Helium’s token has changed address, chain and reward model since many older guides were written. HNT moved from Helium’s own blockchain to Solana in April 2023, so it is now an SPL token and old Helium-chain addresses are obsolete. As of October 2026 you can buy it on Coinbase, Kraken, Bybit, Gate or Bitget, or swap for it on Solana DEXs. There is also a second path that most coins lack: earning HNT by running network hardware. Below: how to buy Helium on an exchange, which wallet to use, and buying versus earning.
Key facts for HNT buyers
- HNT is an SPL token on Solana; mint address
hntyVP6YFm1Hg25TN9WGLqM12b8TQmcknKrdu1oxWux. - Withdraw HNT only on the Solana network to a Solana address. Pre-2023 Helium L1 wallet addresses no longer work.
- The Helium Wallet app handles hotspot reward claims and veHNT staking; Phantom and Solflare are fine for simply holding HNT.
- HIP-138 (approved November 2024) moved rewards back to HNT; the IOT and MOBILE tokens still trade but no longer receive new emissions.
- HNT issuance halved on August 1, 2025, and the SEC dismissed its case against developer Nova Labs in April 2025.
HNT after the Solana move
Helium is a decentralized wireless network: people run hotspots that provide IoT (LoRaWAN) and mobile coverage, and HNT is the token that rewards them and pays for data. Our Helium explainer covers the network design. Three changes matter for anyone buying today:
- New chain. On April 18, 2023, Helium migrated its tokens, hotspots and accounting to Solana. HNT now has a Solana mint address, transfers settle in seconds, and fees are paid in SOL.
- New supply schedule. Under the long-standing HIP-20 rule, emissions halve every two years. The August 1, 2025 halving cut annual issuance from 15 million to 7.5 million HNT. Data-transfer rewards, which depend on actual network usage, were not halved.
- New legal clarity in the US. The SEC had sued Nova Labs in January 2025, alleging that HNT, IOT, MOBILE and hotspot sales were unregistered securities offerings. The agency dismissed the case with prejudice around April 10, 2025; Nova Labs separately paid $200,000 to settle allegations about misrepresenting partnerships, without admitting or denying them. A voluntary dismissal is not a court ruling on the merits, but it removed the enforcement threat.
If you hold an old Helium wallet from before 2023, the Helium Wallet app can access the migrated account. Do not send HNT from an exchange to an address format that is not Solana.
How to buy Helium (HNT) on an exchange or Solana DEX
We verified HNT spot markets as of October 2026 on exchange pages and CoinGecko’s market table. The list is not a ranking. One piece of history is worth knowing: Binance.US delisted HNT in March 2023, just before the Solana migration, which is why some older articles say US exchanges dropped it. Coinbase and Kraken support HNT today.
| Venue | HNT market | Network for withdrawals | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | HNT/USD spot | Solana | US and international |
| Kraken | HNT/USD spot | Solana | US, EU, UK and others |
| Bybit, Gate, Bitget | HNT/USDT spot | Check network list (should be Solana) | Generally not open to US residents |
| Solana DEXs such as Raydium (routed by Jupiter) | HNT/SOL and other HNT pools | Already on Solana | Anyone with a Solana wallet |
| Robinhood | View-only market data; not tradable | n/a | n/a |
For the DEX route, withdraw SOL or USDC to a Solana wallet, open Jupiter, paste the HNT mint above, and swap. Check price impact on larger orders, because HNT liquidity is moderate rather than deep. For account setup on a centralized exchange, see our how-to-buy-crypto hub.
Helium Wallet, Phantom or Solflare?
All three hold HNT, because it is a standard Solana token. The difference is what else you plan to do.
| Wallet | Good for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Helium Wallet app | Claiming hotspot rewards; staking HNT as veHNT through Realms; swapping HNT into Data Credits | Fewer general Solana DeFi features |
| Phantom | Holding and swapping HNT alongside other Solana tokens; built-in swap | Does not support Helium-specific hotspot reward claiming |
| Solflare | Holding HNT; Ledger integration; Solana staking | Same hotspot limitations as Phantom |
One Helium-specific trap: Helium’s documentation says that importing a Helium Wallet account into another Solana wallet requires the account’s private key, not the 12- or 24-word seed phrase. Importing the seed phrase into Phantom or Solflare will not show your tokens, which has panicked more than one hotspot owner. Our Phantom wallet review covers its security settings if you choose it for holding.
Whichever wallet you choose, the withdrawal from an exchange is simple: select the Solana network, paste your Solana address, send a small test, and keep a little SOL in the wallet for fees and the roughly 0.002 SOL account deposit that Solana requires the first time a wallet receives a new token.
Should you buy HNT or earn it with a hotspot?
Helium is one of the few networks where “earn HNT with a hotspot” is a real alternative to buying, and it is often marketed as passive income. It deserves a sober comparison.
| Buying HNT | Earning with a hotspot | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Whatever you choose to spend | Hardware purchase, plus installation (an outdoor antenna or a rooftop spot helps coverage) |
| What you get | A known amount of HNT immediately | An uncertain stream of HNT over time |
| What drives returns | HNT price only | Your location, nearby hotspot density, data traffic, reward rules, emissions schedule and HNT price |
| Ongoing costs | None beyond custody | Electricity, internet connection, occasional SOL fees to claim rewards |
| Main risk | Price decline | Hardware never pays back if rewards fall or coverage is redundant |
We will not estimate hotspot earnings, because they vary enormously by location and have fallen over time as emissions halved and coverage filled in. If you are considering a hotspot, check the Helium explorer for rewards earned by hotspots near your address over recent months, look at how many already cover your area, and compare that with the hardware cost. Treat any seller’s earnings projection with skepticism. Our guide to crypto passive income discusses why “passive” crypto income usually carries active risks.
Hotspot rewards accrue to the hotspot and must be claimed into your wallet, with a small SOL fee per claim; the Helium Wallet app and manufacturer “Maker” apps handle this.
There is also a middle path: buy HNT and lock it as veHNT through the Helium Wallet app. Locked HNT gives governance voting power and a share of rewards, with longer locks earning more weight. Before the August 2025 halving, veHNT holders had to re-delegate to stay eligible for rewards, a reminder that this route needs occasional attention. Locked HNT cannot be sold until the lock period ends, so only lock what you are prepared to hold.
IOT, MOBILE and HNT: what changed in 2025
From 2023 to early 2025, Helium paid hotspot operators in two subnetwork tokens: IOT for LoRaWAN coverage and MOBILE for cellular coverage. HIP-138, approved by the community on November 22, 2024, reversed that. HNT emissions now bypass the IOT and MOBILE treasuries, and rewards are consolidated in HNT. Helium Mobile subscribers began earning HNT instead of MOBILE on January 29, 2025.
What that means for buyers:
- HNT is the token to buy if you want exposure to the Helium network. IOT and MOBILE no longer receive new HNT emissions.
- IOT and MOBILE still exist. Helium says they remain tradable and redeemable for HNT on Solana, so do not panic-sell if you hold them; check the current redemption route in the Helium Wallet app.
- Be wary of older guides that tell you to buy MOBILE or IOT to “earn more,” or that describe hotspots as mining only IOT. They predate HIP-138.
For scenario-based thinking about where HNT could go under different adoption assumptions, see our HNT price prediction.
FAQ
Is HNT on Solana now?
Yes. Helium migrated HNT, IOT, MOBILE and its hotspot records to Solana on April 18, 2023. HNT is now an SPL token with the mint hntyVP6YFm1Hg25TN9WGLqM12b8TQmcknKrdu1oxWux. Always withdraw HNT on the Solana network to a Solana address; the old Helium blockchain no longer processes transactions.
Where can I buy HNT in the US?
As of October 2026, US residents can buy HNT on Coinbase and Kraken, or swap SOL or USDC for HNT on Jupiter with a Solana wallet. Robinhood shows HNT market data but does not offer trading, and Bybit, Gate and Bitget generally do not serve US customers.
What is the best Helium wallet?
It depends on use. The Helium Wallet app is the one to use if you own hotspots or want to stake HNT as veHNT, because it handles reward claiming. For simply holding or trading HNT, Phantom or Solflare work well. To move a Helium Wallet account into another wallet, you need its private key, not the seed phrase.
Can I still earn HNT with a hotspot?
Yes. Since HIP-138, hotspot and Helium Mobile rewards are paid in HNT rather than IOT or MOBILE. Earnings depend heavily on location, nearby coverage and data traffic, and emissions halved in August 2025. Check rewards for hotspots near you on the Helium explorer before buying hardware.
Crypto is volatile and risky; this is education, not financial advice. Do your own research.
