Grayscale Launches New Artificial Intelligence Crypto Sector Featuring 20 Altcoins

Digital asset manager Grayscale has announced the establishment of a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Crypto Sector with 20 altcoins. This marks the sixth category in its crypto sector classification framework.

The new sector joins the existing categories of Currencies, Smart Contract Platforms, Financials, Consumer and Culture, and Utilities and Services.

AI Takes Center Stage as Grayscale Introduces Dedicated Crypto Sector 

According to the official announcement, the new category groups together tokens whose main function revolves around AI development or usage. 

“The addition of the Artificial Intelligence Crypto Sector reflects the growing importance of decentralized infrastructure in shaping the future of this critical technology,” Grayscale noted.

The AI Crypto Sector encompasses three primary categories: AI Platforms, AI Tools and Resources, and AI Apps and Agents. These 20 tokens have a combined market capitalization of approximately $21 billion, making it the smallest sector Grayscale covers. 

The largest project by market cap in the new sector is Bittensor (TAO), with a market cap of $3.8 billion. The list also features other tokens such as Near (NEAR), Render (RNDR), Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), Virtuals (VIRTUAL), and Worldcoin (WLD). 

Grayscale AI Crypto Sector. Source: Grayscale

It is worth noting that previously, in its “Assets Under Consideration” list for Q2 2025, the asset manager removed Worldcoin from the Utilities and Services category and VIRTUAL from the Consumer and Culture category. However, they have made a comeback in this new category.

Although the Artificial Intelligence Crypto Sector currently represents about 0.67% of the aggregate crypto market capitalization, Grayscale expects this share to grow significantly.

“While we are in the first inning of the growing Artificial Intelligence Crypto Sector, Grayscale Research believes that this sector is positioned to become increasingly important alongside growth and technological improvements in the AI industry,” the announcement read.

Grayscale also pointed out that the total market capitalization of tokens in the Artificial Intelligence Crypto Sector was around $4.5 billion in Q1 2023. 

Over two years, this value has grown more than fourfold. This expansion reflects rising interest in and adoption of decentralized AI. Furthermore, the asset manager identified key upcoming developments that could fuel further growth.

“Development of decentralized AI technologies is progressing rapidly. Over the coming months, Grayscale Research expects to focus on a few key themes, including (1) the Bittensor halving and subnet growth, (2) innovations in distributed training, (3) evidence of sustainable revenues, and (4) the use stablecoins by AI agents,” Grayscale stated.

As the AI Crypto Sector gains traction, Grayscale emphasizes these decentralized AI projects’ potential to address critical challenges posed by centralized AI development, such as bias, censorship, and lack of transparency. 

By leveraging blockchain’s open and distributed infrastructure, these projects aim to democratize AI ownership and ensure that AI technologies remain accessible and aligned with public interests.