What is DeSci: how do cryptocurrencies and blockchain help advance science?

What is DeSci (decentralized science)?

The development of decentralized finance (DeFi) has helped drive new blockchain applications, including decentralized science (DeSci).

What is decentralized science (DeSci)?

Decentralized science (DeSci) is a concept that aims to create a new approach to scientific research through blockchain technology. In other words, DeSci involves integrating Web3 tools and mechanisms into scientific processes, as well as funding research through cryptocurrencies, including tokenized assets.

Supporters of the DeSci movement in the cryptocurrency industry seek to make scientific research more open and community-oriented. Blockchain technology is used in DeSci to ensure the integrity of scientific data and protect it from unauthorized modification or falsification.

The main areas of DeSci include:

Crowdfunding* scientific research;
Managing scientific projects through decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs)*;
Tokenization of intellectual property;
Decentralized storage of scientific data.

* Crowdfunding is a method of raising funds for projects through voluntary contributions from a large number of people. In science, crowdfunding allows researchers to receive funding directly from interested participants without relying exclusively on grants or support from major organizations.

* A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) is a form of collective governance in which participants make decisions through voting, while their implementation can be facilitated by blockchain-based smart contracts.

One factor that led to the emergence of decentralized science (DeSci) was the limited accessibility of the traditional scientific environment, including difficulties in obtaining grants, restricted access to databases, and the concentration of control over research access in the hands of a small number of organizations. DeSci aims to overcome these barriers by democratizing access to scientific data.

Another major challenge in science is researchers' limited control over the results of their work. Under the traditional model, researchers are generally expected to obtain approval for their proposals from a scientific committee, publish their findings in a reputable journal, and secure funding. At the same time, intellectual property rights, or a significant portion of them, often belong to the university or another organization funding the research.

DeSci in the cryptocurrency industry offers an alternative approach based on DAOs: researchers can submit proposals for a community vote, allowing participants to decide whether a project should receive funding. Smart contracts can then automatically distribute research grants based on the results of DAO voting.

Decentralized science (DeSci) market overview

Interest in DeSci within the cryptocurrency industry surged in 2024–2025 amid another cryptocurrency market rally, during which Bitcoin and several altcoins reached new all-time highs.

As of October 2026, DeSci (decentralized science) remains an emerging segment of the cryptocurrency market. According to CoinMarketCap, the combined market capitalization of tokens in the DeSci category is about $287 million, with fewer than 30 projects listed. Moreover, only four DeSci projects have cryptocurrencies with market capitalizations exceeding $10 million.

The largest project in the DeSci sector, OriginTrail, has a market capitalization of just $180 million, lower than those of the meme coin FLOKI, JasmyCoin, and even the collapsed Terra Classic project.

OriginTrail is developing decentralized infrastructure for storing, integrating, and verifying data. Its technology enables information from different sources to be connected, its origins to be tracked, and the data to be used in scientific research and artificial intelligence systems.

The second-largest project, Bio Protocol, previously led the DeSci segment. At the time of its exchange listings, the project's market capitalization exceeded $1 billion. Bio Protocol introduced DAO-based infrastructure for advancing biotechnology. However, the project lost ground amid negative cryptocurrency market trends, with its capitalization plunging nearly 20-fold to $55 million.

Some projects appeared promising at launch but failed to maintain investor interest and eventually fell to the bottom of the cryptocurrency market. One such example is the DeSci protocol Molecule, which specialized in intellectual property tokenization through NFTs and IP tokens, as well as funding biological research.

When its native token launched, the DeSci project Molecule's market capitalization reached $800,000. However, by early 2026, it had fallen by more than 90%, and as of October 2026, it stands at just over $20,000.

Opportunities and risks of DeSci (decentralized science)

The current performance of DeSci (decentralized science) reflects both its dependence on the broader cryptocurrency market and the fact that DeSci within the crypto industry remains a niche segment.

At present, DeSci (decentralized science) cannot attract as much capital as more established cryptocurrency sectors, such as lending and real-world asset (RWA)* tokenization, whose markets are valued at tens of billions of US dollars.

* Real-world assets (RWAs) are tangible and intangible assets that exist outside the blockchain, such as real estate, gold, bonds, and other financial instruments. Through tokenization, rights to these assets can be represented as digital tokens, making them easier to record, transfer, and use within blockchain-based systems.

According to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, a supporter of decentralized science (DeSci), the DeSci sector is more about making the scientific world more open and efficient in terms of innovation than achieving commercial success.

However, even DeSci supporters acknowledge that blockchain cannot replace research laboratories. Additional challenges include cryptocurrency-related risks, such as volatility and regulatory uncertainty.

According to analysts at Berkeley CMR, the uncontrolled expansion of DeSci projects could increase low-quality research and speculative tokens with no practical value. Furthermore, DAO governance does not eliminate the influence of small groups of major DeSci token holders, who may be able to block research projects they consider unattractive.

One potential path for the development of decentralized science (DeSci) is a transition toward a hybrid model in which research centers and laboratories are complemented by blockchain-based tools. DeSci could prove particularly useful in areas where traditional scientific systems face limitations:

Funding early-stage scientific research and supporting niche studies that established organizations are reluctant to finance;
Storing open datasets and research findings;
Crowdsourcing* scientific theories and hypotheses.

* Crowdsourcing is a method of solving problems by involving a broad range of people with different knowledge and skills. In science, crowdsourcing enables researchers and volunteers to collaborate on developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, and finding solutions to complex scientific challenges.

The DeSci sector within the cryptocurrency industry could also contribute to the emergence of new types of cryptocurrency markets. For example, the sector already includes decentralized marketplaces that allow researchers to securely exchange data and receive rewards for their contributions to the scientific community.