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Aethir, a decentralized GPU cloud network, teamed up with Credible Finance, a lending protocol, to introduce what they say is the first credit card and loan product powered by a decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN).
The move is designed to give Aethir’s native ATH token holders and node operators access to stablecoin credit without liquidating their tokens — a step toward blending on-chain infrastructure with real-world financial capital.
The product, which debuted on Wednesday, lets eligible users collateralize their ATH tokens to access a revolving credit line or preload a no-fee card with ATH or stablecoins on Solana. Loan approvals and limits are determined by Credible’s AI-driven credit engine, which evaluates a user’s on-chain activity, asset holdings and transaction history.
DePIN projects leverage blockchain incentives to crowdsource the development of real-world infrastructure. In Aethir’s case, node operators contribute computing power and earn ATH in return. These rewards are based on factors like uptime, performance and job completion, effectively turning physical infrastructure into on-chain income.
The launch of the credit card comes as crypto borrowing slides. According to the team, decentralized lending platforms saw a $4.75 billion decline in open loans in the first quarter, the biggest quarterly contraction since 2023. At the same time, the global credit gap for small- and medium-sized businesses in emerging markets stands at $5.7 trillion.
“This downturn underscores the limitations of overcollateralized lending models and highlights the need for credit systems that reflect real on-chain activity and infrastructure ownership,” the team wrote a release shared with CoinDesk.
“This is the first DePIN-native token being activated for real-time credit,” said Shrikant Bhalerao, CEO of Credible Finance, in the release. “We’re turning tokenized infrastructure into usable financial capital.”
The team wrote that credit card access will initially be available to their GPU providers, node operators and token holders, with plans to expand later