Can the African version of Helium, supported by Google Cloud, rush to the whole world?

In December last year, the Nigerian startup DePIN project Wicrypt announced it received $350,000 in funding from Microsoft and Google Cloud, which will be used to expand cooperation and enhance product effectiveness.
As a result of this positive news, the price of the project token WNT has risen sharply, climbing from $0.21 on February 8 to $0.45 on March 4, more than doubling in value. Back in November 2021, Wicrypt completed a $1.5 million funding round led by AU21 Capital, with other investors including Polygon founder Sandeep Nailwal. At the same time, the Arbitrum Foundation also made a certain investment in the project.

So, why has this project attracted investment from well-known institutions like Google Cloud? Below is a comprehensive overview of the Wicrypt project.

Dubbed the African version of Helium, nearly 1,100 devices deployed in 31 countries and 92 cities worldwide

Wicrypt is an innovative company based in Africa, dedicated to solving internet access issues through blockchain technology, and is referred to as the African version of Helium. As a decentralized shared network service provider on the Polygon network, Wicrypt allows users to earn rewards while sharing WiFi, promoting the development of the internet sharing economy. Since its establishment in 2018, Wicrypt has deployed over 1,067 devices in 31 countries and 92 cities worldwide, demonstrating its strong expansion capability and technical strength. Wicrypt not only provides token incentives for hotspot providers but also aims to break the censorship of internet services, ensuring the free flow of information, making it a pioneer in the African blockchain space.

Wicrypt's success stems from its diverse team of experienced professionals. Co-founder Chukwuemeka Nweke has a rich background in software engineering, specializing in leading technical teams and solving technical challenges. CEO Aronu Ugochukwu is an innovator in Africa's DeFi space and previously founded Xend Finance. The technical team is led by engineers proficient in blockchain, ensuring that Wicrypt's technical solutions are both advanced and reliable. COO Toni Dada brings over 14 years of experience in the telecommunications and fintech sectors, providing valuable industry insights to the team. Wicrypt's marketing and business teams are spread globally, ensuring the project's success in various markets.
Wicrypt offers two main hardware products: Lynx and Spider, providing different levels of network connectivity services to users. Lynx is an entry-level device that supports up to 50 concurrent connections, suitable for small-scale network needs. Spider is an upgraded device with higher network speeds and greater connection capacity, capable of meeting more complex network demands. Both devices not only support data resellers in mining but also allow real-time display of connection data on the blockchain through NFT generation. Additionally, Wicrypt provides a block explorer with an integrated map system to help users easily find nearby Wicrypt hotspots. These products and services collectively form Wicrypt's core competitiveness, making it stand out in the decentralized network service field.

Transforming home network devices into digital billboards, Wicrypt leads the Web3 + DePIN + advertising revolution

Wicrypt is leading a revolution in the advertising industry by transforming everyday routers and MiFi devices into digital billboards that can generate income. This innovation not only changes traditional advertising models but also puts the power of advertising directly into the hands of users. Wicrypt's advertising system provides unprecedented convenience for various user groups—including business owners, households, individuals, and students—by offering a seamless ecosystem that connects businesses with target audiences.
Wicrypt's advertising system particularly emphasizes user experience simplicity and efficiency. Through an easy-to-use dashboard, users can easily manage advertising campaigns from creation, targeting, to analysis. Additionally, a key feature of the system allows device owners to earn passive income by displaying ads on their devices, achieving the dual goals of monetization and audience connection.
Unlike other platforms, Wicrypt is committed to ensuring fair revenue distribution. By sharing revenue between Wicrypt and hotspot hub owners, Wicrypt establishes a fair and profitable partnership. This mechanism not only encourages more users to join the advertising system but also enhances the vitality of the entire ecosystem.

The process of enabling the Wicrypt advertising system is simple and straightforward. Users need to log into Wicrypt's web dashboard, select the hotspot hub, and activate the advertising system using a toggle button on their preferred device. Subsequently, users can make the necessary settings on the device settings page to display ads on the login screen. Devices will receive regular rewards based on the number of ad views, further incentivizing user participation and contribution.
As an incentive for users who actively participate in the advertising system and provide feedback, Wicrypt will offer $WNT airdrop rewards. This initiative aims to encourage more users to join Wicrypt's innovative advertising ecosystem and jointly promote the future development of decentralized marketing and advertising.
Wicrypt's advertising system is not just a marketing tool; it represents a new partnership that can elevate brands to new heights in the digital realm. By joining Wicrypt, users can not only experience advertising work that transcends traditional boundaries but also maximize their influence and redefine the standards of success.

Introduction to the application scenarios and value prospects of $WNT: staking rewards and participation in community proposals

The $WNT token is the cornerstone of the Wicrypt ecosystem, launched in an EVM-compatible format on the Polygon network. This token plays a crucial role in most interactions on the Wicrypt platform, serving not only as a utility tool but also involving governance aspects. The total supply of $WNT is fixed at 200 million tokens, ensuring its scarcity and value, unless new decisions are made through a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) in the future. Currently, $WNT is listed on trading platforms such as Quickswap and MEXC for public trading.

The Wicrypt network distinguishes between two types of users: hosts (users providing internet services) and regular users (customers using the services). Hosts must pre-deposit a certain amount of $WNT tokens to join the network, ensuring their commitment to the quality and safety of Wicrypt products. If malicious behavior is detected from a host, their staked $WNT will be frozen for a period as a penalty. Additionally, as the number of devices purchased by hosts increases, the PoS deposit required per device will decrease, with discounts of up to 33%. However, it is worth noting that this requirement only applies to physical router owners, while digital hosts do not need to stake.
Wicrypt adopts a hybrid governance model that includes both decentralized elements and a centralized management team responsible for maintaining and managing the product backend. $WNT stakers automatically gain the right to participate in Wicrypt governance, allowing them to submit proposals and vote on the direction of Wicrypt product development and organizational setup. Proposals must meet a certain voting power threshold to be submitted, while small stakers can delegate their voting rights to others to ensure broad participation.
Wicrypt supports rewards based on staking scores and transaction volume. Staking rewards are distributed according to staking scores, while transaction volume rewards are based on the number and scale of operations executed on the platform. Additionally, users can earn cashback rewards by participating in specific activities, with the amount determined by their staking level and spending on services. Wicrypt aims to incentivize user participation and contributions to the network through this reward mechanism while ensuring the stable operation and continuous development of the platform.