Filecoin

What Filecoin does

Filecoin is a decentralized storage network that operates as the world's largest such network with 1.95 EiB of active capacity, serving 482 large clients each holding more than 1 TiB of data. The network extends the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) by adding cryptographic verification (Proof-of-Replication, Proof-of-Spacetime, and the newer Proof of Data Possession) and economic incentives paid in the FIL token to a global, permissionless base of independent storage providers. It serves a heterogeneous customer base including cultural and scientific institutions (Internet Archive, Smithsonian, MIT Open Learning, Cornell, SETI Institute, Digital Public Library of America), Web3 builders (ENS, Monad, KYVE, Safe, Aethir), and Web2 enterprises accessing the network via S3-compatible onramps (Akave's Snowflake integration, Storacha, Lighthouse).

The core technology stack comprises the Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM), an Ethereum-compatible runtime supporting Solidity smart contracts and now 5,000+ deployed contracts, and the recently launched Filecoin Onchain Cloud (November 2025) — a programmable cloud suite offering warm storage, onchain payments, IPFS pinning, and verifiable data movement through Synapse SDK, Filecoin Pin, Filecoin Pay, Filecoin Beam, and the Warm Storage Service. Multiple node implementations (Lotus, Forest, Venus, Curio) provide protocol diversity. Recent network upgrades (NV25 TEEP, NV27 Golden Week, F3 Fast Finality, NV28 Fire Horse) have progressively improved finality speed, gas economics, passkey authentication, and smart-contract-based storage verification.

Filecoin's revenue mechanics are token-based rather than traditional SaaS. Storage providers earn FIL for verifiable capacity commitments; clients pay FIL (or USDFC stablecoin since August 2025) for storage deals priced per GiB per epoch. The Filecoin Foundation provides governance, grants, and the Filecoin Plus verified-client program, while Protocol Labs drives core R&D. Distribution occurs through direct storage provider relationships, four specialized onramps (Akave, Storacha, Lighthouse, Ramo), cross-chain bridges (Avalanche), and developer-led adoption via SDK and API channels. The 2026 commercial strategy explicitly targets paid, onchain storage deals in AI, DePIN, chain data, infrastructure, and real-world asset verticals, representing a strategic shift from subsidized archival storage to monetized programmable cloud services.

Name

Filecoin

Legal name

Filecoin Foundation

Website

https://filecoin.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Filecoin is the world's largest decentralized storage network, offering 1.95 EiB of cryptographically verified storage capacity for cultural institutions, scientific researchers, Web3 builders, and enterprises via the FIL token economy and Filecoin Onchain Cloud programmable services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decentralized Cloud Storage Infrastructure

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)

SIC

Computer Storage Devices (3572), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Decentralized Storage Networks (IPFS/Filecoin/Arweave, archival & retrieval) (FSAPALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Decentralized Data Availability & Storage Verification (DA layers, proofs of storage/replication, audit networks) (FSAPALAH), Decentralized Storage, Compute & Networking (IPFS/Filecoin, compute markets, DePIN) (FSAPAAAK), Cloud Storage Core Services (Object/Block/File Storage as a Service) (HDABAAAK)

Keywords

• Decentralized storage network
• Blockchain data storage
• IPFS storage layer
• Web3 cloud infrastructure
• Verifiable storage proofs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Storage Deals: Storage providers earn FIL tokens by offering verifiable storage capacity. Clients pay FIL for storage services with cryptographic proof of data persistence.
2. Retrieval Services: Hot/warm storage retrieval services with low-latency access for AI datasets, dApp frontends, and high-throughput workloads.
3. Filecoin Onchain Cloud Services: Programmable cloud services including Filecoin Pay (onchain payments), Filecoin Pin (IPFS pinning), and service contracts for verifiable storage.
4. Compute Colocation: Storage providers offering compute colocation services alongside storage, creating new revenue channels beyond raw storage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Filecoin operates a decentralized storage network where independent storage providers offer verifiable storage capacity secured by cryptographic proofs (Proof-of-Replication, Proof-of-Spacetime, Proof of Data Possession), with clients paying in FIL tokens for storage and retrieval services. Filecoin Onchain Cloud packages this capacity into a programmable cloud platform offering onchain storage, retrieval, and payments via the Synapse SDK, Filecoin Pin, Filecoin Pay, Warm Storage Service, and Filecoin Beam.

Product overview

Filecoin is a decentralized storage network built on the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), offering the world's largest decentralized storage infrastructure. The product portfolio centers on the Filecoin Network (1.95 EiB capacity) with its Ethereum-compatible Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM) for programmable smart contracts. Filecoin Onchain Cloud, launched November 2025, represents the flagship product evolution — a composable onchain cloud platform comprising the Synapse SDK, Filecoin Pin, Filecoin Pay, Filecoin Warm Storage Service, and Filecoin Beam. This Onchain Cloud suite enables programmable storage, onchain payments, and verifiable service delivery. Supporting the core network are multiple node implementations (Lotus, Forest, Venus, Curio), block explorers (Beryx, Filfox, Filscan, Blockscout for FEVM), and ecosystem onramps including Akave Cloud (S3-compatible with Snowflake), Storacha (hot storage), Lighthouse (perpetual Web3 storage), and Ramo (scientific data). Funding programs include FIL-ProPGF (proactive) and FIL-RetroPGF (retroactive) public goods funding. The Dataset Explorer provides access to curated ML and AI training datasets stored on the network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Filecoin Onchain Cloud: A composable suite of onchain services for storage, retrieval, and payments, extending the network from a powerful storage protocol into programmable cloud services
• Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM)
• Filecoin Plus
• Filecoin Pay
• Filecoin Pin
• Filecoin Beam
• Synapse SDK
• FIL-ProPGF
• FIL-RetroPGF

Products and services

• Filecoin Network The core decentralized storage network that secures data across a global network of providers using cryptographic proofs, providing 1.95 EiB of storage capacity for storage clients.
• Filecoin Onchain Cloud A composable suite of onchain services for storage, retrieval, and payments that extends Filecoin into programmable cloud services where data ownership, service delivery, and payments are transparently enforced onchain via smart contracts.
• Synapse SDK Software development kit (Node.js/TypeScript) connecting builders to Filecoin Onchain Cloud with simple APIs for programmable storage, retrieval, and payment workflows.
• Filecoin Pin Developer-friendly IPFS pinning service with onchain verification via Filecoin Onchain Cloud, providing frictionless data storage with IPFS compatibility.
• Filecoin Pay Onchain payment layer for Filecoin services enabling verifiable service performance payments, supporting token-agnostic and cross-chain stablecoin payments with automatic smart contract settlement.
• Filecoin Warm Storage Service Storage tier delivering persistent Filecoin-backed storage with fast, highly-available retrieval, underpinned by Proof of Data Possession (PDP) for cryptographic verification of hot data availability.
• Filecoin Beam Service bridging verifiable data movement across onchain and off-chain systems, enabling seamless data portability between Filecoin storage and external environments.
• Filecoin Virtual Machine (FVM) Ethereum-compatible runtime environment for Filecoin that enables programmable smart contracts on the Filecoin network, supporting Solidity development and EVM toolchain compatibility.
• Lotus Primary full-node implementation for the Filecoin network, providing CLI and API access for chain interaction, wallet management, storage deals, and node operations.
• Akave Cloud Fully managed S3-compatible storage layer on Filecoin designed for enterprise and analytics workloads, with Snowflake integration connecting Filecoin-backed storage to Web2 analytics pipelines and data lakes.
• Storacha Decentralized hot storage and retrieval network built on IPFS and Filecoin for applications requiring fast access to large, frequently used datasets with low-latency retrieval.
• Lighthouse Decentralized perpetual storage built on IPFS and Filecoin focused on Web3-native use cases including NFT platforms, DAOs, and AI/DePIN projects requiring long-term data accessibility.
• Ramo Data onramp purpose-built for onboarding high-value, data-rich workloads to Filecoin, working with research institutions to prepare and integrate large-scale scientific datasets onto the network.
• Filecoin Dataset Explorer Web portal for discovering and exploring open-access datasets stored on the Filecoin Calibration testnet, curated for builders and including datasets for ML, AI training, NLP, and analytics use cases.
• FIL ProPGF Proactive Public Goods Funding program providing milestone-based on-chain funding for projects building on Filecoin, with community governance through a selection committee and on-chain voting via Snapshot.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.95 EiB network storage capacity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration30 records

AI capability6 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• FilOzcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Core software development for the Filecoin network. Maintains Lotus documentation, developed Filecoin Onchain Cloud, and implemented cross-chain data bridges. CEO Molly Mackinlay serves on ProPGF Batch 3 Selection Committee.
• Ava Labs (Avalanche)coreTechnology or Integration · 27 May 2025Native cross-chain data bridge between Avalanche C-Chain and Filecoin via Filecoin Virtual Machine (FEVM). Implemented by FIL-B and FilOz, demonstrating how data from EVM-compatible chains can be efficiently offloaded to Filecoin while maintaining onchain verifiability through CID commitments and retrieval proofs.
• Protocol LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization driving Filecoin protocol development, research, and ecosystem growth. Co-founded Filecoin with Filecoin Foundation. Manages PL Filecoin Impact Fund and PL Genesis hackathons.
• Filecoin FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork governance, Filecoin Plus program, grants, and ecosystem explorer. Manages ProPGF and RetroPGF funding programs. Led Client Success Working Group and cross-ecosystem collaborations including ENS, Safe, and KYVE integrations.
• Snowflake (via Akave)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationAkave Cloud became the first decentralized object storage integrated with Snowflake, providing resilient storage for analytics, AI capabilities, and machine learning workflows.
• ENSflagshipTechnology or IntegrationDecentralized naming infrastructure using Filecoin Onchain Cloud for verifiable storage of naming data and records.
• MonadflagshipTechnology or IntegrationBlockchain platform integration with Filecoin Onchain Cloud for decentralized storage services.
• KYVEflagshipTechnology or IntegrationData protocol using Filecoin for verifiable data storage and archival solutions.
• SafeflagshipTechnology or IntegrationTrustless digital asset management platform integration with Filecoin Onchain Cloud.
• AethirflagshipTechnology or IntegrationDistributed GPU infrastructure combined with Filecoin decentralized storage for comprehensive AI infrastructure solutions.
• USC Shoah FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded Starling Lab for digital trust and integrity. 56,000+ genocide survivor testimonies archived on IPFS and Filecoin with trusted provenance metadata.
• Stanford University Department of Electrical EngineeringflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded Starling Lab with USC Shoah Foundation for establishing trust in digital records of human history using cryptography and decentralized storage.
• ERC-8004 CommunityflagshipTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partner for Filecoin Onchain Cloud launch enabling decentralized naming and trustless agents capabilities.
• Secured FinancecoreTechnology or IntegrationDeployed USDFC, a FIL-backed stablecoin, to mainnet for reducing friction in storage deal payments and putting more FIL to work providing data storage utility.
• GelatocoreTechnology or IntegrationWeb3 Functions automation and meta-transaction relay services enabling gasless transactions and automated smart contract interactions on Filecoin.
• TablelandcoreTechnology or IntegrationDecentralized database built on SQLite engine integrated with Filecoin for storing application metadata and enabling SQL queries on storage deal aggregation.
• Saturn TechcoreTechnology or IntegrationFast retrieval gateway for accessing datasets stored on Filecoin through Saturn's blazing-fast retrieval network.
• Lassie ClientcoreTechnology or IntegrationRetrieval client for fetching CAR files from Filecoin network, integrated into Dataset Explorer for builder access.
• Lighthouse StoragecoreTechnology or IntegrationIPFS gateway provider enabling direct file downloads from datasets pinned by Lighthouse through their IPFS gateway.
• Polar is (Protocol Labs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtocol Labs developer guild and hackathon organizer driving ecosystem development and builder engagement.
• FIL-B (FIL Builders)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder community and education. Founder Sarah Thiam serves on ProPGF Batch 3 Selection Committee. Led cross-chain data bridge implementation with FilOz.
• FIDLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and protocol design. Executive Director Marta Piekarska Geater serves on ProPGF Batch 3 Selection Committee.
• ANSA (Applied Network for Scientific Advancement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied research and ecosystem growth initiatives supporting Filecoin network development.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arweave: Arweave is a decentralized storage network focused on permanent, one-time-fee data storage, directly competing with Filecoin in the decentralized archival storage category. Both target cultural preservation, Web3 dApps, and increasingly AI datasets, with overlapping developer ecosystems and storage provider economies.
• Sia: Sia is a decentralized cloud storage platform that rents storage from a global network of providers using smart contracts, closely matching Filecoin's economic model. Both compete for privacy-focused, censorship-resistant storage customers, with Sia emphasizing lower-cost personal/SMB use cases versus Filecoin's enterprise and institutional focus.
• Crust Network: Crust is an IPFS-aligned decentralized storage network that uses the same content addressing model as Filecoin. It directly competes with Filecoin for Web3 dApp storage workloads and is often cited as a more lightweight alternative for storage providers in the IPFS ecosystem.
• Storj: Storj is a decentralized cloud storage service that provides S3-compatible object storage backed by a distributed node network. It is a direct enterprise-focused alternative to Filecoin's S3-compatible onramps (Akave, Storacha), competing for the same analytics, backup, and archive workloads.

Emerging players

• Akash Network: Akash is a decentralized cloud compute marketplace built on Cosmos, increasingly adding storage and AI data services adjacent to Filecoin's offering. Both target Web3 developers seeking decentralized infrastructure, with Akash focusing on compute and Filecoin on storage, often as complementary rather than purely competing layers.
• ArDrive: ArDrive is a consumer and SMB-focused decentralized storage application built on Arweave, offering permanent file storage with a familiar drive-like UX. It is an indirect competitor to Filecoin's consumer-facing onramps (Lighthouse) for NFT, DAO, and personal archival use cases in the Web3 ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon Web Services (S3): AWS S3 is the dominant object storage service and the primary incumbent Filecoin's S3-compatible onramps (Akave, Storacha) target. While not decentralized, it defines enterprise expectations for price, durability, integrations, and SLAs, and is the core competitor for any Filecoin enterprise storage deal.
• Google Cloud Storage: Google Cloud Storage is one of the three hyperscaler object storage services Filecoin competes with for enterprise and AI/analytics workloads. It is bundled with BigQuery, Vertex AI, and other Google Cloud services, raising the bar for Filecoin to win standalone storage deals against the broader platform.
• Microsoft Azure Blob Storage: Azure Blob Storage is the third hyperscaler object storage incumbent competing with Filecoin for enterprise and institutional storage workloads. Its deep integration with Azure AI, compliance certifications, and enterprise sales motion make it a key competitor for the same regulated, data-intensive customer segments Filecoin targets.

Others

• IPFS (Protocol Labs): IPFS is the content-addressable peer-to-peer protocol that Filecoin builds on top of to add incentivized, persistent storage. Rather than a direct competitor, IPFS is a complementary layer: many Filecoin customers (Lighthouse, Storacha, Filecoin Pin) serve as IPFS gateways, making IPFS the addressing standard and Filecoin the storage incentive layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MineFilecoin
• GitHubgithub.com/filecoin-project
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/filecoin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors31 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Filecoin