Recently, the AI cryptocurrency sector has really been heating up. Its market capitalization has reached about $30.6 billion, and even institutional investors are starting to get involved, which is quite interesting.

I think this trend isn't just speculation; it's because blockchain technology is beginning to be recognized as a means to solve structural issues in AI development. Problems like the concentration of GPU computing resources in major tech companies, the centralization of AI models, and lack of data transparency—these challenges are now being addressed with decentralized infrastructure.

In fact, the major asset management firm Grayscale launched an AI-focused fund in July 2024, which indicates that this sector has moved beyond the speculative stage and is now a serious investment target for institutional investors. The fund, composed of assets like TAO, FIL, LPT, NEAR, and RENDER, is rebalanced quarterly, reflecting a move toward long-term market development.

Among AI cryptocurrencies, I’m especially watching decentralized GPU rendering projects. RENDER, for example, has completed its migration to Solana and established itself as a core project in the DePIN space. As of April 1, it rose to $1.81, up 5.43% in 24 hours. NEAR Protocol is also trading around $1.21, likely because of its high scalability, making it attractive as an AI development environment.

AI agent-related projects are also quite active. VIRTUAL Protocol functions as a platform where anyone can create and tokenize AI agents, with its price rising to $0.67. What’s really fascinating is that we’re entering an era where AI agents will automatically settle transactions through virtual currency wallets. Even the CEO of a major exchange has reported successful trades between AI bots, so I believe this movement is genuine.

However, risks shouldn’t be ignored. The DeepSeek shock in January 2025 caused a sharp drop in AI-related stocks, which is still fresh in memory. Just the release of low-cost, high-performance AI models by Chinese companies was enough to shake the entire market. Additionally, in February 2026, there was an incident where autonomous AI agents mistakenly sent $250,000 worth of meme coins, highlighting ongoing technical challenges.

BitTensor (TAO) is trading around $317.20 and remains a solid player as a decentralized AI learning network. Filecoin (FIL) is at $0.85, and The Graph (GRT) is at $0.02, showing steady recognition of data infrastructure projects. The ASI Alliance (FET), as an umbrella for multiple projects, has risen to $0.24 and is beginning to function as the largest blockchain + AI alliance.

If you’re considering investing in AI cryptocurrencies, it’s crucial to verify the actual technological fundamentals. Many projects only list AI terminology in their whitepapers, so it’s important to look at development activity on GitHub, actual operational products, and the credibility of partnerships.

Fortunately, major tokens like RENDER, NEAR, FIL, GRT, and WLD are now available on domestic exchanges. For beginners, easier access makes it a good time to start diversified investments with spare funds. However, market volatility remains intense, so be prepared for that.