Akash Network: Expanded Decentralized Cloud Compute

March 23, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

Akash Network, a decentralized cloud computing marketplace, is expanding its capacity with a focus on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), responding to growing demand from the artificial intelligence sector. The network announced increased availability of H200, H100, and A100 GPUs, offering compute power at significantly lower rates than traditional cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud, according to pricing data released by the company.

The platform, often described as the “Airbnb of cloud compute,” allows individuals and organizations with spare server capacity to lease it to developers and researchers. Founded by Greg Osuri and built on the Cosmos SDK, Akash launched its mainnet in 2020. The network gained prominence in 2026 as demand for GPU resources surged, driven by the rapid development of AI models, according to Shironeko.gg.

Akash’s pricing structure utilizes a reverse auction system, where providers bid for workloads, resulting in lower costs for tenants. The company claims users can access nearly three hours of H100 compute for the price of one hour on AWS, at $1.33 per hour compared to AWS’s $3.93 per hour. This cost advantage is attributed to Akash’s model of pricing based on silicon utilization rather than the overhead associated with centralized cloud providers.

The network supports Docker containers and Kubernetes, offering full compatibility without vendor lock-in. Akash too provides one-click templates for deploying AI models like Llama-3, DeepSeek, Mistral, and Stable Diffusion, streamlining the deployment process for developers. Ray Distributed Clusters are also available, enabling scalable training of large models.

AKT, the native utility token of the Akash Network, is used for all GPU transactions, network security through staking, and governance. The token has a maximum supply of 388 million, and staking currently yields approximately 15% APY via Cosmos delegation. According to CoinMarketCap, AKT powers the network’s economy and governance.

Whereas Akash offers significant cost savings and a decentralized alternative to traditional cloud providers, it also faces challenges. Compared to AWS and Google Cloud, Akash currently operates at a smaller scale and does not offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs) guaranteeing reliability. GPU supply on the network remains limited relative to overall demand, a constraint the company is actively addressing with the expanded GPU capacity.

Akash Network is positioned as a critical infrastructure component for the crypto ecosystem, enabling the functionality of many decentralized applications. The network’s expansion into GPU compute aims to further solidify its role in supporting the growing demand for AI and data processing resources. The company has not announced a specific date for full implementation of the expanded GPU capacity, but continues to onboard new providers and optimize its auction system.