Hold onto your hats, folks, because we've got a whirlwind of news from the world of Helium, the blockchain-based network that's making waves, even in the eye of a storm!
Picture this: while Hurricane Helene was causing chaos in North Carolina, Helium hotspots stood strong, providing much-needed 5G coverage and handing out emergency kits to the community. Talk about being a lifeline when it matters most!
Now, let's talk numbers. Helium's native token, HNT, had a bit of a rollercoaster ride in the fourth quarter. It saw a 20% dip in market capitalization, sliding from $1.3 billion to $1 billion, with the token price taking a 22% tumble from $7.54 to $5.88. But don't count Helium out just yet – it's still buzzing with potential!
Helium Mobile is on the rise, with hotspots jumping by a cool 14% quarter-over-quarter, now numbering 24,800. And if you're tired of those sky-high telecom bills, Helium's got your back with budget-friendly unlimited plans that won't break the bank.
They've also rolled out a nifty Discovery Mapping feature, rewarding users with HNT for sharing location data. Although, as of February 4, those rewards have shifted gears to Cloud Points. Stay tuned for more details in the next report!
In the not-so-distant past, Helium Mobile showed its mettle during Hurricane Helene, keeping the 5G lights on when everything else went dark. They even threw in some Starlink devices with their emergency kits to help out those in need. Kudos to them for stepping up!
Quarter four was a growth fest for Helium's IoT network, too, with a 20% increase in hotspots. Since joining forces with Solana in early 2023, they've onboarded a whopping 33,000 hotspots, many thanks to the gaming community. That's over 375,000 hotspots in total, folks!
But here's the thing: while the infrastructure is expanding at breakneck speed, demand hasn't quite caught up yet. The network's ready and waiting, but the world needs to catch on. Data Credits (DCs) cover onboarding fees, but daily usage is still just warming up.
Now, let's address the elephant in the room. Rumor has it that Helium's founders and pals pocketed a hefty chunk of early token rewards, sparking some controversy. Back in 2022, it was reported they mined millions of HNT tokens, valued at a cool $250 million at their peak, leaving the public with the crumbs.
And if that wasn't enough drama, Helium faced some flak for claiming Lime, the rideshare company, as a marquee client. Lime's Global Communications Director, Russell Murphy, clarified that their connection was just a 2019 test, not a full-blown partnership. Oops!
Oh, and before we forget, Salesforce also waved the “no partnership” flag, prompting Helium to do some quick logo removals. It's been a wild ride for Helium, but they're still in the game, ready to tackle whatever comes their way. Stay tuned for more updates from the world of Helium!
