DeSci (Decentralized Science) projects are an emerging concept and practice based on blockchain technology, aimed at transforming traditional scientific research and dissemination models through decentralization. The goal of DeSci is to address some key issues in the current scientific research field, such as high publication fees, lack of data transparency, disputes over research ownership, and the lack of trust in funding mechanisms among the public and scientists.

DeSci sector market capitalization ranking

According to data from Coingecko as of December 5, the current market capitalization of the DeSci sector is $12B, which is relatively low, and there are few projects with well-established businesses in the sector, making it an early-stage field. [1]

The top ten projects by market capitalization in the DeSci sector

The following are the top ten tokens by market capitalization in the DeSci category on Coingecko as of December 5, including both DeSci projects and DeSci meme tokens. Below, we will introduce these projects’ business, funding background, and tokenomics. [2]

OriginTrail ($TRAC)

OriginTrail is a decentralized knowledge graph that enables the structuring, linking, persistence, and understanding of global data assets. It organizes, discovers, and verifies anything—from physical assets to digital ones, such as supply chain projects, artwork, diplomas, certificates, NFTs, DeFi, and more.

OriginTrail’s Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG) combines knowledge graphs and blockchain technology, creating a world of knowledge assets suitable for artificial intelligence, allowing anyone to participate in trusted knowledge sharing. From supply chains to the metaverse, the decentralized knowledge graph enhances any data through ownership, discoverability, and trust.

Funding and Team Information

Team and funding information

OriginTrail was founded in 2014 and raised $22.5M through an ICO in 2018. The specific investors have not been disclosed. [3]

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

The TRAC token distribution is as follows:

Public Sale: 50%; Future Protocol Development: 20%; Founders and Early Token Subscribers: 18%; Team and Advisors: 5%; Liquidity Pool: 5%; Rewards: 2%.[4]

Token Utility

Knowledge Assets are the most fundamental economic unit concept discussed in the Verifiable Internet for AI. Each time a knowledge asset is created, a certain amount of services need to be consumed, and these services are provided in a permissionless manner by node operators and delegated stakers in the OriginTrail DKG network.

When knowledge publishers add new knowledge assets to the DKG, they need to use TRAC tokens to pay for the DKG network services and complete the transaction with blockchain-related gas tokens. These gas tokens depend on the blockchain used for the publication (e.g., NEURO on NeuroWeb, DAI on Gnosis, ETH on Ethereum, etc.).

Nodes in the DKG network compete to earn the publication fees paid by knowledge publishers. This competition is based on three core elements:

1. Providing sufficient services to the sub-networks (paranets) (storage and availability of published knowledge).
2. The amount of TRAC staked on the node.
3. The node sub-network address, ensuring efficient distribution of knowledge and rewards across the network.

The highest-scoring nodes based on these criteria are eligible to receive the corresponding reward share during the knowledge asset publishing period.

Since TRAC staking is a key component of node success, node operators can also allow other TRAC holders to delegate their TRAC to the node’s staking pool. In return, node operators share a portion of the node’s rewards with the delegators based on the delegation ratio.

Additionally, TRAC staking plays a crucial role in securing the network, as it ensures that DKG nodes can fully perform their service duties. If a node behaves maliciously, its staked amount may be slashed.[5]

Summary

OriginTrail currently has a market capitalization of around $438M, nearly four times the market capitalization of the second-largest protocol in the DeSci sector. This is attributed to its relatively mature business. It has already covered multiple blockchain networks such as Ethereum, Gnosis, and Polkadot, allowing users to flexibly choose the most suitable blockchain platform. OriginTrail’s advantages lie in its technological innovation, data management capabilities, and broad applicability. It provides users with a decentralized, trusted, and efficient data solution, while incentivizing ecosystem participants through its economic model, jointly driving the development of the global data economy.

VitaDAO ($VITA)

VitaLabs is an interdisciplinary network of scientists within VitaDAO, dedicated to pioneering cutting-edge longevity science. Our mission is to significantly extend human health span and lifespan through advanced research, while democratizing intellectual property ownership via tokenized IP.

Since VitaDAO aims to attract long-term longevity research projects through the DAO model, VITA token holders can participate in VitaDAO governance and manage the IP portfolio, thereby profiting.

Funding and Team Information

Funding and Team Information

According to Rootdata, VitaDAO secured funding in 2021 and 2023. The 2021 funding was a public sale, raising $5.1M, while the 2023 funding was $4.08M, with investments from Shine Capital, L1D Spaceship DAO, and others. [6]

Token Distribution

Token distribution information

Token Unlocking Path

The tokenomics model, to be announced in January 2024, is shown in the figure above (this differs slightly from what was published in the whitepaper). Approximately 58% of the $VITA tokens have yet to be minted. The currently governed $VITA tokens are in the process of linear release, with 0.4% of the total being released each quarter. [7]

Token Utility

VITA tokens are earned through contributions of work, data, intellectual property (IP), or funds. Their core function is to select the highest quality longevity-related intellectual property and provide funding for related open scientific data creation.

VITA token holders have the following participation rights:

1. Determine which intellectual property receives funding.
2. Decide how projects will be funded.
3. Participate in VitaDAO governance.
4. Manage VitaDAO’s treasury.

It is important to note that VITA tokens do not grant ownership of intellectual property but provide full governance rights. VITA holders are responsible for deciding how to commercialize research and development (R&D) projects and ensure that their outcomes benefit patients.

Additionally, members can stake VITA tokens on specific projects to support them in reaching predefined milestones (e.g., 3 months/6 months/12 months). Projects will set measurable milestones in advance, but the results are uncertain, so members must bear additional risk when sacrificing liquidity.

When a project reaches its milestone, the staked tokens are unlocked. In return, VitaDAO periodically distributes signaling rewards to stakers. This process sends valuable signals to the market, demonstrating members’ confidence in specific projects. In this model, $VITA token holders effectively hold a compound fund of all projects.

Summary

VitaDAO combines decentralized governance, the open science model, and innovative economic models to provide unique support for the research and development of longevity science. Its transparent, democratic, and collaborative approach improves the efficiency and fairness of research funding and creates more possibilities for scientific breakthroughs and global health improvements.

ResearchHub ($RSC)

ResearchHub is a tokenized social network that rewards scientists for publicly sharing academic content. It is building a set of collaborative and publishing tools to help researchers work together, share their discoveries, and receive feedback from peers. Anyone who publishes great content on ResearchHub will earn cryptocurrency ResearchCoin (RSC) as a reward. Once earned, RSC allows users to create bounties to reward other scientists for completing research-related tasks.

Funding and Team Information

Funding and Team Information

ResearchHub secured two rounds of funding in June and August of 2023. The June seed round was led by OSS Capital, with BOOST VC and others participating, raising a total of $5M. The funding amount in August was undisclosed, with Sora Ventures as the investor. [8]

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

In the published tokenomics, 60% of $RSC is allocated to the community, 10% to founders, 10% to new employees, and 20% to the team. [9]

Token Utility

Token Incentive Model

RSC tokens are distributed to contributors who add value to the project. This model not only provides incentives for those committed to ResearchHub’s long-term vision but also allows the team more time to discover the most effective mechanisms for catalyzing growth and turning that into scientific value.

Examples of such iterations include editorial plans, incentivized peer-review programs, and small grants. In each case, RSC tokens are awarded to contributors who create value for the broader scientific community. The platform then acquires this value by increasing user adoption and subsequently generating more value for the platform by enhancing visibility and leveraging the services and products provided by ResearchHub.

This set of tools not only enhances the overall value proposition of RSC but also nurtures a vibrant and engaged community. In doing so, the ResearchHub Foundation ensures that RSC becomes a key driver of active participation and collaboration within the scientific community, aiming to establish a positive incentive mechanism that creates value for all network participants and accelerates the pace of scientific research. [10]

Summary

ResearchHub, through tokenization and blockchain technology, offers a new support model for scientific research. It not only promotes knowledge sharing and improves research efficiency but also breaks down the barriers of traditional research funding and publishing models through decentralized governance and economic incentives. Its open, transparent, and collaborative characteristics give it a significant advantage in advancing open science and innovative research.

AxonDAO ($AXGT)

AxonDAO aims to leverage blockchain and artificial intelligence to reconstruct how humans interact with their health data. By collecting healthcare data through DePIN, AxonDAO forms specific AI pre-cognitive algorithms using inputs such as biometrics, genomic data, and other key health indicators. These data are standardized, tokenized, and protocolized for backend research, new drugs, therapies, and diagnostic services. AxonDAO not only monitors individual data but also predicts future health conditions of individuals.

Token Distribution

The total supply of AXGT is 1 billion tokens, distributed as follows:

• 20% for community fundraising before IDO;
• 4% granted to AxonDAO’s early members, including 2% for OG Advisors, 1% for core team, and 1% for exchange buybacks, with a linear unlock over 12–36 months;
• 6% for the Working Group, with a linear unlock over 12+ months;
• 3% for liquidity provision;
• The remaining portion is yet to be unlocked.

Token Utility

The utility of the AXGT token includes:

• Participation in governance voting;
• Submitting projects to AxonDAO for funding approval through voting;
• A 4% transaction fee on each trade and sale of AXGT, which will support DeSci projects;
• Incentive for data value exchange, allowing individuals to convert their intellectual property (IP) into AXGT via AxonDAO’s DeSci application;
• Donations to scientists as a form of gratitude;
• Discounts on products, including cutting-edge scientific tools, equipment, products, and services recognized by AxonDAO.

Summary

AxonDAO, through its governance token AXGT, empowers users with governance rights while incentivizing token holders to stake and earn rewards, supporting innovative health data projects. It promotes the decentralization and security of health data, fosters transparent scientific collaboration, and has received support from industry partners like PolygonDAO and NVIDIA, demonstrating its technological strength and collaborative potential in decentralized science.

Hippocrat ($HPO)

Hippocrat is a healthcare data protocol where each decentralized identity (DID) is linked to an individual’s health data, securely stored in decentralized storage, giving individuals full control and ownership.

Hippocrat discusses the necessity of healthcare data for health and medical progress (such as drug development) and the challenges involved in obtaining sufficient high-quality data. These challenges include balancing privacy and usage, ensuring informed consent, incentivizing data sharing, understanding data rights, and maintaining reliable records.

To address these issues, Hippocrat aims to establish a healthcare data collaboration protocol based on open standards and Bitcoin. The protocol focuses on patient data autonomy, decentralized management, and a sustainable incentive model.

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

According to the project’s whitepaper, HPO is a token renamed from HUM (contract). After the renaming, HPO tokens will undergo a hard fork in the second quarter of 2023.

As of the end of March 2023, the total circulating supply was 913,409,273.38 tokens, which includes 11,772,820 tokens held by the foundation. Currently, 171,325,000 tokens are locked and will be distributed according to a detailed plan. After the hard fork, the maximum supply will be adjusted from 1,250,000,000 to 1,084,734,273.38 tokens, with no additional supply available for issuance.

After the renaming, HPO tokens will be distributed to develop necessary open-source tools for the Hippocrat ecosystem and build a DAO to develop and run the Hippocrat protocols and policies. [11]

Summary

Hippocrat’s advantage lies in its innovative decentralized healthcare data protocol. By linking each decentralized identity (DID) to personal health data and storing it in decentralized storage, it achieves complete autonomy and secure management of data. Users can flexibly authorize access to health data, ensuring privacy and data sovereignty while providing a transparent and secure platform for medical research and commercial cooperation, thus driving the innovative application and maximization of the value of healthcare data.

HairDAO ($HAIR)

HairDAO is an open-source investment and operational organization that funds early-stage companies focused on better understanding and treating hair loss. Users can help HairDAO address hair loss by uploading anonymous encrypted genomic data to the patient portal and earn $HAIR as a reward.

Funding and Team Information

Funding and Team Information

According to data from Rootdata, HairDAO is invested in by Cherry Capital, but specific investment details have not been disclosed. [12]

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

According to the published Token Distribution Information, 35.5% of the $HAIR tokens are currently unallocated, while 20.5% of tokens held by the core team will be unlocked by 2026, leaving nearly 55% of tokens not in circulation.

The remaining tokens are distributed through auctions, OTC, public markets, and hair-cutting activities. The current distribution status favors retail investors. [13]

Token Utility

1. $HAIR holders have governance rights over the funding and are responsible for deciding which research to fund and how to manage the intellectual property portfolio.

2. $HAIR holders can use their tokens to receive confidential information, including early access to research data. Alpha status allows $HAIR holders to earn more $HAIR.

3. $HAIR holders receive a 25% discount on all HairDAO products, including patented therapies and trademarked software.

Summary

HairDAO leverages blockchain technology and a decentralized governance model to provide an innovative support system for research in hair regeneration and health. Through decentralized funding, intellectual property tokenization, and global collaboration, HairDAO offers unprecedented opportunities for patients and scientists, while driving breakthrough developments in the hair health research field.

HairDAO focuses on individual hair care projects, with token acquisition and utility forming a closed loop. Compared to other DeSci protocols, its business logic is well-developed, and in a field that may lack users, scientists, and intellectual property owners, HairDAO does not suffer from a lack of participants.

Rifampicin ($RIF)

Rifampicin is a meme coin on Solana launched by Pump Science, representing the chemical substance that scientists use in attempts to extend lifespan.

Coingecko Information on $RIF Token

As a meme coin, $RIF currently has a market capitalization of $72M and is in full circulation. [14]

Summary

Rifampicin (RIF) is a meme coin inspired by the antibiotic Rifampicin. Rifampicin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic widely used to treat tuberculosis and other bacterial infections, while RIF, as a meme coin, aims to support medical experiments, especially in the DeSci (Decentralized Science) field.

Unlike other project tokens, $RIF originates from Pump Science on Solana and currently lacks actual business backing, making it a purely speculative meme coin. $RIF and $URO, both from PUMP.FUN, are among the leading DeSci meme tokens.

The Innovation Game ($TIG)

The Innovation Game (TIG) is an innovative market-based framework designed to accelerate the development of critical computational methods in data-driven science. TIG conceptualizes a “synthetic market” based on Proof of Work, where “innovators” contribute methods to solve “asymmetric” computational science problems, and are rewarded based on how widely their methods are adopted by “benchmarkers.” Benchmarkers, in turn, generate Proof of Work by solving these problem instances and are objectively rewarded based on their performance.

This market incentivizes the open development of an important category of computational methods and provides a price discovery mechanism for both commercial and pre-commercial research, thereby attracting private investment. TIG introduces a hybrid licensing model combining open data and traditional commercial licenses. This model is designed to efficiently manage intellectual property, facilitating open collaboration while also capturing value. Additionally, mechanisms are in place to ensure market competitiveness and prevent monopolistic behavior.

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

According to the official website of The Innovation Game, the TIG token follows a curved emission model. The first period, which released the largest amount of tokens, has already ended, and the release speed will slow down in subsequent periods. [15]

Token Utility

TIG is the first and only protocol specifically designed to accelerate algorithmic innovation. At its core is a new variant of Proof of Work, called Optimizable Proof of Work (OPoW).

OPoW uniquely integrates multiple Proof of Work algorithms, binding them together to prevent centralization caused by optimizations in the algorithms (for more details, refer to Section 2.1 of the TIG whitepaper). This addresses long-standing challenges that have hindered the use of Proof of Work in real-world computational science problems.

TIG combines the cryptoeconomic framework with OPoW to:

• Incentivize miners (referred to as benchmarkers) to adopt the most efficient algorithms (for executing Proof of Work), which are publicly contributed to TIG. This incentive comes from block rewards shared in proportion to the number of solutions found.
• Incentivize contributors (innovators) to optimize existing Proof of Work algorithms and invent new ones. These incentives are based on the adoption of their algorithms by benchmarkers, who receive a proportional share of block rewards.

TIG will gradually introduce Proof of Work over time, directing innovation efforts toward the most significant challenges in the scientific domain.

Summary

The Innovation Game offers a structured yet flexible approach to facilitating research progress, promoting open sharing of innovations, and supporting the commercialization of valuable intellectual property in computational science. Unlike the DeSci protocols mentioned above, which are based on healthcare and intellectual property, The Innovation Game offers several key advantages, especially in advancing computational methods and promoting innovation. It also falls within the AI domain, benefiting from the current hot trends in both DeSci and AI sectors, significantly enhancing its popularity.

Dynex ($DNX)

Dynex is an innovative platform that combines quantum computing and neuromorphic computing technologies to provide efficient and low-cost computing solutions. Unlike traditional supercomputers and quantum computers, Dynex can reduce costs by up to 90% and requires no expensive initial setup, making it suitable for various industries. Its unique technology overcomes traditional quantum computing limitations in capacity, error correction, and processing speed, enabling efficient handling of complex tasks.

Dynex also excels in energy efficiency by optimizing power consumption according to task requirements, reducing waste. With easy integration into Python development environments, Dynex offers a cost-effective and high-performance computing solution for multiple industry needs.

Token Distribution

Token Distribution Information

Token Utility

The Dynex (DNX) token is a versatile utility token within the Dynex blockchain ecosystem, facilitating various key functions. DNX serves as a reward mechanism for miners contributing computing power to the network, using the innovative DynexSolve Proof of Useful Work algorithm. This incentivizes miners to solve complex real-world problems while securing the blockchain. Additionally, developers and businesses use DNX to access and pay for Dynex’s Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) technology, enabling a wide range of applications from AI training to optimization tasks.

Summary

Dynex integrates quantum computing with neuromorphic computing, providing a groundbreaking and cost-efficient solution for handling complex calculations across various industries. Its low cost, high performance, and energy efficiency make it an attractive alternative to traditional computing systems, offering significant advantages for sectors such as AI, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and financial services.

GenomesDAO GENOME ($GENE)

GenomesDAO is a biotechnology DAO focused on the secure, private, and auditable monetizing genomic data using DeFi. The GENE token is used for payments related to whole genome sequencing and serves as an incentive mechanism for querying encrypted DNA data stored in their secure vault.

Funding and Team Information

Funding and Team Information

From the information on Rootdata, GenomesDAO secured funding on June 12 from Pantera Capital and Modular Capital, though the specific amount was not disclosed. Among all the protocols mentioned, GenomesDAO’s investors are the most powerful.

Token Distribution

• 30% of tokens were sold on miso.sushi.com on November 16, 2021, for 999 ETH
• 30% are allocated for liquidity provision rewards
• 6% are for early adopters
• 5.66% are allocated to key employees and will vest by January 2022
• 8.34% is for new team incentives and marketing budget (e.g., airdrops)
• 10% is allocated to the founding team and will vest within 12 months
• 10% is locked for business developers

Token Distribution Information sourced from [17]

Token Utility

Staking $GENE is the only way to earn $GNOME, thus becoming a member of GenomesDAO.

GenomesDAO offers three levels of passive income:

• APR from Your Genomic Data: Your genomic data is stored in the vault. Pharmaceutical companies wishing to query your data will pay you directly in $GENE if you approve their queries.
• Liquidity Provision APR: When you provide liquidity to the ETH/GENE or ETH/GNOME pools, you earn compounded APR.
• Governance Staking APR: Staking governance tokens ($GNOME) increases the APR of your liquidity pool and boosts future query earnings.

Summary

GenomesDAO is a decentralized genomics platform that ensures transparency and secure storage of genetic data using blockchain technology. It uses the GENOME token to incentivize data contributors and researchers while protecting privacy. The platform fosters global collaboration among researchers, advancing innovation in genomics and personalized medicine. GenomesDAO offers new opportunities for genetic data research and commercialization through decentralized governance and data sharing.

Conclusion

Although the DeSci sector has recently gained popularity mainly due to DeSci meme tokens, with few fully developed projects and a focus on speculation, it is reshaping the research field through blockchain technology. It improves knowledge sharing, data transparency, and funding management efficiency. DeSci breaks down traditional research barriers, enhances researchers’ autonomy, and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation. It not only accelerates the application of scientific results but also encourages more open cooperation. However, it still faces challenges such as technology, compliance, and market acceptance. As technology and ecosystems mature, DeSci has the potential to lead the future development of scientific research, bringing about profound changes.

References：
【1】Coingecko: https://www.coingecko.com/en/categories/decentralized-science-DeSci
【2】Coingecko: https://www.coingecko.com/en/categories/decentralized-science-DeSci
【3】Rootdata: https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/detail/OriginTrail?k=Mzk%3D
【4】Coincarp: https://www.coincarp.com/currencies/origintrail/project-info/
【5】OriginTrail V3 Whitepaper: https://origintrail.io/documents/Verifiable_Internet_for_Artificial_Intelligence_whitepaper_v3_pre_publication.pdf
【6】Rootdata: https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/detail/VitaDAO?k=MTE0OQ%3D%3D
【7】VitaDAO Official Website: https://www.vitadao.com/vita-token
【8】Rootdata: https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/detail/ResearchHub?k=ODIzNg%3D%3D
【9】Coincarp: https://www.coincarp.com/currencies/researchhub/project-info/
【10】Researchhub Documentation: https://docs.researchhub.com/researchcoin/rsc-tokenomics
【11】Hippocat Whitepaper: https://whitepaper.hippocrat.io/index/whatis/hpo
【12】Rootdata: https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/detail/HairDAO?k=OTkxMw%3D%3D
【13】HairDAO Official Website: https://www.hairdao.xyz/hair-token
【14】Coingecko: https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/rifampicin
【15】TIG Official Website: https://www.tig.foundation/tech#basics
【16】Rootdata: https://www.rootdata.com/Projects/detail/GenomesDAO?k=MTA0MTA%3D
【17】Genomes Blog: https://genomes.io/blog/post/gene-token-details-and-genomesdao-treasury-23