peaq (PEAQ): What It Is, Uses and Risks

peaq is a layer 1 blockchain built for machines. Its stated goal is to let robots, vehicles, sensors, devices and AI agents act as economic participants: holding an identity, receiving and sending payments, and building a track record that other parties can check. The project describes itself as an economic system for robots and machines that works across many chains rather than on one.

According to the project's description, peaq is organised in three layers. The Machine Layer, called peaqOS, onboards a machine so it can take part in on-chain activity. The Trust Layer handles coordination, validation and reputation scores that are backed by staked capital. The Service Layer links machines to outside service markets through an adapter framework covering discovery, scoring and orchestration.

The network is described as a Substrate chain with EVM compatibility, so developers can use both Substrate tooling and Ethereum-style smart contracts. It is usually grouped with DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure) projects, and it is also classed as a layer 1 token.

PEAQ is the native token of the peaq network. Public documentation says it pays gas, meaning the fees for transfers, smart contract calls and other network operations. It also helps secure the chain through staking, where holders lock tokens to support validators and earn rewards under the network's rules.

Beyond that, the project's wider design ties the token to its trust model. Reputation scores in the Trust Layer are described as being backed by staked capital, which gives participants something to lose if they behave badly. The details of how this works in practice can change as the protocol develops, so check the current official documentation.

Peaq also describes the idea of Robot Money, meaning any means of payment that machines use across chains. That is a concept rather than a single asset, and PEAQ is one part of the system, not a guarantee of any particular level of machine activity.

At the time of writing, as of 2026-11-05, about 2.65 billion PEAQ were circulating. Total supply was around 4.46 billion, and the listed maximum was roughly 5.67 billion. The gap between circulating and maximum supply means more tokens are scheduled or able to enter the market over time, which can dilute existing holders.

The fully diluted valuation was about $143.3M against a market cap of about $85.1M. The difference between the two reflects tokens not yet in circulation. Detailed allocation, vesting schedules and emission rates were not part of public data here, so this page does not describe them. The project's own tokenomics documentation is the right place to check those.

Market figures move constantly. As of 2026-11-05 the price was about $0.032, with roughly $2.5M traded over 24 hours and a market cap rank near 301.

PEAQ is native to the peaq chain, where it exists at the protocol level. It has also been issued on other networks: BNB Chain, Solana, Ethereum and Base. Those versions let holders use the token in the ecosystems where they already have wallets and liquidity, and they fit with the project's chain-neutral positioning.

In general terms, holding PEAQ means picking the right network for the version you own. A wallet for Ethereum-style chains handles the EVM versions, while Solana needs a Solana-compatible wallet. The native peaq chain uses both Substrate-style and EVM-style addresses, so it is worth reading the official token contract guidance before moving funds.

Trading happens mainly on centralized exchanges and decentralized exchanges that list the token on these chains. Always confirm the contract address from official sources, because lookalike tokens exist on every chain. Sending tokens over the wrong network or to the wrong address format can mean permanent loss.

Peaq has been associated with the DePIN theme for several years. Its all-time high price was about $0.75 on 2024-12-10. Its all-time low was about $0.012 on 2026-03-14. At the time of writing the price was well below the peak, and it had fallen about 46% over the previous year, according to public data.

Recent project messaging focuses on two areas: strengthening the core network and building practical economic use for machines. The project also promotes launch tooling that it says supports capital formation for machines, from community-backed token launches to fleet financing. These are descriptions of what the project aims to offer, not independent evidence of adoption.

public data does not include a launch date or consensus details, so this page does not state them. Check the project's documentation for the current validator and staking design.

PEAQ is a volatile, small-cap asset. A drop of more than 90% from its high to its low within about fifteen months shows how sharply the price can move, and past performance says nothing about the future.

Other risks are specific to the project. The machine economy is an early idea, and real demand for machine identities, wallets and payments on peaq may grow more slowly than expected or go to competing networks. Token supply is still expanding toward the maximum, which can create selling pressure. Multi-chain issuance adds bridge and contract risk, and wrapped or bridged versions can fail in ways the native token does not.

Liquidity is another factor. With daily volume of a few million dollars, large orders can move the price. Marketing material, including third-party articles with large market-size claims, should be treated as promotion rather than analysis. This page is not financial advice.

For small amounts, a reputable software wallet that supports the specific network you hold PEAQ on is the usual route. For larger holdings, a hardware wallet reduces exposure to malware. Write your recovery phrase on paper, store it offline, and never type it into a website or share it.

Before sending funds, do a small test transfer and check that the network, address format and contract address match the official peaq token contract list. Be cautious with staking: locked tokens may have an unbonding period, and rewards depend on network rules that can change.

Keeping tokens on an exchange is convenient but means the exchange controls the keys. Beware of airdrop claims, fake support accounts and approval requests from unknown sites, which are common ways wallets get drained.