For years, decentralized infrastructure projects in the U.S. operated in a legal fog. Regulators couldn’t decide if tokens tied to real-world networks were utilities, securities, or something in between. That uncertainty slowed adoption and kept many people from participating.
Now the Senate has taken a step toward clarity. A new draft bill outlines rules for staking, airdrops, and community-powered infrastructure networks. For the first time, lawmakers are drawing a line between tokens that fuel real services and those meant purely for speculation. It marks a turning point, and one that could reshape the path for World Mobile and other DePIN projects.
Note: This is only a discussion draft, formally titled the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025, released by the Senate Banking Committee to solicit industry feedback. Among its provisions, the draft explicitly excludes DePIN from classification as securities.
What the Senate bill actually changes
The Senate’s draft bill is an early attempt to give decentralized networks like DePIN, and crypto projects more broadly, a clearer framework.
- Asset classification
The draft introduces a new category called ancillary assets. These are tokens tied to real networks that are not automatically treated as securities if certain conditions are met. Issuers can self-certify by filing disclosures, and the SEC has 60 days to push back. Oversight depends on how the token is used in practice and what information is provided. - Market structure and builder protections
The bill tries to reduce turf wars between the SEC and CFTC by drawing clearer lines of authority. It also asks regulators to consider the nature of open-source and permissionless networks when deciding if a project is under “common control.” Importantly, it gives the SEC room to set out safe-harbor examples, so developers who publish code or run infrastructure don’t automatically fall under securities rules. - Airdrops and distributions
The draft defines what it calls “gratuitous distributions,” such as free token airdrops, and makes clear that these do not count as securities transactions by themselves. Fraud and other misconduct would still be covered under existing laws. Tax treatment of tokens remains the same as today under IRS rules.
For DePIN builders and participants, this draft doesn’t settle every question, but it does sketch out a rules-based process. If enacted, it would shift much of the uncertainty away from case-by-case enforcement.
How this affects World Mobile
The Senate’s move signals that networks powered by people-owned hardware are seen as infrastructure, not securities. For World Mobile, that touches every part of its model:
- AirNode operators gain confidence their role is recognized as delivering infrastructure, not as financial speculation.
- EarthNode operators running validation, logging, and privacy services are treated as service providers.
- WMTx participants benefit from a clearer distinction between tokens that fuel networks and those meant for fundraising.
This shift reduces legal friction and makes long-term planning easier for U.S.-based builders and participants.
Unlocking U.S. growth
DePIN is about shifting ownership from a handful of corporations to the communities that rely on the network. For World Mobile, this clarity means the U.S. is no longer uncertain ground. It is the next frontier, where people can own the signal, share in the rewards, and help build the backbone of digital infrastructure.
DePIN networks show measurable benefits:
- Up to 80% lower costs than legacy providers
- Ownership and rewards flowing to the people who build and maintain infrastructure
- Networks that expand where communities need them, not just where profit margins are highest
The need is real. As Althea’s cofounder Debora Simpier notes:
“About one in four people in the U.S. don’t have adequate internet.”
That’s tens of millions of households underserved despite large public spending.
World Mobile’s hybrid model blends nationwide coverage through carrier partnerships with community hardware that fills the gaps. With regulatory clarity emerging, this approach can move from pilot projects to national scale.
On the ground, that means:
- Enable easier deployment of AirNodes in communities carriers have overlooked
- Strengthen participation incentives with usage-based rewards, staking perks, and plan discounts
Global ripple effects
Clarity in Washington often sets the tone abroad. Regulators abroad watch U.S. decisions closely, and so do telecom partners and infrastructure funds. This makes it easier to explain the model, structure partnerships, and attract capital.
For World Mobile’s active regions and planned rollouts, from Africa to Asia, this shift lowers friction and helps turn pilots into long-term programs.
The takeaway
This draft bill signals something important: Washington is beginning to see that building networks doesn’t have to be left to big corporations alone. Communities and individuals can play a real role in owning and operating the infrastructure that keeps us connected.
For World Mobile, it feels like a nod of recognition that ordinary people can claim a share of the signal. With policy starting to lean the same way, the mission is within reach, and the road ahead feels wide open.