Solana-based Pipe Network launches rewards for its decentralized internet

Solana-based Pipe Network is rewarding users who offer bandwidth for testing its decentralized content delivery system.

On May 1, at the Token2049 conference in Dubai, Pipe Network announced incentives for node operators who contribute computing power. This infrastructure will be used to power its decentralized content delivery network built on Solana.

Dubbed PipeQuest, the rewards program will support engagement with the Pipe Network testnet. It will incentivize node operators, community participation, and network demand ahead of its mainnet launch, scheduled for summer 2025.

Pipe Network wants to build the internet on Solana

The ultimate goal of the initiative is to build a scalable ecosystem where users can share data, stream content, and do everything they currently do online, but using decentralized infrastructure, without relying on the expensive data centers run by big tech firms.

One of the main advantages of the Pipe Network is that it enables almost any device to be turned into a Point of Presence node. This means that owners of personal computers, laptops, or even mobile devices can use idle computing power to earn rewards and power the network.

Additionally, the proximity of these smaller nodes to end users can reduce latency. In theory, this means faster ping times and quicker content loading for users. David Rhodus, founder of Permissionless Labs, the company behind Pipe Network, explained its benefits during the Token2049 event:

“We’re excited to make our testnet available to the wider Solana community to demonstrate how a decentralized CDN can increase bandwidth and reduce latency beyond what has been possible with off-chain solutions,” David Rhodus, Permissionless Labs.

So far, the network boasts over 200,000 PoP nodes, or individual devices onboarded. These devices were used to upload more than 200,000 files and store a cumulative 250 Terabytes of data.