The decentralized applications market, known as DApps, is currently led by Gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi), but artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually gaining traction, indicating growing interest from users in new technologies within Web3.
DApps Market: Gaming and DeFi
According to DappRadar, in January 2025, the DApps sector recorded 26.7 million unique active wallets (UAW) per day, a decrease of 6% compared to December. Despite this decline, DeFi remains dominant with 28.1% of active users, closely followed by gaming at 27.8%. NFT DApps account for 16.1% of the market, while SocialFi applications hold 6.3%.
Rise of AI-Based DApps
A notable trend from the report is the rise of AI-based DApps, which recorded 2.2 million active wallets in January, accounting for 8.5% of the market. This sector is considered by many as the potential driver for the next Web3 bull run. Among the emerging AI DApps, LOL stands out with 28.6 million active wallets, followed by Dmail Network with 4.9 million and MEET48 with 2.8 million, a platform dedicated to virtual influencers.
AI and the Future of Web3
On February 4, researchers from Sygnum Bank in Switzerland stated that AI agents in the crypto domain were one of the emerging trends for 2025. Despite the growing interest in crypto projects related to AI, researchers noted that these agents struggle to 'prove their value,' and that this field remains highly speculative. Nevertheless, the intersection between Web3 and AI continues to evolve, as announced on February 6 by stablecoin issuer Tether, which is also entering the AI applications space.
The rise of AI-based DApps marks a new step in the evolution of Web3. Despite a still speculative market, their rapid adoption suggests transformative potential. With the entry of major players like Tether, AI could play a key role in the next phase of innovation in the blockchain ecosystem.
