Ian S. Hoover
Cryptocurrency offers exciting opportunities to earn passive income, and you don’t always need a big investment to get started. With just a smartphone, computer, or even your car, you can tap into innovative projects that reward you with tokens for everyday activities. Below are five crypto projects you can join with minimal or no upfront cost, leveraging what you already have. I’ve personally tested these projects and will share my experiences, along with updated details on tokens, market caps, and resources to help you dive in.
1. DIMO: Turn Your Car into a Crypto Earner
What It Is: DIMO (Digital Infrastructure for Moving Objects) is a decentralized platform that lets you earn
tokens by sharing your vehicle’s data. It connects to your car via your manufacturer’s app (e.g., Tesla, FordPass) or a plug-in device for older vehicles.
How to Get Started:
- Option 1: Free with Your Car’s App – If your vehicle supports a connected app (check compatibility at dimo.zone), download the DIMO mobile app from the App Store or Google Play, link your car, and start earning tokens.
- Option 2: Buy a Device – For unsupported or older cars, purchase a DIMO Data Miner device. New units cost $99 on the official site, but you can find used ones on eBay for $40–$75. Plug it into your car’s OBD2 port, connect it to the app, and you’re set.
My Experience: I’ve been using DIMO for over a year with two vehicles. At the current token price of $0.09 (as of March 26, 2025), I’ve earned over $350. At its all-time high of $0.50, my earnings would’ve been nearly $2,000. You can also stake as little as 500
tokens in the app to earn additional rewards, boosting your returns.
Token & Market Cap Info:
- Token: $DIMO
- Current Price: ~$0.09
- Market Cap: ~$20 million (per CoinGecko/CoinMarketCap)
- Circulating Supply: ~240 million tokens
- Potential: With a relatively low market cap and growing adoption in the automotive data space, DIMO has room to grow, especially as more developers build on its ecosystem.
Resources:
- Official Site: dimo.zone
- Staking: Available in the DIMO app
- Community: Join the DIMO Discord for tips and updates
Why It’s Great: It’s a low-effort way to monetize your car, and the staking feature adds a passive income layer. However, rewards decrease over time as more users join, so early adoption pays off.
2. NATIX Network (Drive&): Map Roads, Earn Crypto
What It Is: NATIX Network’s Drive& app is a free, decentralized mapping project that rewards you with
tokens for driving and collecting geospatial data with your smartphone. It’s part of the DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) movement.
How to Get Started:
- Download the Drive& app from natix.network/drive-earn-app (available on iOS and Android).
- Mount your phone on your dashboard, start the app, and drive your usual routes. The app uses AI to map roads anonymously, rewarding you with tokens.
My Experience: I’ve used Drive& daily for a year, earning ~20,000
monthly. With a current value of ~$0.0008 per token, that’s ~$15/month. I’ve accumulated 500,000
, worth ~$400 now. At its all-time high of $0.002, my stash would be ~$1,000. With an $11 million market cap, NATIX could see massive growth (potentially 1000x) if it follows the trajectory of similar DePIN projects like Helium.
Token & Market Cap Info:
- Token: $NATIX
- Current Price: ~$0.0008
- Market Cap: ~$11 million
- Circulating Supply: ~17 billion tokens
- Potential: Its low market cap and early-stage status make it a high-risk, high-reward play. Partnerships (e.g., with DIMO) and the VX360 device for Tesla owners signal growth potential.
Resources:
- Official Site: natix.network
- Staking: staking.natix.network
- Coverage Map: coverage.natix.network
Why It’s Great: It’s 100% free and leverages your daily commute. The deflationary tokenomics (via burns and buybacks) could drive value as the network scales.
3.
: Share Bandwidth, Earn Tokens
What It Is:
lets you earn
tokens by sharing your unused internet bandwidth via a free app. It’s another DePIN project aiming to index the web.
How to Get Started:
- Sign up at getgrass.io and download the app for your computer (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
- Install it, log in, and let it run in the background. One device per network is allowed.
My Experience: I’ve been in
for over a year, earning ~75
. At the current price of ~$1.60, that’s ~$120. At its all-time high of ~$6.50, it was worth ~$500. Staking my Grass for two months added 8 more tokens, boosting my haul.
Token & Market Cap Info:
- Token: $GRASS
- Current Price: ~$1.60
- Market Cap: Not fully available yet (pre-mainnet), but early estimates suggest a low cap with high growth potential
- Circulating Supply: Still in airdrop phase; total supply TBD
- Potential: As an early project, Grass could explode once it hits exchanges fully.
Resources:
- Official Site: getgrass.io
- Staking: Available via the app/dashboard
- ) for updatesCommunity: Check X (@getgrass_io
Why It’s Great: It’s free, passive, and requires only a computer. However, rewards depend on bandwidth quality, and the project’s pre-mainnet status adds uncertainty.
4. Verus: Mine with Your Devices
What It Is: Verus is a privacy-focused blockchain you can mine using CPUs, GPUs, or even mobile phones, earning
tokens. It’s designed for accessibility and decentralization.
How to Get Started:
- Computers: Download the Verus miner from verus.io and configure it (YouTube tutorials help).
- Phones: Use the Verus Mobile app (iOS/Android) or set up a phone mining farm (search “Verus phone mining” on YouTube).
- Costs are limited to electricity.
My Experience: I’ve mined Verus on three computers, a few GPUs, and five phones for free (aside from power costs). I’ve earned 13
, worth ~$55 at $4.23 per token. With 250% growth in the past year, Verus stands out while other tokens stagnate.
Token & Market Cap Info:
- Token: $VRSC
- Current Price: ~$4.23
- Market Cap: ~$300 million
- Circulating Supply: ~70 million tokens
- Potential: Steady growth and a unique mining model suggest long-term value.
Resources:
- Official Site: verus.io
- Setup Guides: YouTube (e.g., “Verus Mining Tutorial”)
- Wallets: Verus Desktop/Mobile
Why It’s Great: It’s accessible and profitable with existing hardware. Setup can be tricky, but the community support is strong.
5. Pi Network: Tap to Earn (But Be Cautious)
What It Is: Pi Network is a mobile app where you earn
tokens by tapping a button daily and watching an ad. It’s marketed as a low-effort crypto miner.
How to Get Started:
- Download the Pi Network app from minepi.com (iOS/Android).
- Log in daily, tap the mining button, and watch an ad. Invite friends to boost earnings (optional).
My Experience: I’ve earned 167
over time, but only 15 are accessible (worth ~$11.70 at $0.78). The rest are locked, likely tied to recruitment goals. Promises of $40/token pre-launch haven’t materialized, and the price has crashed from higher expectations, making me skeptical of its legitimacy.
Token & Market Cap Info:
- Token: $PI
- Current Price: ~$0.78
- Market Cap: Unclear (not fully tradable yet)
- Circulating Supply: Unknown; billions mined but locked
- Potential: High risk; it could be an ad-revenue scheme with little payout.
Resources:
- Official Site: minepi.com
- Community: Pi Network forums/X (@PiCoreTeam
Why It’s Great (or Not): It’s free and easy, but the locked tokens and plummeting value raise red flags. Proceed with caution.
Bonus Tip: Unmineable – The Easiest Way to Start Mining
If you’re intrigued by crypto mining, try Unmineable. It’s a plug-and-play app where you choose your payout coin (e.g., Bitcoin, Dogecoin) and mine with your CPU or GPU. Download it from
, install it, and start mining. Open a second instance to mine with both CPU and GPU simultaneously. It’s a low-barrier entry to mining with flexible rewards.
Final Thoughts
These projects let you dip your toes into crypto with minimal investment, using your car, phone, or computer. DIMO and NATIX leverage your driving,
uses your internet, Verus taps your devices, and Pi offers a simple (if risky) tap-to-earn model. Market caps range from $11 million (NATIX) to $300 million (Verus), hinting at growth potential—though crypto is volatile, and rewards can fluctuate. Check official sites, join communities, and start small to see what works for you. Happy earning!
Really interesting list! I think a lot of people underestimate how accessible crypto side hustles can be, especially with smaller initial investments. I’m curious — did you find any major risks that beginners should watch out for?
When starting in crypto, beware of scams aiming to access your wallet. Fraudulent emails may seem legitimate, tricking you into clicking links that compromise your wallet. I lost ETH a few years ago to a scammer promising an “airdrop” for a project I supported. Excited, I clicked the link and learned a hard lesson. Stay cautious and thanks for reading!