Your GPS tracker could be making you money—IoTeX’s Jing Sun explains how

Your GPS tracker could be making you money—IoTeX’s Jing Sun explains how originally appeared on TheStreet.

Imagine a world where your solar panel, GPS tracker, or flight monitor earns passive income 24/7 — feeding valuable data to AI giants and global businesses.

That’s the world IoTeX is building. Co-founder Jing Sun says their platform is at the center of a new machine economy — where real-world devices plug into Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) and start generating real yield.

From Silicon Valley VC to crypto builder

Jing Sun started in venture capital, backing deep-tech startups across AI, data, and IoT. But things changed in 2017. “We saw a huge vision,” she said. Inspired by the Ethereum whitepaper, she co-founded IoTeX, a Layer 1 blockchain designed to connect device data with AI models and traditional businesses. “From 2010 to 2018, I was running venture capital, investing in groundbreaking tech startups—AI, data, IoT, and edge companies,” she shared.

Now, that vision is reality. IoTeX powers networks where communities contribute data from devices like GPS antennas or solar panels and earn rewards from AI firms and enterprises. “We connect device data from the real world and feed it into AI models, specifically vertical AI models,” Sun said.

What even is DePIN?

You’ve heard of DeFi. But DePIN might be crypto’s most promising real-world use case. “Messari coined the term in 2021,” Sun said. “We call it MachineFi—the financialization of machine data or resources.” DePIN projects crowdsource infrastructure that used to be run by governments or big tech—think GPS, solar, and flight tracking—and bring it to underserved regions. “DePIN creates coverage for underserved areas through community contributions,” Sun added.

Projects like GEODNET (GPS), Glow (solar), and Wingbits (flight tracking) are already live on IoTeX. “These are meaningful for society,” Sun said. And they’re making real money.

Anyone can join the machine economy

“You and I can purchase devices, deploy them in our city, and operate them,” Sun said. These devices gather data—like location or energy output—sell it to networks, and pay you in tokens. “It’s a kind of basic income,” she added. “You become an operator of a diverse machine network and earn rewards.”

For example, a $300–$500 GEODNET node earns tokens by feeding precise GPS data into robotics systems. With IoTeX’s DePINScan dashboard, you can track earnings in real time. It’s plug-and-play crypto that anyone can do.

Why TradFi investors should care

Jing Sun says DePIN is a perfect fit for traditional investors. “The business model is very clear,” she said. These networks have revenue, cost structures, and customer demand. “You can value them like a traditional company—gross margins, unit economics, current revenue, and projections.”

Story ContinuesAnd it’s working. IoTeX is already powering 100+ DePIN projects with $2.7B in total locked value. “We see huge potential to onboard traditional investors to crypto through DePIN,” Sun said. Even Franklin Templeton named DePIN a top crypto theme for 2025.

Looking ahead, IoTeX wants to power the next generation of AI agents and smart devices. “AI agents will run on devices and need identities to monetize their work,” Sun said. Their tools like ioID and W3bstream give devices identity and verify their data.

“Machines will be the biggest users of blockchain for payments and automation,” Sun predicted—and IoTeX is already building the foundation.

Your GPS tracker could be making you money—IoTeX’s Jing Sun explains how first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 4, 2025

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.

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