USD.AI: A Revolutionary Project Combining DeFi and AI for GPU Infrastructure Financing

A new player has emerged in the world of cryptocurrencies, promising to revolutionize the concept of stablecoins. The USD.AI project, developed by Permian Labs, is a decentralized protocol that converts unused crypto liquidity into loans for artificial intelligence data centers, secured by NVIDIA graphics processors. Since its launch in October 2025, USDai (the project's main token) has already reached a circulation of $345 million, offering yields from 13% to 17% annually. This is not just a stablecoin - it's a bridge between DeFi and the real-world AI infrastructure.

How Does USD.AI Work?

The USD.AI protocol operates based on three key mechanisms:

• Tokenization of GPUs as NFTs, representing legally secured claims on hardware in insured data centers in accordance with U.S. commercial law.
• Curators who evaluate and manage loans, contributing first-loss capital to align interests.
• A queue system for redemptions, where users can pay a premium for faster access, while payouts occur gradually from borrowers' monthly cash flows.

USDai is a synthetic dollar backed by loans against AI hardware, computing resources and DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) assets. The project focuses on financing AI startups, enabling them to obtain specialized funding for infrastructure expansion.

Benefits of the Project

USD.AI offers a range of advantages for both investors and the AI industry:

• Unlike traditional stablecoins, USDai generates income from real borrower payments (15-25% annual targets), rather than token emissions or artificial mechanisms.
• Converts "idle" crypto liquidity into productive loans, helping finance the growth of AI infrastructure, including data centers with NVIDIA GPUs.
• Channels capital from blockchain to the real world, providing AI startups with accessible financing without traditional banking barriers.
• Backing through tokenized hardware and curators reduces risks, while the QEV system ensures stable liquidity without instant redemptions, preventing panic.
• Available on Ethereum Mainnet and other networks, with expansion plans, making it convenient for DeFi users.

Thanks to these advantages, the project has already attracted investor attention, with a recent increase in minting limits to $250 million, as announced on the official account @USDai_Official.

How Does USD.AI Differ from Other Similar Projects?

There are many analogs in the stablecoin market, such as USDT (Tether), USDC (Circle), or USDe (Ethena), but USD.AI stands out with its focus on AI and real assets:

1. Unlike USDT or USDC, backed by fiat reserves or treasury bonds, USDai is supported by loans against physical AI hardware (e.g., NVIDIA GPUs), making it a "profitable synthetic dollar" with real economic backing.
2. Compared to Ethena's USDe, which generates yield through hedging and derivatives, USD.AI directly finances AI infrastructure, creating "InfraFi" - a new sector for decentralized computing. This differs from general lending platforms like Aave or Compound, where collateral is not specialized in AI.
3. The use of curators for loan evaluation adds a layer of decentralization, unlike centralized models like Tether.
4. The QEV mechanism with redemption queues prevents sudden capital outflows, a problem in many DeFi projects, and allows value extraction from the queue, making the system more resilient.

Experts call USD.AI a prototype of the future, where crypto finances technologies like decentralized computing. With the growing demand for AI, the project has the potential to become a key player in the RWA (Real World Assets) sector.