Can a Blockchain-Powered Telecom Network Reach the Scale of Traditional Players?
Telecom is one of the most centralized industries in the world. From spectrum allocation to infrastructure rollout, only a handful of corporations typically control how people connect to the internet. This raises an important question: can a blockchain-based, community-owned network compete with established giants?
World Mobile, a decentralized wireless network, is testing that theory. The company announced it has surpassed two million daily active users across its blockchain-powered ecosystem. Alongside this milestone, its native token, World Mobile Token ($WMTX), will list on U.S.-regulated exchange Kraken on September 4, marking its first entry into the American trading market.
How World Mobile Works
At the core of World Mobile’s approach is the concept of a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network, commonly shortened to DePIN. Unlike traditional telecom providers, where one corporation owns the towers and spectrum, World Mobile distributes the hardware and revenue streams to individuals and communities.
More than 60,000 AirNode devices are already deployed. These function as small-scale wireless infrastructure units that connect neighborhoods or rural areas directly to the World Mobile Chain, the project’s blockchain. Every user action on the network, from browsing the internet to making a call, generates on-chain transactions powered by $WMTX, the network’s gas token.
To make this accessible for developers, World Mobile operates as an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible Layer 3 network that settles on Base, Coinbase’s Layer 2 solution. This means developers can build applications for World Mobile using standard Ethereum tools, while benefiting from cheaper fees and settlement efficiency.
What the Numbers Say
Crossing two million daily active users is a notable milestone for any decentralized project. For context, most Web3 applications struggle to reach even tens of thousands of daily users. Adoption is being driven by strong demand in the United States, Asia, and Africa, according to World Mobile. The company attributes its faster-than-anticipated adoption to a combination of hardware incentives and community economics.
Micky Watkins, World Mobile Group CEO, explained,
Surpassing two million daily active users on-chain is a testament to the power of our decentralized approach. This milestone proves that our vision for an open, fair, and inclusive telecoms network is not just possible, it’s happening now.
Why the $WMTX Kraken Listing Matters
The Kraken listing of $WMTX provides a bridge between the World Mobile ecosystem and global liquidity. It will allow retail and institutional users in the U.S. to trade, hold, and potentially stake the token. For a project that relies on token-based economics to sustain network growth, this access is critical.
World Mobile operates a buyback program, where revenue from subscribers is used to purchase $WMTX from the open market. This creates a feedback loop where user adoption directly influences token demand. The listing on Kraken, a regulated U.S. exchange, may also attract compliance-focused investors who had been unable to access the token previously.
Watkins described the listing as both symbolic and practical:
Kraken’s decision to list $WMTX adds to the momentum building behind World Mobile Chain following its mainnet launch, while paving the way for further partnerships and integrations that will extend its utility.
World Mobile has secured partnerships with firms like PwC and telecom operator DITO, while also integrating with Token Terminal, a data provider whose dashboards are used by Bloomberg and Binance. This means metrics such as user activity, staking participation, and revenue flows can be tracked publicly, increasing transparency for investors and regulators alike.
The company is also onboarding developers to its mainnet, which remains partially permissioned. A full permissionless launch is expected, opening the door for broader application development and community-driven innovation.
DePIN as a Sector
World Mobile’s progress comes against the backdrop of growing interest in DePIN. According to the World Economic Forum, the market for decentralized physical infrastructure could reach $3.5 trillion within three years. This includes not just telecom but also energy grids, transportation networks, and supply chain infrastructure, all of which can be decentralized using blockchain and token incentives.
For example, in the same way AirNodes support wireless connectivity, decentralized energy networks allow households to sell excess solar power back to the grid through smart contracts. The model is based on aligning community ownership with real-world utility, an approach that is gaining traction as traditional infrastructure faces bottlenecks.
Final Outlook
World Mobile’s numbers are significant, not just for the company but for the broader DePIN narrative. Reaching two million daily users shows there is demand for community-owned alternatives in a sector dominated by centralized providers. The Kraken listing will test whether this interest can translate into financial sustainability and liquidity for $WMTX.
However, challenges remain. Scaling to tens of millions of users will require more partnerships with regulators, telecom operators, and governments. The economics of buybacks and staking will need to balance adoption with sustainability. And while DePIN is often presented as a solution for the underserved, the costs of hardware deployment and the complexity of blockchain onboarding are real hurdles.
Still, if World Mobile can continue to convert user adoption into long-term infrastructure growth, it may set a precedent for how decentralized networks can operate at global scale. In that sense, the Kraken listing is not just a milestone but a test case for whether DePIN can cross from crypto enthusiasts to mainstream utility.
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