Web3-focused campaign aims to catapult DePIN into mainstream

To drive real-world adoption of DePIN, layer-1 blockchain peaq launched the Get Real campaign, which rewards users for contributing to real-world DApps.

The decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) sector experienced significant growth in 2024, with its market capitalization surging 132% to surpass $40 billion. The rise is fueled by DePIN’s ability to generate tangible value through everyday devices and decentralized services, moving Web3 beyond speculative products like memecoins.

Despite this expansion, mass adoption remains a challenge. To compete with traditional Web2 infrastructure, DePIN must attract a broader user base and reach an industry-grade scale.

DePIN uses blockchain to power and incentivize community-owned real-world infrastructure. Source: peaq

Many projects rely on incentives to drive adoption, but rather than traditional airdrops for passive engagement, users seek projects with real-world value. Sustainable adoption depends on meaningful onchain rewards that encourage impactful contributions to the network — and Web3-powered real-world outcomes.

A campaign to bring DePIN to the mainstream

peaq, a layer-1 blockchain tailor-made for DePIN, is taking an impact-driven approach to integrating DePIN into the mainstream with a large-scale campaign called Get Real. Unlike conventional incentive programs that focus solely on onchain matters, the campaign encourages users to interact with and contribute to real-world DApps on peaq, making real impact via onchain quests.

Participants complete real-world tasks such as connecting electronic devices, providing the bandwidth for cybersecurity networks, or tracking agricultural produce onchain. Instead of passive engagement, users contribute directly to the expansion of the network by deploying devices, contributing data and engaging with DePIN services. To incentivize involvement, peaq has allocated 210,000,000 PEAQ tokens, or 5% of the total supply at launch, to the campaign’s reward pool.

The Get Real campaign aims to reward real people, creating real value in the real world. Source: peaq

To make participation more accessible, the campaign structures tasks into a clear quest system, each linked to a specific DePIN project. Users can contribute navigation data to decentralized mapping applications, measure environmental factors like noise pollution, track farm produces onchain or connect smart devices. Besides generating rewards for the participants, these activities introduce them to blockchain-powered solutions while strengthening the DePIN ecosystem through real-world adoption.

Gamification is key to the adoption

User retention is a major challenge for decentralized projects. To address this, Get Real integrates gamification through the peaq portal, where users can explore missions and collect non-fungible token (NFT) rewards tied to their progress.

The NFT designs are courtesy of Koto, the design agency behind the visual rebranding of the popular shooter Call of Duty. Participants in the Get Real campaign receive unique peaqonaut 2424 NFTs designed by Koto. These NFTs feature four sci-fi-inspired character groups that users can choose from and customize. As the participants complete quests, they unlock more items they can customize their characters with, visually representing their contributions to the campaign. This approach to gamification balances a unique progression system with clear faithfulness to the core values and vision behind the campaign, tying these mechanisms to real-world processes and outcomes.

It’s time.

05/02/25

Save the date. pic.twitter.com/j57tRDlWT7

— peaq (@peaq) January 30, 2025

Spanning 12 months, the Get Real campaign features seasonal stages to keep participation dynamic. As participants climb the ranks, they can earn both native PEAQ tokens and additional rewards from DePIN projects. After engaging over 140,000 participants in the preseason, the first season will run through February, and future distributions will be adjusted based on engagement.

Mobilizing the community to join DePINs

The Get Real campaign launched just three months after peaq’s official mainnet launch, before which some  50 applications across 21 industries were already building on the network. Around the launch, peaq introduced its DePIN Enterprise Adoption Program to help projects build demand among enterprises.

While that initiative focused on enterprise adoption, Get Real targets the supply side by mobilizing the community to join DePINs. By actively incentivizing participation, peaq strengthens its position as a key player in the DePIN space and the backbone of the Machine Economy.

Before peaq was launched, dozens of DePIN projects were committed to build on it. Source: peaq

As the DePIN sector evolves, Get Real-like campaigns will test whether blockchain technology can scale beyond digital transactions and integrate into everyday infrastructure. Long-term success will depend on sustained innovation and the ability to attract mainstream users to decentralized systems.