Irys Datachain in 2025: Key Updates Post Alpha Testnet

In 2025, the Irys datachain implemented a series of updates following its alpha testnet launch. These updates reflect progress in integrations, community engagement, and network performance. Shared via the project's official X account, these updates include technical partnerships for AI and DeFi applications, events such as the Genesis Hunt campaign, and metrics showing over 696 million data transactions as of August 12. 

All these activities align with Irys's role as a Layer-1 solution for onchain data storage, supporting verifiable and programmable datasets at costs below those of comparable Web2 or Web3 services.

What Is Irys?

Irys is a high-performance onchain data network that stores data at lower costs and higher speeds. It includes a native execution layer where developers can embed instructions into data, making it programmable for retrieval and sharing across applications. This setup enables the development of on-chain services. The project, which rebranded from Bundlr in 2023, launched its alpha testnet on January 28, 2025, positioning itself as a programmable datachain tailored for applications in AI and related fields.

The network operates by integrating storage with programmability, enabling data to be structured in ways that support composability and flexibility. This means data can be shared and monetized across different platforms without redundant uploads. Developers use Irys to handle data permanence and verifiability, which are critical for building applications that rely on consistent access to information. The alpha testnet marked the initial public rollout, allowing early testing of these features in a controlled environment.

What Makes Irys Significant in the Crypto and Blockchain Industry?

Irys addresses specific challenges in on-chain data storage, particularly in areas such as AI, intellectual property management, and consumer-facing applications. By providing verifiable storage at costs lower than Web2 cloud services or competing Web3 options, it supports scalable development. The network's stable pricing model helps developers maintain predictable expenses, which can improve margins in data-intensive projects.

In the broader blockchain ecosystem, Irys functions as a Layer-1 solution that combines storage with execution capabilities. This integration is particularly useful for Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) and AI training, where handling large datasets efficiently is crucial. The programmability aspect allows data to include embedded logic, facilitating automation in data sharing and processing. For instance, in AI applications, this can enable the creation of datasets that are not only stored but also executable, supporting tasks like model training or analysis.

The project's focus on composable data, where information from one source can be built upon by another, contributes to efficiency in blockchain development. This is evident in its support for yield optimization and data marketplaces, where users can access and monetize information without the need for intermediaries. In the crypto space, where data volume is increasing due to more complex applications, Irys provides infrastructure that ensures data remains permanent and accessible, thereby reducing reliance on off-chain solutions that may introduce vulnerabilities.

What Are the Key Updates Since the Alpha Testnet Launch?

Since the alpha testnet went live on January 28, 2025, Irys has released a series of updates through its official X account. These developments reflect ongoing efforts to expand the network's ecosystem and user base. Below is a chronological overview:  

Irys Arcade Launch

Community member @0xAperol developed and launched Irys Arcade on the testnet, a retro-style game where moves are recorded onchain. The game demonstrates the practical use of Irys for storing interactive data, such as player actions, in a permanent and verifiable manner. This initiative showcased the network's programmability in a non-technical context, allowing users to see how data can be embedded with logic for real-time applications. It also encouraged community participation by providing a hands-on example of testnet capabilities.

Galxe Integration and Questland Hub

Irys appeared on Galxe's Starboard dashboard to track community contributions. The same day, the team announced the Irys Portal's Questland hub, a platform for users to complete quests and earn rewards tied to network engagement. Questland operates by assigning tasks that involve interacting with the testnet, such as data uploads or integrations, to build user familiarity and understanding. The Galxe feature provides transparency in contributions, utilizing metrics such as participation levels to rank users.

Pre-TGE Yap Leaderboard

In collaboration with KaitoAI, Irys launched a leaderboard to recognize community members based on their contributions before the token generation event. This tool tracks activities like discussions and feedback on the network's development. The leaderboard uses data stored on Irys to ensure verifiable records of participation, emphasizing the network's role in maintaining transparent community metrics.

Codatta and Ensofi Integration

Codatta, a marketplace for AI training data, integrated with Irys, starting with 40 terabytes of robotics data stored on the network. This enables verifiable and monetizable datasets for developers. The partnership highlights Irys's capacity for handling large-scale data, with programmability allowing buyers to execute queries directly on stored information.

On the other hand, Ensofi's DeFi automation suite began storing decision-making data on Irys, enhancing transparency and enabling future collaborations among agents. The stored data includes logs of automated trades, which can be retrieved programmatically for auditing purposes.

Openledger Partnership 

Irys partnered with Openledger to support "Payable AI" infrastructure, where datasets are stored for use in AI training with built-in monetization features. This collaboration focuses on making data compensable, using Irys's execution layer to automate payments tied to data access.

Genesis Hunt Campaign

Launched in partnership with OKX and Wallet, this two-week event involved minting Bitomo NFTs, completing quests, and evolving them for a chance at 500 whitelist spots for the Irys Genesis NFT sale. Participants engaged through onchain actions, demonstrating Irys's support for NFT-related data storage.

The event concluded with 1.1 million Bitomo mints and 500 whitelist spots raffled to those who evolved NFTs to the final stage. The campaign boosted engagement, showcasing Irys's event-handling capabilities.

Data Transactions Milestone

Most recently, precisely on August 12, the network recorded over 696 million data transactions, a more than 10-fold increase since the start of the third quarter in July 2025. This metric indicates growing adoption, driven by integrations and community activities.

How Do These Updates Contribute to Irys's Position in AI and Blockchain?

Irys's 2025 developments have strengthened its relevance in AI-driven blockchain use cases by making data not just storable but executable. Integrations such as those with Openledger allow datasets to include monetization logic, where access triggers payments automatically. This addresses a key challenge in AI: ensuring datasets are tamper-proof and traceable, as highlighted in studies on machine learning integrity.

The significance lies in enabling AI agents to maintain "memory" through on-chain records, supporting tasks such as model adaptation and collaborative training. For instance, the Ensofi integration stores DeFi decision logs for auditing, which can be retrieved programmatically. In the broader industry, where Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks require reliable data feeds, Irys's sub-second latency and high throughput provide a competitive edge. These features mitigate vulnerabilities associated with off-chain storage, thereby promoting wider adoption in sectors such as IoT and social finance.

By focusing on verifiable compute, Irys updates facilitate dynamic NFTs that evolve based on embedded rules, such as royalties or access controls. This composability creates network effects, where data from one application enhances another, potentially leading to exponential value growth. As crypto shifts toward data-intensive protocols, these advancements position Irys as infrastructure that supports scalable, secure development without the limitations of legacy systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Irys datachain?

Irys is an on-chain data network with programmable features, rebranded from Bundlr in 2023, that launched its alpha testnet on January 28, 2025, for faster and more cost-effective data storage.

How has Irys developed since its alpha testnet launch?

Post-launch, Irys has added integrations like Codatta for 40TB of data, partnerships with Openledger and Ensofi, and community events such as the Genesis Hunt, leading to over 696 million transactions by August 2025.

What partnerships and integrations has Irys announced?

Key partnerships include Openledger for Payable AI, codatta for AI datasets, Ensofi for DeFi data, and collaborations with OKX and Wallet for the Genesis Hunt campaign.

Sources:

1. Irys Official Website - https://irys.xyz
2. Irys X Account - https://x.com/irys_xyz
3. Irys Alpha Testnet Launch - https://cryptoslate.com/press-releases/irys-launches-the-first-programmable-datachain-purpose-built-for-ai/ 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Irys offers data storage with embedded execution, supporting verifiable and composable datasets at reduced costs. Its capabilities include handling large volumes for AI and DeFi, as seen in integrations processing terabytes of data and metrics showing transaction growth to 696 million. The network maintains permanence and programmability, aiding development in blockchain sectors.