AI decentralized apps are coming for the Web3 throne: DappRadar
AI decentralized apps (DApps) have seen a spike in user activity and could soon challenge gaming and DeFi for the top spot in the DApp ecosystem, according to blockchain analytics platform DappRadar.Gaming and DeFi are b...
Archive context
Older archive item. Useful for background and entity history, but not a fresh market-moving signal.
AI decentralized apps (DApps) have seen a spike in user activity and could soon challenge gaming and DeFi for the top spot in the DApp ecosystem, according to blockchain analytics platform DappRadar.
Gaming and DeFi are both sitting on 21% dominance in April, judged by percentage of unique active wallets, while AI has climbed to 16%, up from the 11% recorded in the February report, data in DappRadar’s April industry report shows.
“As user interest in artificial intelligence tools grows across industries, AI-powered DApps are steadily carving out their place in the decentralized ecosystem,” DappRadar analyst Sara Gherghelas said.
“If this trend continues, AI could soon challenge the traditional dominance of DeFi and Gaming, signaling a new era in the DApp landscape.”
AI DApps have seen a jump in market dominance this month, while market leaders have declined slightly. Source: DappRadarAI DApp activity surged over 26% in April to reach 3.8 million daily unique active wallets (dUAW), up from the 2.6 million dUAW recorded in February.
In contrast, DeFi activity dropped by 16%, settling at 4.8 million dUAW, which is equal to the gaming sector, which saw a 10% decline as well.
Source: DappRadarGherghelas said most of the top AI DApps being tracked by DappRadar have remained the same, with many tied to AI agent infrastructure and those building utility.
LOL, a project that styles itself as an AI-powered mining system, is the top AI DApp on DappRadar’s list in dUAW.
LOL encourages users to send a voice recording of laughter to Telegram groups that use the LOL AI bot, which then uses factors like pitch and frequency to calculate the number of LOL tokens paid out in rewards.
Coming in second is AI-powered decentralized messaging service Dmail Network. Rounding out the top three is World.Fun, a launchpad that allows users to deploy AI agents into multi-agent simulations.
“This month, the top AI DApps on our platform remain largely unchanged, reinforcing the staying power of early leaders in this space. These projects are not just riding the hype: they’re building utility,” Gherghelas added.
Last December, crypto industry execs told Cointelegraph they expected AI agents to transform Web3 in 2025, flagging crypto staking and onchain trading as emerging early use cases.
However, there was also speculation that AI would face headwinds, including technical challenges, regulatory hurdles, and centralization.
Social DApps rise as Web3 holds groundSocial DApps also saw a spike in activity for April, with an 18% increase to 3.6 million dUAW. Social DApp market dominance also grew to over 15% for the month.
Related: Crypto users cool with AI dabbling with their portfolios: Survey
Gherghelas said overall that “Web3 is holding its ground,” despite wider market turbulence in the wake of sweeping US tariffs, with 23 million daily active wallets recorded in April, compared to the 24 million recorded in February.
“April’s top performers underscore a key narrative: utility and narrative-driven hype, especially around memecoins and AI, are major drivers of user engagement,” she said.
Magazine: UK’s Orwellian AI murder prediction system, will AI take your job? AI Eye
Why this matters
This blockchain story adds another data point to the current market tape and is useful when read alongside nearby source coverage.
Original source
Read on CointelegraphRelated market context
The $763.9 Million Shift: Why Smart Contract Audits Couldn’t Stop Web3’s Worst Quarter
Threat actors stole $763.9 million across 67 incidents in Q2 2026, making it the most severe period for Web3 security since Q2 202...
Arbitrum-Based AFX Trade Drained of $24 Million
AFX Trade, a decentralized perpetuals exchange that runs on Arbitrum and settles in the stablecoin USDC, was drained of roughly $2...
Solana tokenized equities volume surges from $1.34 million to $3.32 billion in one year
Solana's dominance in tokenized equities could enhance its DeFi integration, potentially boosting its ecosystem's growth and marke...
Latest $3.8 billion RWA recovery shows how quickly DeFi absorbed the KelpDAO shock
Active use of tokenized real-world assets in DeFi has returned to about $3.77 billion, close to the level visible before an April...
BitMEX to shut down in 2026, $31.6 million lost in bridge exploits, CLARITY Act targets official crypto ties
BitMEX will shut down in September 2026, bridge exploits stole $31.6 million, and the CLARITY Act targets federal officials' crypt...
BlackRock, Coinbase, Strategy Among Nine Firms Launching the Bitcoin Security Consortium, Pledging $15 Million To BTC Security Development
Bitcoin Magazine BlackRock, Coinbase, Strategy Among Nine Firms Launching the Bitcoin Security Consortium, Pledging $15 Million To...