIB, Bison Capital, Amesten Capital, and Evan Cheng of Mysten Labs.

Community pre-sales of the Verida Storage Credit token also played a role in the funding. The funds will primarily support the next stage of Verida's personal data ownership system. The network aims to provide decentralized storage and encryption for users' personal information, ensuring that their data is stored across multiple nodes managed by different network participants.

“Verida is positioned to a critical pain point in the AI landscape by putting users back in control of their data, ultimately unlocking more secure, privacy-preserving personalized AI for everyone,” a Verida representative said in a statement.

With over 20 ecosystem partners, including Polygon ID, NEAR, Partisia, Redbelly, zkPass, Kima, Nillion, and cheqd, Verida's presence within the industry continues to expand. This network of partnerships strengthens the company's offering and reach.

Layer-1 blockchain Synternet, which powers data infrastructure for projects in the AI, DeFi, DePin, and IoT space, has launched its mainnet on Cosmos. This move supports a new decentralized data economy, enabling developers to create applications using real-time, trustless data streams from all major chains. The mainnet launch also initiates the token migration from NOIA to SYNT. Once the bridge to Cosmos becomes operational on July 29, the full token utility will be unlocked.

“The launch of Synternet’s mainnet on Cosmos is a technical milestone signaling the beginning of a new era for the decentralized data economy. With $SYNT, we're providing real utility, enabling users to pay for data services at reduced fees and fostering a more inclusive and efficient ecosystem,” stated Jonas Simanavicius, CTO at Synternet.