Jennifer Goldsmith

@OpenLedger is set to launch the OpenCircle Fund in 2026—a $25 million initiative dedicated to supporting the development of AI and Web3 projects built on its blockchain platform. This fund reinforces OpenLedger’s long-term vision: to decentralize AI development and empower creators through equitable access to capital, infrastructure, and community support.

Rooted in the convergence of blockchain and artificial intelligence, OpenCircle serves as both a launchpad and incubator for projects aligned with OpenLedger’s mission—to reward contributors of code, data, and compute with transparent, on-chain ownership. In doing so, it directly challenges the opaque and extractive models of centralized AI, fostering a fairer and more collaborative ecosystem.

Following its $8 million seed round in 2024, led by top-tier investors like Paradigm and Sequoia Capital, OpenLedger focused on building a “sovereign data blockchain”—a verifiable infrastructure where AI attribution and value sharing are baked into the protocol itself. OpenCircle represents the natural next phase: nurturing an ecosystem around this infrastructure.

The Fund will offer grants, equity investments, and technical support to early-stage AI and Web3 teams, prioritizing projects that are open, composable, and verifiable. Initial allocations will range from $250,000 to $500,000, targeting both VC-backed startups and mature open-source initiatives.

Key focus areas include:

DeFi models powered by AI
Decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN)
Generative AI for gaming
AI-powered wallets and portfolio assistants
Prediction markets
Industry-specific DataNets for healthcare, climate, and supply chains

The Fund is strategically reinforced by OpenLedger’s partnership with Ether.fi, a leading restaking protocol managing $6.5 billion in TVL. This collaboration adds capital efficiency and strengthens security for funded AI models through shared economic incentives and restaked infrastructure.

The launch comes at a pivotal moment in Web3’s evolution, as demand grows for AI-native, decentralized applications that respect user sovereignty. Projects like Telegram’s xAI-powered Grok underscore the broader industry shift toward AI with on-chain accountability.

Beyond capital, OpenCircle will foster a vibrant, open-source ecosystem through hackathons, educational initiatives, and community governance—ensuring that decision-making remains decentralized and participatory. All governance will be powered by the OPEN and gOPEN tokens, allowing contributors to help steer funding priorities, network upgrades, and protocol evolution.

Security and integrity remain core to the Fund’s mandate. All funded projects will undergo routine audits, cryptographic attribution tracking, and performance verification to ensure data protection, transparency, and resistance to manipulation—critical safeguards for decentralized AI.

OpenCircle’s broader vision is to build an equitable AI economy where value is shared among all contributors—developers, data providers, compute resource owners—not captured by a centralized few. By aligning incentives on-chain, OpenLedger is laying the groundwork for a more democratic and sustainable model of AI innovation.

With over 20,000 AI models already created on the OpenLedger network and 27+ live applications, OpenCircle aims to supercharge this momentum—expanding the ecosystem and enabling the next generation of scalable, decentralized AI technologies.

OpenCircle is more than a fund—it’s a catalyst for a future where AI innovation is open, inclusive, and transparently rewarded.

$OPEN | #OpenLedger

@OpenLedger is rapidly emerging as a leader at the intersection of blockchain and AI, supported by a total of $15 million in funding since 2024, including a pivotal $8 million seed round led by prominent investors such as Polychain Capital and Borderless Capital. This financial backing has laid a solid foundation for OpenLedger’s vision: becoming the “sovereign data blockchain” for AI.

At the core of OpenLedger’s innovation is its Proof-of-Attribution (PoA) mechanism, which fairly compensates contributors whenever their data impacts AI outputs. This on-chain, transparent system fundamentally redefines traditional AI development by recognizing and rewarding the critical value of data, code, and compute contributions—long overlooked in centralized AI pipelines.

The protocol's adoption reflects its growing impact. On its testnet, over six million nodes have been registered, creating a highly decentralized infrastructure optimized for AI workflows. This network efficiently supports distributed data pipelines and compute tasks with low latency and high reliability.

To date, OpenLedger has processed more than 25 million AI-related transactions, including data registration, model training, inference calls, and attribution payouts. This activity highlights robust developer engagement and accelerating demand for decentralized, transparent AI infrastructure.

The ecosystem is thriving, with over 20,000 unique AI models created using OpenLedger’s tools—spanning industries like healthcare, autonomous systems, finance, natural language processing, and climate analytics. Additionally, 27+ products and applications have launched on the platform, ranging from decentralized data/model marketplaces to AI prediction tools and collaborative development platforms—indicating real-world utility well beyond experimentation.

The native $OPEN token powers the entire ecosystem—used for transaction fees, governance, and incentive mechanisms. Holders can stake OPEN or convert it to gOPEN to participate in protocol governance, including decisions on reward distribution, fee models, and network upgrades—aligning community interests with platform success.

A strategic partnership with Ether.fi, a leading restaking protocol with $6.5B in TVL, further enhances OpenLedger’s infrastructure. By leveraging cross-protocol liquidity, this collaboration bolsters both the security and computational quality of decentralized AI development.

OpenLedger’s architecture blends off-chain AI processing with on-chain verification, ensuring transparency, performance, and accountability. All data, model attributions, and results are cryptographically anchored on-chain, enabling independent audits and reinforcing trust.

A major milestone was achieved in September 2025, when the OPEN token listed on Binance, driving a 200% surge in trading volume to $182 million. This not only marked increased market confidence but also catalyzed broader community engagement and ecosystem expansion.

Looking ahead, OpenLedger plans to launch OpenCircle, a $25 million launchpad fund dedicated to accelerating innovation in AI and Web3. The initiative will provide grants, incubation, and go-to-market support to promising developers and teams building on the protocol.

Security remains a top priority. Through multiple audits, ongoing bounty programs, and continuous monitoring, OpenLedger maintains a highly secure and resilient infrastructure—critical for supporting institutional use cases and safeguarding AI operations at scale.

In summary, OpenLedger’s $15 million funding journey since 2024 has catalyzed the rise of a powerful AI blockchain ecosystem. With millions of nodes, tens of millions of transactions, thousands of AI models, and growing real-world adoption, OpenLedger is not just a protocol—it’s a next-generation infrastructure for Payable AI that redefines how value, data, and intelligence are created and shared.

$OPEN | #OpenLedger

This latest development marks a major milestone in Holoworld AI’s mission to democratize access to its platform. By eliminating minimum staking requirements, the initiative enables all HOLO token holders—regardless of their holdings—to earn Holo Points, further integrating them into the ecosystem and enhancing user engagement.

Lowering Barriers to Entry

In contrast to traditional staking programs, which often require high minimum commitments, Holoworld AI allows users to stake any amount of HOLO tokens. This inclusive approach is designed to increase participation, encourage decentralized network development, and support wider community involvement.

Through staking, participants earn Holo Points, a reward mechanism that can be redeemed for benefits such as exclusive access to platform features, AI tools, and ecosystem-wide rewards. The program promotes both long-term token holding and active ecosystem engagement, reinforcing Holoworld AI’s broader goals of governance and community-led growth.

A Decentralized Marketplace for AI

Holoworld AI operates as a decentralized AI marketplace where users can create, trade, and deploy AI agents without requiring any coding knowledge. The HOLO token plays a critical role in this ecosystem—serving as the primary medium for staking, governance voting, and economic transactions across Holoworld’s AI app store.

The staking program is integrated with governance features, allowing stakers to participate in key decision-making processes. This community-driven governance model enhances transparency, decentralization, and alignment between stakeholder interests and project success.

Strong Early Market Response

Initial market analysis indicates that the launch of HOLO staking has contributed to increased trading volume and liquidity, signaling heightened investor interest and platform activity. This momentum was further supported by the recent listing of the HOLO token on major cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance, Bithumb, Upbit, and Bybit, expanding its global reach and accessibility.

The staking program aligns with Holoworld AI’s long-term strategic roadmap, which includes scaling AI model deployments, launching new agent-based applications, and supporting a growing community of digital creators.

Rewarding Participation and Loyalty

In addition to earning passive income, participants in the staking program benefit from early access to upcoming tools and features—positioning them as early adopters within the platform. This not only strengthens user retention but also cultivates long-term loyalty and active community contribution.

All staking operations are conducted on Holoworld’s secure blockchain infrastructure, leveraging the Solana network for fast, scalable, and cost-effective transactions. Solana’s high throughput and low fees make it an ideal backbone for handling frequent staking activity and user interactions.

Setting a New Industry Standard

Holoworld AI’s flexible staking approach has already attracted significant attention within the Web3 and AI communities, positioning the project as a pioneer at the intersection of artificial intelligence and decentralized infrastructure.

The introduction of a no-minimum staking requirement sets a new precedent for inclusivity in blockchain incentive programs—challenging industry norms and potentially inspiring similar models across other ecosystems.

Holoworld AI also places strong emphasis on user education, encouraging responsible participation based on individual financial goals and risk tolerance. As part of its commitment to continuous innovation, the team plans to introduce additional features, including tiered rewards, token lock-up options, and cross-platform staking integrations, to ensure the system evolves alongside user needs and market dynamics.

Conclusion

The launch of HOLO staking with no minimum requirements represents a significant advancement in Holoworld AI’s journey toward building a user-first, inclusive, and decentralized AI ecosystem. By empowering token holders of all sizes to participate and benefit, the initiative is set to drive greater adoption, engagement, and long-term value within the platform.

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