Akash Network Is Moving Its AI Cloud From Its Own Blockchain to Solana. Could More Projects Follow?

Akash Network (CRYPTO: AKT) has officially decided to relocate its AI cloud from its Cosmos-based blockchain to Solana (CRYPTO: SOL). Akash made this decision after a significant majority of Akash holders voted in favor of the transition. The vote showed overwhelming support, with 97.3% backing the move and a 69.4% turnout. In total, around 60 million AKT tokens cast votes for the proposal, while approximately 796,000 voted against it.

The voting period ran from October 26 to November 2, 2026, and the successful Proposal 346 not only approves the creation of a 1:1 version of AKT as an SPL token—Solana’s standard token format—but also establishes a one-way portal for two years to help carry tokens over. The new token launch is expected within two to three weeks after the proposal passed, contingent on completing two independent audits.

Market response was somewhat muted. AKT trades at $0.61, up 0.3% over the past 24 hours but down 12.1% over the previous week. Notably, its November 2 close was its lowest in a month. In contrast, Solana trades at $93, up 0.5%.

Akash Moves the AKT Token First, and the Marketplace Later

Akash Network operates a two-sided marketplace where users post computing tasks, and service providers—from data centers to GPU owners—compete to fulfill them. After its Mainnet 17 upgrade, every workload processed burns AKT, effectively reducing supply as demand for computing rises. According to Akash, compute spending reached an all-time high in the first quarter.

However, the recent vote pertains only to the token migration. A separate proposal is needed to shift the marketplace itself, and no timeline is set.

This plan includes launching a provider testnet that would run for at least six weeks with 25 or more operators participating. After that, a 14-day rehearsal must be completed without issues. During this transition, live workloads will continue for 90 days while users migrate to the new system.

Stakers—those who lock their AKT to help secure the network in exchange for rewards—are facing the steepest cost. They will go through a 21-day unbonding period, and Akash’s blog noted that “Old-chain inflation, and with it staking rewards, ends at cutover.” The network has promised to share details about replacement mechanisms before the cutover.

Why Akash Is Leaving Its Own Blockchain for Solana

Co-founder Greg Osuri pointed out that “Akash pays the full cost of a sovereign chain without using any of its powers.” A sovereign chain, or appchain, is a blockchain managed by a single project. Currently, Akash covers the expenses of approximately 100 validators to secure its network by locking up AKT, while its team maintains custom software specific to Cosmos.

By Akash’s calculations, transitioning to Solana should significantly reduce their costs. Daily network fees for the entire marketplace are estimated to be about 0.075 SOL, with the median transaction fee around $0.001. Akash processes roughly 15,000 daily transactions, a small fraction of Solana’s 112 million.

Moreover, Akash aims to tap into Solana’s user base and capital, noting that the network has around $15 billion in stablecoins and approximately 2.2 million daily transaction users.

Helium and Render Moved First, and Their Holders Lost Ground

Akash cites similar moves by Helium (CRYPTO: HNT), which left its own blockchain in 2023, and Render (CRYPTO: RENDER), which moved from Ethereum to Solana on November 2, 2023. Although these migrations were technically successful, token holders still experienced losses.

Since hitting its all-time high of $13.53 on March 17, 2024, Render’s value has plummeted to $1.51, reflecting an 88.8% decline. HNT now trades at $0.34, down 80.8% over three years, whereas SOL has increased by 120.3% during the same period.

The current trends mirror these earlier shifts. AKT’s 12.1% drop over the last week aligns with Render’s 11.1% and Helium’s 11.5% declines, suggesting a broader sector sell-off that hit AKT despite the 97% approval vote. Additionally, Akash’s move places it among direct GPU competitors like io.net and Nosana, making it easier for customers to switch.

Could More Projects Follow Akash Network to Solana?

More projects could follow suit, particularly those based on Cosmos. Akash lists several Cosmos projects that have been winding down recently, such as Kujira, Comdex, Picasso, Quasar, and Evmos, along with Noble, a stablecoin chain that departed on March 18.

Akash suggests dYdX remains due to its need for customized block processing, meaning other marketplaces and DePIN projects with simpler requirements are more likely to migrate, further strengthening Solana’s role in AI compute.

Despite these changes, Akash the company stands to gain more than token holders. Its projected daily fees of 0.075 SOL do not significantly increase demand for SOL, which is still far below its $293 all-time high. Additionally, AKT holders will lose their staking yields.

Currently, AKT remains below its 20-day and 50-day averages of $0.67 (9.8% above), despite a 71.5% year-to-date increase. If the new staking replacement preserves some yield and AKT increases beyond $0.67 after the SPL launch, the move could ultimately benefit AKT in the long run.

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