The AILayer (AIL) IEO just wrapped up on March 27, 2025—but is it still a play worth watching? With the growing buzz around AI-focused blockchain infrastructure, AIL’s Initial Exchange Offering caught the attention of early investors across the space. Conducted on Gate.io Startup, it raised $100K at an initial offering price of $0.10, but has since dropped to around $0.00518, a punishing 95% slide. Still, in crypto, that kind of dip often draws the eyes of deal-hunters and high-risk punters alike. So let’s unpack whether AILayer is a fallen loss leader—or an underpriced gem in the AI-in-Web3 crossover narrative.
Contents
- 1 What Is AILayer (AIL) and Why It Matters in Crypto Infrastructure
- 2 AILayer IEO Details: What Happened During the Token Sale
- 3 Tokenomics Breakdown: Where AIL Tokens Are Allocated
- 4 AI-Powered Infrastructure or Overhyped Narrative?
- 5 How to Participate in Token Sales Like AILayer
- 6 Final Thoughts on “Best ICOs to Watch in 2025” and Where AILayer Stands
What Is AILayer (AIL) and Why It Matters in Crypto Infrastructure
AILayer is built to serve as AI-native blockchain infrastructure, meaning it’s not just trying to ride the AI hype—it aims to enable it. Think of it as the connective software layer that allows AI modules and decentralized tech to interact seamlessly. With use cases ranging from on-chain AI model verification to neural execution environments, the protocol puts machine intelligence directly into the smart contract ecosystem.
At its core, the $AIL token fuels the AILayer network, supporting everything from computational access to governance. The vision is ambitious, and timing couldn’t be better—as GPU power, machine learning, and decentralized AI are all converging fast alongside crypto in 2025.
But here’s the catch: while conceptually strong, its token performance post-IEO has been brutal. The ATH ROI was only 0.84x before quickly retreating. Price slippage may reflect early speculative fatigue, but given its $100M fully diluted valuation (FDV), there’s room for reassessment—especially if market interest in AI infrastructure rebounds in Q2.
AILayer IEO Details: What Happened During the Token Sale
The AILayer IEO took place on Gate.io Startup from March 26 to March 27, 2025. The total token supply is 1 billion AIL, with just 1 million AIL sold in this public sale—representing a mere 0.1% of total supply. Tokens were fully unlocked at launch, giving investors liquidity from day one. This instant unlock, while appealing upfront, may have padded early sell pressure.
The IEO raised $100,000, with AIL priced at $0.10 per token. At the time of writing, $AIL trades at approximately $0.00518, giving it a sobering ROI of 0.05x for initial participants. Short-term traders have likely exited, but long-term investors might be viewing this discount as an opportunity to re-enter—especially if dev activity and partnerships pick up traction this year.
Trading began on March 27, 2025, with the AIL/USDT pair maintaining modest volume. With much of the supply allocated outside the public raise, attention now shifts to how those other allocations vest and move.
Tokenomics Breakdown: Where AIL Tokens Are Allocated
AILayer’s token distribution shows a focus on ecosystem incentives. Early contributor rewards take 20.5%, while 20% is allocated to liquidity—a key sign that the team anticipates long-term use, not just speculative trading. Pre-seed and seed rounds combine for 6% of supply, suggesting early backers got in at significantly lower prices than the public offering.
That said, only 0.1% of tokens went to IEO participants, meaning the project’s token economy is still largely in the hands of insiders and strategic stakeholders. This distribution can swing either way—centralized supply could be concerning without transparency, but could also enable structured development without excessive dilution pressure.
AI-Powered Infrastructure or Overhyped Narrative?
Let’s be blunt—projects in the “AI + Blockchain” camp are flooding the space. But most struggle to move past lofty whitepapers. AILayer seems to understand this, and if it gains real-world dev adoption via SDKs or interoperability modules, its infrastructure utility could separate it from the copycat crowd.
Yet, the $100M FDV right out of the gate felt aggressive—especially with only $100K raised in the public round. The discrepancy between early interest and broader investor caution suggests skepticism about deliverables. To pivot to positive price action, AILayer will need aggressive traction in ecosystem integrations or native application launches. If it doesn’t deliver volume and usage data soon, it’ll remain yet another “AI chain” in a saturated market.
How to Participate in Token Sales Like AILayer
If you’re just discovering AILayer now and wondering how to catch these types of crypto presales early, you’ll want to follow initial exchange offerings on major launchpads with strong vetting processes. IEOs are usually announced 1–2 weeks in advance and let holders of that exchange’s native token commit to a pool.
In AILayer’s case, Gate.io Startup was the host, with a straightforward 100% unlock policy. While that’s great for immediate liquidity, it also highlights a major risk in IEOs—there’s often no vesting, meaning tokens can flood the market, rapidly dragging down price.
For anyone serious about getting into the next big one, you’ve got to look beyond hype. Check initial FDV, token allocation fairness, utility, and tech maturity. That’s how you separate short-term trades from projects with legs like Chainlink or Polygon back in 2020.
Final Thoughts on “Best ICOs to Watch in 2025” and Where AILayer Stands
Although AILayer’s IEO performance wasn’t ideal for first movers, its infrastructure-first focus keeps it in the conversation among 2025’s more interesting AI-crypto hybrids. It isn’t topping any lists like “Best ICOs to Invest in 2025” just yet—but that could change if they deliver working tech and ecosystem traction.
Navigating the world of Initial Coin Offerings (ICO), Initial Exchange Offerings (IEO), and crypto presales requires sharp intuition and timing. Remember, strong ideas need strong follow-through. Right now, AILayer needs to show it’s not just another drop in the AI-crypto bucket—it needs to build.
Until then, keep it on your radar. Because if the trend shifts back to AI-layer solutions again this cycle, AIL could go from forgotten floor price to a double-digit gainer faster than you’d expect.
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