[Press Release] WAKE Launches First DePIN Network for Crowdsourced Maritime Data

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COPENHAGEN, July 18, 2025 — WAKE, a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) built for crypto-native users, has announced the alpha launch of its global maritime data network. By crowdsourcing Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals from low-cost hardware and incentivizing participation with crypto rewards, WAKE aims to disrupt a multi-billion dollar industry long dominated by centralized gatekeepers.

On July 23, 2025, WAKE will begin onboarding its first 1,000 node operators to run live AIS receiver nodes. These lightweight setups, powered by a software-defined radio (SDR), antenna, and internet, collect real-time data from ships broadcasting over VHF radio. In return, node operators will earn $WAKE tokens for contributing high-integrity maritime data to the network.

“WAKE is reinventing maritime data as decentralized public infrastructure,” said Owen, founder of WAKE. “By replacing satellites and centralized brokers with crypto incentives, we’re unlocking a global network anyone can contribute to.”

AIS is a global standard used by commercial vessels to broadcast identity, position, speed, and course. Today, access to AIS data is controlled by a small number of centralized providers who sell it to hedge funds, shipping companies, and governments. WAKE breaks this monopoly by building a permissionless, token-incentivized network that anyone can join.

WAKE’s architecture includes a multi-layered validation system that checks every AIS message for geographic, temporal, and signal integrity before committing it immutably on-chain. This ensures high data trustworthiness while unlocking composability with other DePIN, oracle, and real-world asset protocols.

WAKE operates on the Shibuya testnet, the experimental deployment network of Astar, a parachain in the Polkadot ecosystem. Built using the Polkadot SDK and optimized for WebAssembly (WASM), the network supports on-chain data validation, rapid finality, and composability with other decentralized infrastructure protocols.

The WAKE testnet offers early participants the opportunity to:

• Deploy and operate a live AIS receiver node

• Contribute AIS data to a decentralized network

• Receive testnet tokens for verified contributions

• Participate in shaping future incentive structures

With around 7,000 AIS receivers currently operated by major incumbents, WAKE sees a clear opportunity to 10x the scale of global maritime coverage through decentralized participation.

“Our goal is to unlock the next 100,000 AIS nodes using crypto incentives and Web3 principles,” said Owen, founder of WAKE. “The more nodes we deploy, the higher the fidelity of the data and the more valuable it becomes to industry.”

This launch sets the stage for a new era in crypto-enabled physical infrastructure, where real-world data becomes an on-chain asset. From anti-smuggling enforcement and environmental monitoring to decentralized insurance and open-source intelligence (OSINT), WAKE’s use cases span both Web3 and the physical world.

Individuals interested in participating in the alpha testnet can learn more and register at www.worldwideais.org.

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