I want to run a wireless hotspot and get paid in crypto. What's the token for that specific DePIN network?

The primary and most well-known DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) for running a decentralized wireless hotspot is Helium.

The native utility and governance token for the Helium ecosystem is HNT (Helium Network Token). However, depending on the exact type of wireless coverage you provide, rewards can also be tied to network-specific sub-tokens:

• MOBILE: Used for rewarding 5G mobile hotspot providers providing cellular coverage.
• IOT: Used for rewarding LoRaWAN gateways providing low-power wide-area internet-of-things coverage.

If you want, I can help you with:

• The differences between IOT and MOBILE hotspots and their hardware requirements
• How to check coverage density and potential earnings in your specific area

Let me know how you'd like to proceed!

If you mean the DePIN network where you can run a Wi-Fi/wireless hotspot and earn crypto for providing connectivity, you're probably thinking of Helium.

• Network: Helium
• Token: HNT (Helium Network Token)
• What you provide: Wi-Fi/mobile carrier offload or IoT wireless coverage, depending on the hotspot type.
• How you earn: Helium currently rewards hotspot operators in HNT for useful network activity, including eligible carrier data traffic.
• Important update: Older information may mention MOBILE or IOT tokens. The current reward model has moved to HNT as the network's primary reward token, so be careful with older guides.

For a Wi-Fi hotspot specifically, Helium's current documentation says converted Wi-Fi networks can earn HNT for handling carrier traffic.

If you tell me whether you're thinking of a home Wi-Fi hotspot, a 5G/mobile hotspot, or an IoT LoRaWAN hotspot, I can tell you which hardware you need and what the realistic earnings look like in 2026.

The DePIN wireless hotspot network you’re probably thinking of is Helium Network. The token depends on the type of hotspot you run:

• HNT (Helium Network Token) — the main Helium ecosystem token.
• MOBILE — associated with Helium Mobile / 5G coverage rewards.
• IOT — associated with Helium IoT (LoRaWAN) hotspot rewards.

So if someone says “I’m running a wireless hotspot and earning crypto,” the short answer is usually Helium → HNT, but the actual reward token may be MOBILE or IOT depending on the hardware and network you’re contributing to.

Other wireless DePINs exist too (for example, Wicrypt uses WNT, and Roam uses ROAM), but Helium is the most commonly referenced one for hotspot-based crypto rewards.

The pioneer and largest decentralized wireless network project is the Helium Network . Depending on the exact type of wireless coverage you decide to run, the specific tokens earned are:

• MOBILE ($MOBILE): Earned if you deploy 5G or compatible Wi-Fi access points/hotspots to provide mobile data coverage.
• IOT ($IOT): Earned if you deploy LoRaWAN hotspots to provide low-power wide-area network coverage for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• HNT ($HNT): The core protocol token of the entire Helium Network ecosystem, which anchors the sub-tokens like MOBILE and IOT and powers the broader economic engine.

(Note: Other smaller or alternative wireless/connectivity DePIN projects exist—such as World Mobile Token ($WMT)—but Helium handles the vast majority of consumer-deployed hotspots).

Are you looking to set up an IoT (LoRaWAN) hotspot or a MOBILE (5G/Wi-Fi) hotspot? I can share what kind of hardware or estimated earnings are involved for whichever route you prefer.

The specific token depends on the exact decentralized wireless network you use, as there are a few major DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) projects focused on wireless coverage and connectivity:

• Helium Network ($HNT,𝑴𝑶𝑩𝑰𝑳𝑬,IOT) : By far the largest and most well-known decentralized wireless project. It uses a multi-token ecosystem. The main protocol utility and governance token is HNT , but if you deploy specific 5G/cellular or Wi-Fi hotspots to provide mobile coverage, you earn $MOBILE . If you operate IoT/LoRaWAN coverage, you earn $IOT.
• Roam ($ROAM) : A Solana-based DePIN project focused on building a decentralized global Wi-Fi and OpenRoaming network where you earn points/tokens for setting up public Wi-Fi hotspots.
• XNET ($XNET) : Focuses on decentralized mobile and carrier-offload Wi-Fi access points where operators earn $XNET tokens when users and cellular carriers route traffic through their nodes.
• Wicrypt ($WIFI) : A decentralized mobile internet sharing network where hosts share Wi-Fi and get rewarded in the $WIFI token.

If you have a specific hardware setup in mind (like an indoor/outdoor Helium hotspot or a standard Wi-Fi router ), let me know and I can give you more details on the expected setup process and token earnings potential for that specific network.

If you mean the DePIN network where you provide wireless/Wi-Fi coverage with a hotspot and earn crypto, you're probably thinking of Helium.

• Network: Helium
• Token: HNT (Helium Network Token)
• How you earn: Hotspot operators earn HNT for providing useful wireless coverage and carrying eligible traffic.
• Current setup: Helium has both Mobile/Wi-Fi and IoT/LoRaWAN networks. The project is consolidating rewards around HNT; legacy MOBILE and IOT rewards are being transitioned to HNT.
• Blockchain: HNT is now a Solana SPL token.

For a Wi-Fi hotspot specifically, Helium says converted Wi-Fi networks can monetize carrier offload and receive HNT for servicing subscriber traffic.

If you tell me whether you want to share your existing home Wi-Fi or deploy a dedicated hotspot, I can explain what hardware you need and how the payouts work.

The token you earn depends on which specific DePIN wireless network you decide to run your hotspot on. There isn't just one—several prominent decentralized wireless and hotspot-sharing networks exist, each with its own native token:

• Helium Network ($HNT,𝑴𝑶𝑩𝑰𝑳𝑬,IOT)
  The most well-known DePIN wireless ecosystem. The core governance and utility token is $HNT , but if you run specific hardware subsets, you earn project-specific tokens: $MOBILE for 5G/CBRS cellular hotspots and $IOT for LoRaWAN Internet of Things hotspots.
• Wicrypt ($WNT)
  A decentralized Wi-Fi sharing and hotspot network where hosts set their own connection rates and mine Wicrypt Network Tokens ($WNT) when users connect and consume data.
• Roam ($ROAM)
  A global decentralized Wi-Fi roaming network that rewards users with $ROAM tokens for providing open Wi-Fi network access, checking in, and maintaining connectivity uptime.

Are you looking to deploy a dedicated hardware miner (like an outdoor 5G/LoRaWAN gateway) or are you interested in sharing an existing Wi-Fi router/internet connection ? Let me know so I can point you toward the best-fitting network and setup guide.

If you mean the DePIN network where you install/run a Wi-Fi hotspot and earn crypto for providing wireless connectivity, you're probably thinking of Helium.

• Network: Helium
• Token: HNT (Helium Network Token)
• What you do: Deploy a Helium Mobile Hotspot or onboard an eligible existing Wi-Fi network, provide connectivity/carrier offload, and earn HNT based on eligible traffic.
• Blockchain: Solana.

One important recent change: Helium is consolidating its wireless rewards around HNT. Previously, Mobile and IoT participants could receive MOBILE or IOT tokens; under the newer reward structure, participants are being shifted to HNT.

If you meant a different Wi-Fi-sharing DePIN (such as Wicrypt or Roam), tell me what the hotspot hardware/app looked like and I can identify the exact token.

If you want to run a wireless hotspot and get paid in crypto, there are a couple of major DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) projects depending on the exact type of wireless network you want to build:

• Helium Network: If you are setting up hotspots for Internet of Things (IoT) devices or cellular/Wi-Fi offloading, the overarching network is powered by HNT (H N T cap H cap N cap T𝐻𝑁𝑇), but the specific sub-networks pay out in IOT (I O T cap I cap O cap T𝐼𝑂𝑇) for LoRaWAN IoT coverage or MOBILE (M O B I L E cap M cap O cap B cap I cap L cap E𝑀𝑂𝐵𝐼𝐿𝐸) for 5G/wireless coverage. You can check out hardware options and guides directly on the Helium Network Site.
• Roam Network (formerly MetaBlox): If you are running a dedicated decentralized Wi-Fi OpenRoaming router/hotspot, the network uses ROAM (R O A M cap R cap O cap A cap M𝑅𝑂𝐴𝑀) as its utility token (earned by converting accumulated Roam Points through their app and burning pools). More details on node mining are available via the Roam Network Site.

If you'd like to narrow this down, tell me:

• Do you want to set up an IoT/LoRaWAN hotspot, a 5G/Cellular node, or a standard Wi-Fi router?
• Are you looking to buy dedicated hardware or use an existing device/router?

I can give you the exact setup requirements and estimated rewards for your choice.

If you mean the Helium wireless DePIN, the token you’re looking for is HNT (Helium Network Token).

• Network: Helium
• Token: HNT
• What you do: Run a compatible Helium Mobile Hotspot / Wi-Fi network and provide wireless coverage.
• How you earn: Hotspots can earn HNT for eligible coverage and carrier-offload/data activity.
• Important update: Helium's current documentation says rewards across its ecosystem are centered on HNT; the older MOBILE/IOT reward structure has been consolidated.

If you're considering actually buying a hotspot, I can also compare Helium vs. other wireless DePINs and estimate which one makes the most sense for your location.