Core Foundation and Aethir’s $100M Ecosystem Fund: Key Details

The Core Foundation has announced a strategic partnership with Aethir, a leading provider of decentralized cloud computing. This collaboration, backed by a $100 million fund, aims to accelerate the adoption of AI-driven applications in BTCfi, the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem built on Core’s Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain.

By integrating Aethir’s decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure with Core’s Bitcoin-aligned blockchain, developers will gain the computational resources needed to build advanced AI agents. These AI agents can be used for predictive analytics, liquidity management, and automated trading, positioning Core and Aethir at the forefront of AI-driven finance.

Expanding AI Compute Power for BTCfi

One of the key drivers of this initiative is Aethir’s network of over 400,000 high-performance GPU containers. This decentralized computing infrastructure will provide Core’s ecosystem with the necessary power to support AI applications that enhance BTCfi.

The first major milestone of this partnership will be demonstrated through Core Commit, Core’s flagship incubator program. AI builders participating in the program will receive access to Aethir’s computing resources, enabling them to develop innovative AI-driven applications within the BTCfi ecosystem.

Core’s Vision for BTCfi AI Agents

Core is positioning itself as the home for BTCfi AI agents, leveraging Bitcoin’s security while offering the programmability needed for AI integration. Rich Rines, an initial Core contributor, emphasized the significance of this collaboration:

“Core is going to be the home of BTCfi AI agents. With Aethir’s compute infrastructure and Core’s high-performance BTCfi rails, developers can bring AI and Bitcoin together in ways that haven’t been possible before.”

The goal is to create a seamless environment where AI-driven automation can enhance the efficiency and intelligence of DeFi protocols running on Core.

Dan Wang, CEO of Aethir, highlighted the importance of AI-driven advancements in decentralized finance:

“Aethir is dedicated to supporting the AI agentic economy with premium GPU computing resources for the most advanced AI use cases. By joining forces with Core, we are tapping into the BTCfi ecosystem and providing hands-on support for AI builders developing industry-shaping innovations.”

By integrating its decentralized GPU cloud with Core’s infrastructure, Aethir aims to unlock new AI-driven use cases in the Bitcoin ecosystem, including AI-powered prediction markets and automated trading strategies.

Core Commit’s AI Cohort

Core’s AI-focused incubator program, Core Commit, recently wrapped up its first 2025 cohort, featuring a top-10 team exploring AI-powered prediction markets. Applications for the next cohort will open soon, providing developers with even more access to high-performance AI compute resources.

Worth noting, the Core Network showcased remarkable scalability in 2024, processing over 329.3 million transactions. It hit record highs with 1.7 million daily transactions and 822,653 daily active users, reflecting strong adoption.

User activity surged with 453,649 new daily addresses and an average of 336,460 daily transactions, signaling sustained growth. The network saw significant investment, with 177 million CORE tokens and 8,200 BTC staked at all-time highs. Notably, 75% of Bitcoin miners’ hashrate was delegated to Core, reinforcing its deep integration with Bitcoin’s security model.