What does it take to bring permanent data storage to the masses and make it usable?

In this episode of DePINed, Tom Trowbridge sits down with Phil Mataras, founder and CEO of AR.IO, to unpack how permanent, immutable storage is evolving into something more usable, scalable, and service-rich — thanks to the infrastructure they’re building on top of Arweave.

Immutable Data and the Permanent Cloud

At its core, Arweave offers permanent data storage: pay once, store forever. But as Phil points out, permanent storage alone isn’t enough to serve modern application needs.

Through building apps like ArDriv (a Web3-native Dropbox alternative), Phil and his team realized that developers and users needed more than raw storage—they needed services: fast access, searchable indexes, bundled uploads, and easy naming.

That’s where AR.IO comes in. Positioned as a second layer on top of Arweave, AR.IO is a permanent cloud network that provides:

• Gateways and caching nodes

• Layer 2 bundling and transaction scaling

• Indexing and querying

• A decentralized naming system (ArNs)

• Developer-friendly tools and payment UX

Phil describes AR.IO as a critical service mesh that enhances the usability of Arweave for developers, creators and enterprises alike.

Why Naming Is the Big Unlock

One of AR.IO’s most powerful contributions is its decentralized naming system, RNS (Rweave Name System).

Instead of sharing raw transaction IDs (e.g., arweave.net/txid123), users can now register readable domains like tom.arweave.net or project.gateway.io. These names can point to websites, apps, or NFTs stored on Arweave, making the permaweb more navigable and trustworthy.

Naming brings accessibility, brandability and familiarit: unlocking everything from permanent personal sites to institutional-grade publishing.

“Imagine the early internet with no domain names,” Phil says. “That’s where we were. RNS changes that”

Building in the DePIN Model

AR.IO is a DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) project at its core. Anyone can run a gateway node using modest hardware, even a Raspberry Pi. Nodes cache data, serve content and participate in the network’s incentive mechanism via RO tokens.

The network is already large, with over 600 gateways live, handling billions of queries and several terabytes of data monthly. The incentive system uses staking, performance rewards, and name registration fees to sustain node participation and decentralize infrastructure.

This modular, DePIN architecture enables scalability, localization, and redundancy: key ingredients to compete with hyperscalers like AWS and Google Cloud.

Who Needs Permanent Storage?

Сensorship-resistant journalism, long-term cold storage and composable dApps, Phil outlines several compelling use cases for permanent storage:

• Journalism & Archiving: AR.IO powered the permanent storage of Apple Daily archives when Hong Kong press freedoms were under threat.

• NFTs: Projects use AR.IO’s infrastructure to store metadata and images immutably.

• L2 Blockchain Data: Networks like Chive and Celestia offload data to Arweave via AR.IO to reduce cost and improve permanence.

• Decentralized Social Networks: Platforms like Odyssey are migrating content to Arweave to avoid deplatforming.

Phil also shares a growing interest from enterprises looking for long-term hosting, DNS alternatives, and verifiable content storage.

Token Design & Sustainability

AR.IO’s RO token lives on AO (a smart contract system on Arweave) and underpins staking, node rewards, and name purchases. Instead of relying on Arweave’s native token (AR), RO creates a dedicated economy around usability and infrastructure services.

Notably, the naming system ties deeply into tokenomics: name purchases feed an endowment that pays node operators, creating sustainable demand tied to network usage.

Phil emphasizes that while much of the token utility currently centers around RNS, more service-based revenue (indexing, compute, bundling) is being added progressively.

Looking Ahead

Phil’s vision for AR.IO is ambitious:

• From 10 TB to 100s of TB monthly data throughput

• From 3,500 to 100,000+ registered names

• A trusted infrastructure layer supporting builders across Web3, Web2, and DePIN

The goal is to scale from powering personal websites and NFT uploads to becoming a backbone for institutional-grade permanent infrastructure.

“The more usable we make permanent storage, the more powerful it becomes,” Phil says

And that’s exactly what AR.IO is doing — turning immutable storage into an ecosystem of scalable, composable services.

About DePINed Podcast

DePINed is a podcast exploring the frontier of decentralized physical infrastructure, hosted by Tom Trowbridge, co-founder of Fluence. Each episode features in-depth conversations with founders, builders, and investors who are shaping the future of real-world Web3 networks.

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