DATA Says Blockchain Fee Revenue Surged 200-Fold, Entered Global Top 20

The DATA Foundation, which builds infrastructure for artificial intelligence training data, said daily chain-fee revenue on the DATA network has increased more than 200-fold from a few weeks ago. Cumulative data registrations have surpassed 100 million, and the network has entered the global top 20 in blockchain fee rankings.

Andrea Muttoni, chief executive officer of the DATA Foundation, wrote on X on July 24 that the DATA network had exceeded 100 million data registrations and that the activity was generating on-chain revenue every day. He called it the clearest sign yet that the network was operating as originally designed.

The DATA network is currently adding about 3 million to 5 million new data registrations a day. As registration volumes climbed, daily chain fees rose more than 200-fold from recent weeks.

The foundation said the DATA network has moved into the top 20 blockchains by fees, based on DeFiLlama data. Network fees generated during the registration process are paid in DATA, meaning that as registrations increase, network usage and fee revenue rise as well.

The foundation has been focused on building real-world data infrastructure for AI training since rebranding from Story to its current name. Story's native token, IP, was also rebranded as DATA.

The DATA network supports the full process for real-world AI training data, from collection and provenance verification to licensing and settlement. The foundation said it is focused on building services that can be used in practice while generating revenue to support the network's long-term growth.

Last month, the foundation integrated Kled, a user-consent-based AI training data contribution marketplace, into the DATA network and officially launched Trace, a public audit layer.

All data registered through Trace creates a permanent blockchain-based record that allows AI labs to verify within seconds the source of training data, related rights and whether contributors were compensated. Trace provides the legal proof AI labs need to confirm the reliability of training data.

Kled is serving as a core data supplier on the DATA network. It is registering more than 1 billion files on the network, with more than 900 million additional files awaiting registration. More than 3 million data entries a day are being registered through Kled.

Muttoni said the supply of internet data available for AI training is nearing its limit and that next-generation AI models will rely more on real-world data held by individuals and companies than on the open web.

Until now, he said, there has been no clear system for authorizing the use of that data, compensating contributors and proving provenance. By some estimates, the related market has already exceeded $100 billion.

Data registration volume is a key metric that shows directly whether the DATA network is being used for its original purpose, Muttoni added. The project remains in the early stages of growth, and AI training data with clear licensing and rights structures will continue to accumulate as data supply and related applications expand.