The next wave of innovation in crypto and AI isn’t coming; it’s already here. From building the world’s largest Bitcoin staking layer to creating zero-cost DeFi platforms and AI-powered discovery engines, the following five companies are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s decentralized infrastructure.

Here is a closer look at five companies worth watching across crypto, AI, and beyond.

Core

Core lets you stake Bitcoin and tap into its potential not just as a “store of value,” but also as a yield-generating asset. With Core’s Self-Custodial Bitcoin Staking, holders can timelock their Bitcoin on the Bitcoin blockchain, vote for Core validators, and earn passive yield — all while retaining full custody. There’s no bridging, wrapping, or lending, and treasury companies can earn 4-6% APY while preserving the security that makes Bitcoin so compelling.

Since launching in January 2023, Core’s mainnet has enabled over 5,200 BTC to be staked through Bitcoin Staking and Dual Staking. Dual Staking combines BTC and CORE token staking for yields up to 25x higher.

Core has also partnered with top custodians like BitGo, Copper, and Hex Trust to offer liquid staked BTC products for institutions. Notably, Maple Finance has staked 1,600+ BTC into a Core-powered yield vehicle, and Valour is collaborating with Core to launch Bitcoin ETPs. Altogether, Core stands at the forefront of building a full-scale Bitcoin finance ecosystem.

Sapien

Sapien is building the first decentralized data foundry, a permissionless protocol enabling enterprises, AI models, and agents to source expert knowledge at scale. By combining onchain technology, reputation systems, and gamification, Sapien aligns incentives to produce high-quality data for AI while empowering contributors globally.

The company is building the infrastructure to turn that knowledge into usable data. This information is collected and validated by a global network of contributors, then delivered through a transparent, open protocol. Contributors are compensated for their expertise, and enterprises receive consistent, high-quality results.

This model replaces closed data pipelines with a system based on open access, aligned incentives, and reputation.

In the last year, Sapien has hit milestones of over a million contributors, partnerships with 29 major enterprise customers, including Toyota, Alibaba, Midjourney, and the United Nations, and more than 100 million completed tasks.

PhoenixAI

Phoenix builds AI agents to empower deep data-driven intelligence for research, crypto, and trading, providing unparalleled knowledge acquisition and insights for Web 3, even compared to mainstream LLMs such as Grok.

Phoenix includes three core offerings: PhoenixONE (next-gen AI agent platform), AlphaNet (institutional-grade AI for crypto), and SkyNet (decentralized AI elastic compute, 2,500+ nodes across Nvidia, Huawei, and edge compute).

Phoenix is backed by industry leaders including Binance, Tensor, Tencent Cloud, ByteDance, and Chainlink. Recent collaborations include TandemAI (AI drug discovery) and China Mobile Migu (AIGC for metaverse/gaming).

The platform also powers Phoenix Crypto Research — the first AI research agent designed for real-time crypto analysis, trends, and fundamentals.

CoinTerminal

CoinTerminal is the world’s most liquid primary market, giving everyday investors access to high-growth presales alongside names like Binance Labs, Samsung Next, and Arthur Hayes.

Unlike other launchpads, CoinTerminal doesn’t require token staking or lockups. All sales are refundable, and users can participate with zero collateral. The platform is beginner-friendly, low-risk, and intuitively designed, with perks like entry into a $15,000 lottery just for joining an IDO.

More than 80 projects have raised funds through CoinTerminal, supported by over 620,000 participants. The platform has connected nearly $2 billion in assets and raised over $20 million to date, using a structured, data-informed approach to evaluate each project.

Bella Protocol

In a crypto world awash with buzzwords and empty promises, Bella Protocol stands apart while quietly rewriting the rules by making AI practical and accessible for real traders.

Instead of vague “AI” hype, Bella’s technology delivers where it matters most: in the hands of over 170,000 users who rely on its Telegram-native trading assistant for real-time, institutional-grade signals and nuanced market intelligence all within the chat apps that power modern trading communities.

But Bella doesn’t stop at insights. It reinvents on-chain engagement with gas-free, provably fair games like Token Yugijo, bringing a sense of play and transparency back to crypto. Every flip, trade, and signal is backed by AI and on-chain verification, lowering the barrier for anyone to step confidently into DeFi.

Bella’s mission is ambitious yet simple: to turn advanced trading into an experience that’s intuitive, inclusive, and rewarding for all. In a landscape crowded with noise, Bella Protocol is quietly building the future where AI isn’t just a promise, but a product that actually works.

Looking Ahead

Each of these companies is carving out its own path in the evolving digital landscape. Whether focused on finance, infrastructure, or intelligence, they offer a glimpse into the kinds of systems gaining traction as crypto and AI continue to mature. For anyone tracking where the ecosystem is heading, these are names worth watching.