USD.AI developed by Permian Labs is a DeFi protocol issuing the yield-bearing stablecoin USDai and staked variant sUSDai, backed by loans against AI infrastructure like GPUs and compute resources.
It bridges crypto liquidity with real-world AI hardware financing.The project’s governance and utility token is $CHIP: CoinList (whitelist/eligibility based on Allo points from the “Allo Game” points program). Sale Period: February 22, 2026 (23:00 UTC) to February 27, 2026 (23:00 UTC). Token Price: $0.03 per $CHIP. Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV): $300 million. Allocation: 700,000,000 $CHIP (7% of total supply).
Unlock: 100% at Token Generation Event (TGE). Additional Incentives for ICO Participants via “Level Up” mechanism and post-purchase options: Refund rights (full USDC/USDT refund if needed, e.g., in case of underperformance).
Discount rights for voluntary lockups: 4-month lock ? effective $270M FDV (10% discount); 8-month lock ? $190M FDV (37% discount). Boost and Max paths for additional perks like discounted subscriptions or premium buyouts, plus Season 2 points accrual.
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Eligibility: Tied to Allo points alignment (ICO path earns brown points at 5x multiplier, no native yield). The ICO is not open to everyone—participants need sufficient Allo points from prior engagement like minting and staking USDai/sUSDai. 300,000,000 $CHIP (3% of total supply).
Eligibility: Based on Allo points from the “Allo Game” (Season 1 ends February 18, 2026). Airdrop path (teal points) earns 2x multiplier with native yield from sUSDai staking. Higher-than-average alignment may be required for meaningful shares.
Distribution: Automatic to the connected wallet on the app at TGE—no separate claim needed. Unlocks fully unlocked at TGE. No Minimums for airdrop qualification.
Guaranteed buyout at $350M or $420M FDV paid in cash at TGE. Limited capacity; pro-rata if oversubscribed; irreversible decision. Token Release (TGE)Expected in March 2026, exact date and full token distribution and vesting mechanics to be announced soon.
Season 1 participants receive distributions automatically. Season 2 strategies and further details incoming. This follows the “Allo Game” points farming campaign (ongoing since 2025), where users chose ICO (brown points) or airdrop (teal points) paths.
TVL has been strong (hundreds of millions), backed by investors like Framework Ventures, Dragonfly, YZi Labs, and Coinbase Ventures. The USD.AI ($CHIP token) ICO and airdrop, set against a $300M FDV at $0.03 per token, carry several key implications as of February 12, 2026. The project has built substantial TVL around $658M recently, per reports through its GPU-backed stablecoin (USDai/sUSDai) lending model, backed by reputable VCs like Framework Ventures, Dragonfly, YZi Labs, and Coinbase Ventures.
However, community sentiment and market conditions introduce notable risks and dynamics. USD.AI bridges DeFi with real-world AI infrastructure financing (loans against GPUs/compute). High TVL reflects genuine adoption, with yields on sUSDai ~9% in some periods attracting liquidity providers.
The “Allo Game” points system successfully bootstrapped engagement since 2025, creating a committed user base. ICO participants get refund rights (full USDC/USDT return if needed, and voluntary lockup discounts (4 months effective $270M FDV / 10% discount; 8 months ? $190M FDV / 37% discount).
Airdrop users can opt for “buyout” paths; commit Season 2 Pendle YTs for guaranteed cash at $350M–$420M FDV at TGE. These reduce downside for aligned participants and could stabilize early price action.
$CHIP enables DAO governance, potentially decentralizing decisions and unlocking new yield strategies. If TVL sustains/grows post-TGE, it could drive protocol revenue toward token value. ICO (Feb 22–27 on CoinList) and airdrop distribution at TGE could inject liquidity and speculative interest, especially if broader market recovers or AI/DeFi narratives heat up.
$300M FDV draws heavy criticism as potentially overvalued, especially in a subdued market. Some users note prior VC rounds mean retail pays a premium. Community posts highlight “extraction” risks, with comparisons to recent ICOs that dumped 50%+ pre-market or post-launch.
Allo points farming yields modest $CHIP amounts. Many early participants (YT farmers, etc.) face breakeven only at 3x+ launch FDV ($900M+), leading to sentiment like “peanuts” or “nobody getting rich.” Some regret choices (ICO vs. airdrop paths) as market shifted.
Full unlock at TGE for both ICO (7% supply) and airdrop (3% supply) could flood liquidity if recipients dump. Airdrop changes; now fully unlocked vs. prior locked expectations amplify this. Polymarket odds ~60% chance of >$300M FDV day 1 reflect uncertainty, with potential for sharp drops if hype fades.
Smart contract and operational vulnerabilities, regulatory hurdles for real-world asset lending, and competition in AI and DeFi stablecoins. General crypto market weakness could suppress post-TGE performance. Posts show frustration vs. optimism from loyal farmers. ICO seen as “no bottom” risky by some experienced participants.
This feels like a high-stakes transition: strong fundamentals in GPU-backed stablecoin utility, but timing and $300M FDV create skepticism amid a tough market. Protections help mitigate downside for participants, but upside depends on sustained TVL, yield delivery, and market recovery.