2025 First Half Review: 5 Million Global Nodes, 3 Million Active Users, 80% Cost Reduction, Roam Sparks Web3 Telecom Revolution

On March 6, 2025, the $ROAM token was launched on 13 major exchanges including Bybit, Bitget, and Gate.io, with a first-day trading volume exceeding $120 million. Spot and contract trading opened simultaneously within 24 hours, and the #RoamTheWorld hashtag went viral on social media. Four years ago, Roam started under the name MetaBlox, dedicated to promoting the application of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) Open Roaming protocol. Today, Roam has supported connections to over 5.4 million global Wi-Fi nodes, covering more than 190 countries, redefining the future of global communication networks. This revolution stems from a belief: wireless network connections should be secure, free, and accessible.

Currently, the trust crisis in the traditional telecommunications industry remains unresolved. The AT&T data breach affecting 88 million users revealed the vulnerabilities of operators in privacy protection and network security, while exorbitant roaming fees—such as the extreme case of a UK user being charged up to £6,700 in a short period—have sparked widespread doubts about the fairness of traditional pricing systems, prompting Roam to propose the vision of building a Global Open Wireless Network and rapidly develop. The Messari 2024 annual report points out that blockchain-driven communication networks are disrupting traditional operating models. Roam is the leader of this transformation, leveraging the Open Roaming protocol and the Solana mainnet, integrating decentralized identity (DID), verifiable credentials (VC), and AI technology to create a secure, seamless network connection system that combines Wi-Fi and eSIM.

According to a report by The Guardian, in January this year, UK user Hilary O'Donnell was charged nearly £6,700 for using WhatsApp for less than an hour during her trip to the US because she did not turn off her roaming settings.

H1 2025: Roam's Breakthrough in Global Connectivity

In the first half of 2025, Roam grew from a DePIN dark horse to a global Web3 telco pioneer. The $ROAM token was launched on 13 exchanges, with trading volume exceeding $120 million; over 1 million new users and more than 4 million new nodes were added. The launch of Global/Premium eSIM and community incentive programs further propelled the large-scale implementation of its Web3 applications. With the launch of Binance Alpha and the addition of DEXs like PancakeSwap and Meteora, Roam's market liquidity significantly increased. In the Binance Alpha trading competition, $ROAM's trading volume ranked in the top six in history. Through cross-chain bridges, DID, and the Open Roaming protocol, Roam not only connected users' network connections but also linked the largest SOL and BSC ecosystems globally.

January: Igniting the Community Engine

At the beginning of the year, Roam accelerated its ecological layout, collaborating with Huma Finance to launch the Roam Loan Program, helping users purchase Rainier MAX60 and Baker MAX30 routers with a 30% down payment to become node miners. Meanwhile, the Roam Global Ambassador Program was launched, attracting thousands of users to spread the Roam vision. The Pilot Burning Pool was launched simultaneously, allowing users to exchange Roam points for $ROAM before the TGE, exploring optimal burning strategies to maximize returns. By the end of January, the number of new nodes reached 500,000, and community vitality was fully ignited.

February: Certification and Incentives Progress Together

Roam launched a certification system to authenticate trusted networks and users, enhancing connection security. The community bounty program distributed 100,000 $ROAM rewards to encourage content creation and social dissemination. Co-founder YZ released a token economic model, publicly disclosing the incentive mechanism, sparking enthusiastic discussions within the community. In February, self-built nodes surpassed 2 million, further solidifying the network's foundation.

March: The Highlight Moment for Exchanges

On March 6, $ROAM was launched on 13 exchanges, achieving a first-day trading volume of $120 million. On March 18, it saw a 30% increase within 24 hours, continuing to lead the DePIN spot market. The reverse burning mechanism was officially launched, with 97% of exchanged tokens permanently destroyed; high APY staking pools were also launched, with miners enjoying an APY of up to 200%. By the end of March, the project's market capitalization reached $76.29 million, becoming a focal point in DePIN.

April: AI-Driven and Business Breakthroughs

Roam launched the AI Agent to optimize the app interaction experience, making connections smarter. The enterprise version of eSIM was introduced, reducing roaming costs by 80% for global teams. The number of community-deployed nodes reached a new high, with 900,000 new nodes added in a single month, showcasing the power of a decentralized network.

May: Global Applications and Premium eSIM

Bybit and MEXC were the first to adopt Roam's enterprise version of eSIM, achieving an upgrade in internal communication. The Premium eSIM was launched at Solana Accelerate NYC, supporting voice, SMS, and 5G data services in over 160 countries, allowing users to activate it with one click through the Roam App. The total number of users increased to 2.7 million, and the total number of nodes surpassed 5 million.

June: Multi-Chain Expansion and Ecological Leap

Roam landed on Binance Alpha, Meteora, and PancakeSwap, expanding $ROAM to the BNB Chain, significantly increasing liquidity. The second phase of Discovery was launched, with the number of ecological cooperation projects increasing to 27. A new miner incentive policy was initiated, with a staking limit of 500 $ROAM per person, and double airdrops helped increase the number of nodes to 5.4 million. The app added direct deposit and withdrawal features for the BSC chain ROAM, enhancing the on-chain interaction experience. On June 11, the price of $ROAM stabilized at $0.2565, with a 24-hour trading volume of $24.68 million.

No Narrative, Only Action: How the Roam Community Builds a Network of 5.4 Million Nodes

Where do Roam's 5.4 million self-built Wi-Fi nodes come from? Perhaps the community can provide the answer. In the Roam community, many users refer to themselves as "black slaves," joking that they are like "delivery drivers" or "ride-hailing drivers" in the Web3 era, as each node is built step by step by them on the ground. Every day, tens of thousands of people silently deploy nodes around the world, with some members earning up to $400-500 a month.

Roam always insists on putting users at the core, launching diverse incentive mechanisms to give back to the community. Before the TGE, the Pilot Burning Pool helped users explore optimal profit strategies; after the TGE, the reverse burning mechanism was officially launched, with 97% of exchanged tokens permanently destroyed, reducing market circulation and supporting user arbitrage. At the same time, the ecological staking mechanism encourages long-term holding, allowing both ordinary users and node miners to enjoy APYs above the industry average. With the launch of Binance Alpha, ordinary users can enjoy a super high APY of 35%; miners staking 500 $ROAM can receive a 100% base APY, plus an additional monthly airdrop of 40 $ROAM for six months. Additionally, the "lock-up for traffic" mechanism also returns traffic earnings to users through eSIM services.

In the past 15 months of TGE new projects, Roam has become one of the top three in FDV in the DePIN track, firmly holding the first position among all mining machine projects. Perhaps as market sentiment gradually cools and people become less trusting of narratives, the "black slaves" of the Roam community continue to work silently, gradually expanding the network boundaries and laying the most solid foundation for connection freedom.

Future Outlook: Building an Interstellar Blueprint for the Future

In the first half of 2025, Roam shone brightly in the wireless connectivity track, igniting global connectivity enthusiasm with the mission of "Roam the World." Looking ahead to the second half of the year, Roam will collaborate deeply with the AI agent Mojogogo to enable AI assistants to better assist users, participate in "Pump Meme" interactions, and use stablecoin credit cards, connecting the worlds of PayFi and DeFi. At the same time, it will further enhance Premium eSIM features, supporting $ROAM for purchasing data, providing a one-click connection experience for voice, SMS, and 5G data services for travelers. The Roam App will launch precise advertising features, collaborating with gaming and travel platforms to create immersive interactive scenarios.

In terms of business development, Roam will deepen cooperation with exchanges, Web3 projects, and wallet platforms to provide enterprise-level eSIM services for their communities and teams. Following its entry into the Binance Alpha and Solana ecological cooperation, Roam will focus on the markets in South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia, promoting integration and distribution with exchanges, DeFi protocols, dApps, OTAs, travel agencies, and airlines through community engagement, media dissemination, and KOL collaboration, co-creating a new pattern of global communication.

According to Roam co-founder YZ, the key to achieving large-scale implementation of Web3 applications lies in enabling the crypto masses to truly participate. The core of achieving this goal is "simplicity." Roam is committed to providing ordinary users—even those in the grandparent generation—with a simple and easy-to-use entry point to meet their practical needs in networking, socializing, and entertainment, while sharing in the economic benefits of Web3. Roam's vision is to connect everything: people, devices, AI, and assets. From trekkers in the Himalayas to office workers on the streets of New York, each node is a star in the Roam network. In the future, this network built by the community will illuminate every corner of the world.

Note: This article is a submission and does not represent the views of ChainCatcher, nor does it constitute investment advice.