AI Infrastructure Investment Guide: How to Find 100x Opportunities in This Round of AI Agent Super Cycle?

Compiled by: Bai Hua Blockchain

It is very likely that there will not be a comprehensive "Altcoin season" where all coins rise simultaneously.

This is mainly due to the decentralized nature of Altcoins - there are now too many Token types, and the liquidity is insufficient to support them all rising (even if retail funds flow back in).

Only certain specific industries will see a comprehensive Altcoin season. Currently, the AI agent industry is that industry.

Despite the market being blood-red, this field is setting new historical highs. It's like a black hole, attracting liquidity and attention. If you missed the DeFi Summer of 2020 or the "Alt Layer 1" trend of 2021...

The universe is giving you another chance. Don't try to go against the trend, don't try to be clever.

If you've been on the sidelines for a while, you may be worried that it's "too late" to get in now. I don't think so:

The market is currently declining, but AI infrastructure and agents are setting new historical highs. Once the market rebounds, how do you think the situation will be?

This overall trend has only just begun about two months ago (since the release of GOAT). These AI agents are now in their worst state. New features are being unlocked every day. Imagine what will happen once they can optimize your portfolio for you and trade on-chain?

Consider these infrastructure as Altcoin Layer1s, and the AI agents as Decentralized Applications (Dapps). We may see the market cap of some of these protocols reach the level of Altcoin Layer1s (over $100 billion). The biggest difference? Most of them are not backed by VCs, so you don't have to worry about huge unlock risks.

Currently, no top-tier protocols are listed on Centralized Exchanges (CEXs). I have some real-life friends who are interested in this opportunity, but they've encountered some difficulties in accessing it.

I will mainly discuss the investment opportunities in AI infrastructure, as they now offer the best risk/reward ratio.

Rather than choosing a single agent, you might as well say you own the entire casino. In a gold rush, the richest people are those who sell the shovels and pickaxes.

Let's dive deeper: The two kings of AI infrastructure

1. The two kings of AI infrastructure

1) @virtuals_io (market cap $4.6 billion) - The current king

Virtuals has established itself as the leading platform for launching AI agents.

It dominates on Base, but may also expand to other blockchains. Co-founder @ethermage has revealed that they are ready to launch the platform on Solana. By 2025, they are also exploring expansion to @HyperliquidX and @AbstractChain.

They recently released content about their high-level strategic plans, including attracting top agent developers, upgrading technology, and making Virtuals the fairest agent investment platform. Keep an eye on how they turn these plans into reality.

Will we soon see revenue sharing for AI agents?

Three core advantages:

• Token economics: Creating agents requires Virtuals, and all Token liquidity pairs also need Virtuals. Every new agent launch platform is mimicking their Token economics.

• Network effects: All eyes are now on Virtuals. Launching an agent here means you have the dual support of Virtuals and Base.

• Largest agent: @AIXBT is the first large-scale agent to reach a market cap of over $500 million.

I don't like to make price predictions, but Virtuals has the potential to enter the top 10 market caps in this cycle.

2) Ai16z (market cap $2.2 billion) - The "dragon slayer"?

Ai16z has seen its fair share of ups and downs since its inception. It is the home of the leading agent framework ElizaOS, currently the most starred codebase on Github.

The biggest complaint in the past was their Token economics, particularly their failure to capture value well. Now they are planning a complete overhaul, expected to launch a brand new Launchpad in Q1 2025.

Projects launched based on the Eliza framework will:

• Pay a launch fee (a portion of which will be used for $AI16z buyback and burning).

• Require holding $AI16z to gain access and liquidity pairing.

• Pair Tokens with $AI16z in liquidity pools to stabilize the market.

It's like owning a piece of a casino, where every new agent has to pay a fee to participate.

Treasury strategy and strong moves: Plans to diversify into major L1 Tokens, stablecoins, and project Tokens, while providing liquidity for $AI16z pairing.

The goal is to achieve long-term sustainability, not a big sell-off.

Agent community: The key focus is? Cluster collaboration of AI agents. This is where decentralized general AI (AGI) starts to become real.

Ecosystem incentives: Developers building on Eliza will receive: ecosystem funding and fee-sharing opportunities.

The core idea? To make $AI16z the glue that connects the entire decentralized AI stack. It can be compared to $ETH or $SOL, but it's built for autonomous agents.

3) Which is better, Virtuals or Ai16z?

Virtuals: I'm very bullish on their strategy. They have a long-term vision, and it really feels like everyone else is chasing their footsteps. They also leverage the momentum of the Base ecosystem.

Ai16z: From what I've seen, ElizaOS does seem to be a more suitable technology for agent development. And their Token economics reform will address many of the issues they've faced before.

I know this industry loves tribalism, but you don't necessarily have to pick a side. I'm not sure who will win in the long run - it might be better to hold both (my personal investment is more tilted towards Virtuals and its ecosystem).

Many industries ultimately end up consolidating into a "duopoly". Like Apple and Android, Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Will this space see a similar outcome?

2. Competitors

Virtuals and Ai16z are leading the way, but this is still an early stage. If you want higher returns, you can consider some beta projects.

1) ZereBro (market cap $632 million) - Transformation is underway

ZereBro started out as a general-purpose AI agent, capable of creating music as well. But now, it is transforming into a complete framework for creating other agents.

Zerepy is a Python-based open-source agent framework. Python is crucial:

• It is the world's most popular programming language.

• Most AI tools and libraries are written in Python.

It will allow you to launch an agent similar to ZereBro.

The biggest catalyst is the upcoming Zentients agent platform, to be launched in early 2025. This brand new launch platform will directly tie value to ZEREBRO. Each created agent will channel value back through launch fees, liquidity pool binding, and innovative mechanisms (locking liquidity).

Now, ZereBro has become part of the thriving Virtuals ecosystem, with plans to launch a ZereBro/Virtual liquidity pool on @Base to expand its reach.

They are executing a strategy similar to the current market leaders, but their valuation is now much lower than the former.

2) ARC (@arcdotfun) - $358 million market cap - Rust-based AI agent framework

Arc .fun is building an open-source agent framework called Rig. This framework is currently the only one built on Rust, which is Solana's native language.

Why is ARC worth watching?

Rust language helps optimize performance through zero-cost abstractions.

The Rig framework has proven to be more efficient than Langchain in terms of memory usage and cold start time.

@0xCygaar is contributing to the Rig GitHub, and he is also a core contributor to Abstract Chain.

In short, Arc = Rust and a great codebase.

3) GRIFFAIN (market cap $457 million) - Solana's AI application store

Griffain allows you to interact with your agent through natural language, perform on-chain searches and operations.

Key points:

• Griffain agents can autonomously execute pre-set on-chain transactions, such as performing DCA every hour, or setting limit orders to buy or sell. You can also receive real-time reports on the Token holdings and portfolio changes of a specific address via email.

• The project has received public support from @aeyakovenko and Solana Labs. Their goal is to build Griffain on Solana Mobile, just like Siri on iPhone.

• Griffain is built by @tonyplasencia3, who previously developed Underdog and Blink on Solana.

This project is very interesting.

I'm trying to focus on future trends. People always criticize agents as "chatbots" without real utility. But Griffain is laying the foundation for agents that can be truly useful on-chain.

4) REI (market cap $153 million) - Smarter AI agents

At its core, REI is not just another AI agent bot. It is a full-stack framework that combines AI innovation with blockchain.

You can think of it as a form of AI that not only can execute tasks, but also learn, reason and adapt.

What can it do?

REI primarily interacts with users through X, its cognitive architecture enabling natural, context-aware communication.

How does it work?

Its Oracle Bridge connects to off-chain data, while the ERCData Standard structures it for efficient on-chain use.

Combining REI's four-layer cognitive model (think, reason, decide, act), this allows it to learn, adapt and execute deterministic tasks.

Recent developments driving REI's potential:

• AI Stack SDK: Rolled out in phases, making it easier for developers to create agents.

• Expanding Oracle Network: Key to building real-world AI applications on-chain.

• Phase 2 Catalysts: Full testnet launch, advanced verification protocols, and 2025 mainnet plans.

Macro perspective:

REI is not just a smarter robot. By precisely integrating AI with blockchain, it is shaping decentralized intelligence.

If you're looking for the future of autonomous agents, REI is a framework worth watching.

5) VAPOR (market cap $154 million) - First and only AI agent launchpad on Hyperliquid

Vapor is the native AI agent launchpad on Hyperliquid, built using the Eliza framework from @ai16zdao.

Key points:

• While $AI16Z accounts for about 1.2% of Solana's fully diluted market cap, the market cap of $VAPOR is only $132 million, which is 0.47% of Hyperliquid's fully diluted market cap.

• Once live, users will need to burn $VAPOR to launch agents. This means $VAPOR is deflationary, with the total supply continuously decreasing.

• All agent Tokens launched on Hyper EVM will be paired with $VAPOR in the native DEX liquidity pool. As more agents are launched, more $VAPOR will be locked in the liquidity pool.

• The testnet is already live, and all agents have been pre-approved, with no Token gating required.

6) MODE (market cap $114 million) - Combining AI agents and decentralized finance

Mode Network can be seen as an ETH Layer 2 focused on extending decentralized finance (DeFi) to billions of users through on-chain AI agents.

"Over 80% of on-chain transactions will be conducted through AI agents by 2026". If you believe this holds true, then Mode provides you exposure.

Key data:

• $500M+ TVL: Ranked 3rd in the OP Superchain ecosystem.

• User growth: 367,000 users, 24M+ transactions.

• Undervalued: Market cap to TVL ratio suggests potential upside.

What's happening on Mode?

• Synth testnet launch: Bittensor subnet, for financial forecasting, unlocking DeFi intelligence.

• AI agent hackathon: First-ever hackathon attracted 667 registrants, launching over 10 Eliza plugins in 6 days.

• Latest AI agent app store developments: Currently hosting some live agents, including:

  • Amplifi: Bitcoin abstraction layer, leveraging AIFi to extend Bitcoin to billions of users.

  • Arma: Optimizing USDC yield farming.

  • Brian: Executing transactions and contracts through natural language.

  • Sturdy: Aggregating AI-driven yield vaults for higher returns.

  • QuillAI Network: Secure AI agent powered by D-LLM and EigenLayer AVS.

Mode's vision?

Building the infrastructure for an on-chain agent economy. Advancing this vision through the Synth testnet, Bitcoin OS integration, and the growing AI agent ecosystem.

7) GAME (@game_virtuals) - $390 million market cap - Virtuals framework

G.A.M.E is the first infrastructure project that allows developers to integrate AI agents into games.

From the Virtuals description:

"Every society has its core infrastructure, vital to its growth and development. @game_virtuals plays the Shopify role in Virtuals, while @base is akin to SWIFT."

Significant progress:

• Developed by the Virtuals protocol team itself.

• $$GAME is the backbone of the Virtual economy. Whenever an AI agent runs, it actually pays $$GAME fees to keep the ecosystem running.

A similar but higher-risk project is CONVO, which provides the driving force for conversations on Virtuals.

8) Soul Graph (@soulgra_ph) $GRPH - Market Cap $36M - Making Agents More Humanized

Imagine if other frameworks shaped the "hard skills" of agents, then Soul Graph shapes their "soft skills", making them more human-like. Its framework aims to add personality to new or existing AI agents.

"We are building open-source tools and providing infrastructure to enable developers to imbue their agents with evolving personalities, persistent memories, and real-time communication capabilities."

Key Points:

• It has already created over 2,000 "souls" and provided over 15,000 minutes of voice dialogues in the Soulgraph Playground.

• Soulgraph recently integrated with the AI16Z plugin.

• 85% of the total supply is allocated to the community, with the developer's share already locked and will be unlocked within 1 year.

• I believe this project will be massive.

Argument:

Character AI is huge. Regular people log into that website, spend hours chatting with AI text. Google just acquired it for $2.7 billion. Imagine if people could have real-time conversations with AI agents, and these agents had personalities and memories like humans.

This is what Soul Graph is doing. You can visit their website and experience it for yourself.

9) Other Projects Worth Noting:

This article has become quite long, and I cannot write about all the protocols. Here are some other interesting protocols to look into:

• Bully (@dolos_diary): Initially a parody account, it now showcases @dolion_ai, a social media AI agent framework.

• TopHat (@tophat_one): A launchpad platform for agents on Solana.

• Swarm Node (@Swarmnode): Can be seen as the AWS Lambda, but specifically designed for AI agents and frameworks.

• Cookie Fun (@cookiedotfun): Similar to DeFiLlama / Kaito, an A.I. agent data tracking platform that tracks data like thought sharing, smart interactions, and market cap, with some advanced features requiring a Token threshold.

3. How to Choose?

First, everyone should keep an eye on Virtuals and AI16z. These projects are clearly dominant, and I don't see them slowing down. Don't underestimate network effects.

If you're considering some Beta investments, here are the directions I'm focusing on:

• Emerging Chain LaunchPads: This was a strategy from 2021. Virtuals dominated Base. So, betting on other popular chain LaunchPads is a good choice. This is also why Vapor's price skyrocketed, as Hyperliquid is currently very hot.

• Focused on a Specific Niche?: It's now hard to launch a generic Layer 1 or Layer 2. Instead, you must focus on a specific domain, like becoming the "Gaming Chain". This is also why I find Mode interesting, as it focuses on AI agents and DeFi, or Griffain focusing on natural language.

• Programming Languages: Infrastructure projects need agents, agents need developers, and developers have their own language preferences. This is why Zerebro (Python) and Arc (Rust) stand out.

4. A.I. Portfolio Suggestions

• Conservative Portfolio: 50% Virtuals and 50% ai16z. This simple portfolio will likely outperform 80% of people.

• Alpha/Beta Hybrid Portfolio: Virtuals as the Alpha investment, and you can choose a competing framework as the Beta investment, like Arc or Griffain.

• Medium-High Risk Portfolio: Virtuals and ai16z as the "safe" investments, then make higher-risk A.I. agent investments.

• All-Encompassing Portfolio: Infrastructure Alpha investments and some Beta investments, plus some A.I. agent investments with different risk curves. You can choose some Alpha projects like @aixbt and invest in some sub-$100M market cap projects.

5. Negative News on AI Agents

"Too many launchpads and frameworks" - Guys, look at how many Layer 1s and Layer 2s we have now? We're doing just fine. This whole industry is brand new and rapidly evolving. If you're building a new city, it makes sense to first build the roads, bridges, and pipelines.

"Most of them are trash and will eventually go to zero" - This is the crypto industry. Most things will crash, but the ones that survive will eventually change the game.

"The A.I. industry has already peaked" - You won't succeed. Don't give up halfway.

"All A.I. agents are terrible" - There was a time when people were afraid of online shopping. I also remember the first iPhone couldn't even copy and paste. We're in the early stages. This is a bet on the future.

6. Conclusion

As everyone expects, we all know there will be a bull market this round, but I'm not sure if there will be a new disruptive technology that emerges as a game-changer.

What will be this round's "DeFi" or "NFT" moment? Which domain will reignite the passion of all developers? Which domain will make retail investors have an epiphany and flock in?

I'm not sure if there will be such a moment. But the good news is... it's coming.

This is likely your chance to succeed - do your research, and don't mess it up.

Link to the article: https://www.hellobtc.com/kp/du/01/5620.html

Source: https://x.com/thedefiedge/status/1874813658892767292