Key Highlights:
- AI and crypto sectors are coming together and their usage is growing fast these days.
- Some projects that hold real value are trying to build themselves without hype.
- The best way to make the most of these tokens is to get in early.
The AI-crypto sector has gained a great amount of attention in 2025 and this trend is to be continued in 2026 as well. This time around it is being said that these two sectors will merge together in such a way that is more practical and has great utility. The market is moving beyond just hype, with decentralized AI, on-chain data markets, and autonomous agents that work without central control. This change is driving fast growth and attracting more investors within the AI-crypto space.
However, through this blog, it has also been observed that not every token that is getting attention actually deserves it, most of the market is mainly just hype and many of the strong projects are undervalued and overlooked.
In this blog, we will look at various underrated AI-crypto projects that are slowly and steadily building the infrastructure for the next wave of decentralized intelligence. This list includes tokens from decentralized AI networks to data storage and distributed computing, these projects provide real-world utility that goes way beyond short-term hype.
Selection Criteria
Before we begin the list of tokens that you need to look out for in 2026, we would like to explain the criteria on which these tokens have been selected.
These projects are underrated because their market value is low compared to their potential, their real on-chain use is stronger than their price suggests, and the developers are actively building even though there is a very less hype.
The main value that is added to the project is its real adoption, revenue, partnerships and active development and obviously from addressing AI challenges like centralized or limited computing power. Risks like volatility exist, but upgrades and institutional interest provide a great chance to drive growth.
Bittensor (TAO)
Bittensor is a project that runs a peer-to-peer AI network where participants train and share machine-learning models. Whoever produces useful results are awarded with TAO tokens, while validators rank model quality so that the system reliability is in check.
The network is split into task-specific subnets, and pays for AI services. Its fixed 21-million supply is the same as Bitcoin, which again adds a scarcity element to the tokens.
The main appeal here is the attempt to decentralize AI development instead of relying on large, centralized labs. As the supply of the tokens tightens, and more subnets are launched, demand increases as real AI use increases. Even though the project has a lot of potential, Bittensor still lacks far behind larger players in market cap ($3 billion as of now as perCoinMarketCap).
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance
This project is interesting because it brings together Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, and Ocean Protocol to build an ecosystem that is shared for autonomous AI agents and data marketplaces. These agents can take care of DeFi trading, while Ocean allows secure data analysis without exposing raw data, and SingularityNET lets developers sell AI Algorithms.
The ASI token is used for staking, buying data and accessing services across the entire network. The main aim of this merger was to create something so powerful that it acts as AI “superapp” and it opens up private data for training and attracts enterprise users through privacy-focused tools.
The post-merger dip with MVRV around -34%, has reset valuations and has created a healthier entry point. As this project expands across industries, ASI is set to tap into a market and it is expected to grow into a market of trillions over time.
Numeraire (NMR)
Numeraire powers Numerai’s crowdsourced hedge fund, where data scientists stake NMR on AI models that predict stock market movements using encrypted data.
Strong models are combined into a single strategy, while weaker ones lose their stake, and this is what makes NMR deflationary. The token is used for tournament participation and rewards, directly linking its value to Numerai’s assets under management.
With a proven track record in financial AI, Numeraire offers long-term upside as Numerai scales. With its focused use in quantitative finance reduces hype-driven noise and keeps development in line with real market performance, making it a quiet but disciplined AI-crypto project.
Filecoin (FIL)
Filecoin is a project that is offering decentralized storage for large AI datasets, with FIL being used to pay storage providers who cryptographically prove they hold the data.
The recent upgrades like the F3 and tools such as Bacalhau allow compute-over-data, allowing AI workloads to run without moving sensitive information. With around 36% networking utilization and roughly $99 million inflows, demand for the network is clearly growing.
This project is usually seen as a strong storage network, and it is steadily evolving into full data infrastructure for AI. Its focus on verifiable, decentralized datasets makes it attractive for enterprises and real-world asset use cases, positioning it well as global data and AI needs continue to expand.
Render (RNDR)
Render decentralizes GPU rendering and AI computation by matching jobs with idle hardware, with payments made in RNDR. Its move to Solana was a step that improved its speed and efficiency and made it well suited for AI inference tasks like image generation and 3D rendering. The token rewards GPU operators while helping users reduce high cloud computing costs.
As the demand for GPUs grows along with AI adoption, Render offers a decentralized alternative to traditional cloud providers. With strong use in creative industries and expanding AI workloads, it is well positioned to benefit from the broader AI compute boom.
Final Thought
The main reason why all of these projects stand out is their real-world utility and not just hype. The projects also combine innovation with undervalued potential. A balanced approach that tracks usage, revenue, and adoption can help manage risk. As decentralized AI continues to mature, early exposure to strong infrastructure projects may offer long-term benefits.
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