What is peaq (PEAQ) crypto coin? The machine economy blockchain explained

Most people think of cryptocurrency as digital money for buying things or trading on exchanges. But peaq (PEAQ) isn’t just another coin. It’s a blockchain built for machines - robots, cars, smart sensors, and even wind turbines - to talk to each other, pay for services, and run on their own, without humans stepping in.

What exactly is peaq?

peaq is a Layer-1 blockchain launched in November 2024 after seven years of development. It’s not trying to replace Bitcoin or Ethereum. Instead, it’s designed for something newer: the Economy of Things (EoT). Think of it like the Internet of Things (IoT), but with blockchain underneath. Instead of your smart fridge just telling you when milk is low, imagine it automatically paying a delivery service for more milk using crypto - no human clicking ‘buy’ needed.

The network was created by Till Wendler, Leonard Dorlöchter, and Max Thake, and is backed by EoT Labs. It runs on Substrate, the same framework as Polkadot, which means it can connect with other blockchains. But unlike Polkadot or Ethereum, peaq doesn’t focus on DeFi or NFTs. It focuses on real-world hardware.

How does peaq work with machines?

peaq gives every machine a unique digital identity - a Machine ID. This isn’t just a username. It’s a verified, tamper-proof digital passport that lets a robot, drone, or electric vehicle prove who it is on the network. Once identified, machines can:

• Pay for charging stations using PEAQ tokens
• Automatically rent out unused storage space on a smart warehouse server
• Sign contracts with suppliers when inventory drops below a threshold
• Share sensor data (like air quality or road conditions) and get paid for it

Right now, over 850,000 machines - from delivery drones in Germany to agricultural sensors in Brazil - are already connected to the peaq network. These machines are part of more than 30 live projects across 20+ industries. That’s not theoretical. It’s happening now.

Why is peaq different from other blockchains?

Most blockchains are like general-purpose highways. peaq is a specialized factory line built for autonomous vehicles.

Compare it to other Layer-1 chains:

• Bitcoin is digital gold - store of value.
• Ethereum is a global computer for apps and smart contracts.
• Alephium and Kaspa focus on speed and scalability for trading.
• peaq is built for machines to transact, autonomously, at scale.

peaq’s secret sauce? Modular DePIN Functions. These are pre-built tools developers can plug into their apps - like “Machine ID,” “Data Verification,” or “Payment Gateway for Devices.” Instead of coding everything from scratch, a startup building a fleet of autonomous delivery robots can use peaq’s ready-made modules. That cuts development time from months to weeks.

It’s also EVM-compatible. That means if you know how to build on Ethereum, you can build on peaq without learning a whole new language. Solidity developers can deploy their smart contracts directly. No need to rewrite everything.

How is PEAQ the token used?

PEAQ is the native token of the network. It’s not mined. You can’t mine it like Bitcoin. Instead, it’s earned through staking.

peaq uses Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS). That means token holders can stake their PEAQ to become validators or nominate others to validate transactions. In return, they earn rewards - usually around 5-8% APY depending on network conditions. This keeps the network secure and decentralized without burning massive amounts of electricity.

There’s also a disinflationary model. The token supply starts with 3.5% annual inflation, but that rate drops by 10% every year until it hits a floor of 1%. This encourages early adoption while protecting long-term value. It’s a smart balance - not too greedy, not too slow.

As of January 2026, PEAQ trades at $0.1222 USD. In the past week, it jumped 35.3%, outperforming the broader crypto market, which only rose 7.5%. The most traded pair is PEAQ/USDT, making up nearly 70% of all volume. You can trade it on major exchanges like Bitget, Bithumb, Gate.io, and XT.

Who’s backing peaq?

peaq didn’t just launch with hype. It had serious funding.

• In March 2024, it raised $15 million from top crypto investors like Animoca Brands and Borderless Capital.
• In May 2024, it raised another $20 million through a token sale on CoinList.

These aren’t random VCs. Animoca Brands has backed major Web3 projects like The Sandbox and Axie Infinity. Borderless Capital has deep ties to enterprise blockchain adoption. Their involvement signals confidence that peaq isn’t just a crypto experiment - it’s infrastructure for the next wave of automation.

Over 5 million people and machines are already part of the ecosystem. And 60+ applications are being built on peaq - from smart agriculture to autonomous shipping logistics to AI-powered drone networks.

Can developers actually build on it?

Yes. And it’s designed to be easy.

peaq offers a full JavaScript SDK with step-by-step tutorials. Want to connect a solar panel to the network so it can sell excess energy? There’s a guide for that. Want to build a fleet of robots that coordinate deliveries and split payments automatically? The tools are there.

The documentation is clear, well-organized, and updated regularly. You’ll find API references, code samples, deployment guides, and even sandbox environments to test your apps before going live. It’s not just marketing - developers are already shipping products.

What’s the future of peaq?

The machine economy is growing fast. By 2030, analysts expect over 75 billion connected devices worldwide. Most of them will need a way to transact securely, cheaply, and autonomously.

peaq is positioned as the backbone for that future. It’s not trying to be everything. It’s trying to be the best at one thing: enabling machines to be economic agents.

Imagine a self-driving truck that pays tolls, charges its batteries, and reports road damage - all on its own. Or a smart city where streetlights adjust brightness based on foot traffic and sell unused energy back to the grid. These aren’t sci-fi ideas anymore. They’re peaq use cases.

With institutional backing, real-world adoption, and a clear technical roadmap, peaq is moving from concept to reality faster than most crypto projects ever do.

Is peaq right for you?

If you’re a crypto investor looking for the next big thing, peaq offers exposure to a growing sector - DePIN and machine automation - that’s still early but gaining serious traction.

If you’re a developer, peaq gives you a powerful, low-friction platform to build real applications that solve tangible problems - not just speculative ones.

If you’re just curious, think of it this way: Bitcoin let machines (computers) exchange value. peaq lets physical machines - the ones that move, sense, and act in the real world - do the same. That’s not just an upgrade. It’s a new category.