MastChain Opens Pre-Orders for MastNode AIS Hardware, Limited to 200 Units
Copenhagen, Denmark, April 24th, 2026, Chainwire
First dedicated receiver for the maritime DePIN network goes live May 4, with first deliveries expected in early June.
MastChain, the decentralised AIS vessel tracking network built natively on peaq, will open pre-orders for its first production hardware on May 4, 2026. The initial batch is limited to 200 MastNode units, with first deliveries scheduled for early June.
MastNode is the first purpose-built AIS infrastructure device for a maritime DePIN network. The device receives vessel broadcasts on both AIS channels simultaneously, signs each message with a hardware-based cryptographic identity, and contributes validated data to MastChain in exchange for MAST token rewards. Until now, contributors to the network have run DIY stations built around Raspberry Pi boards and USB software-defined radio dongles.
“We are not trying to ship 50,000 boxes on day one,” said Owen Taylor, CEO and co-founder of MastChain. “The first 200 units go to early contributors who understand what this network is and what it has to become. Getting that group right is more important than volume. Once these are deployed and reporting clean data, we scale.”
The 200-unit cap reflects MastChain’s current manufacturing run with partner MonsPro, a hardware firm based in Istanbul that specialises in industrial infrastructure devices. MonsPro and MastChain spent six months in joint field testing before committing to the production design. In those tests, the MastNode prototype outperformed DIY stations by up to 60% using the same antenna and installation location.
The device is built around a dual-channel AIS receiver covering 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz simultaneously, an integrated GNSS module with pulse-per-second timing, and an ATECC608 secure element for device identity and data integrity. It ships in an industrial-grade enclosure rated for operating temperatures from –20°C to +65°C, runs on 5V over USB-C, and supports both Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Each unit is delivered with a 1.2-metre AIS antenna and a 10-metre RG58 cable.
For DePIN contributors, the significance is structural rather than cosmetic. Maritime AIS data is a regulated VHF protocol, not a consumer signal. Enterprise buyers of AIS data, including shipping companies, insurers, commodity traders, and defence organisations, require verifiable device identity, tamper-resistant timestamps, and consistent uptime. MastNode is the first hardware in the DePIN space engineered to meet those requirements at contributor scale.
MastChain is also the first maritime data network to build natively on peaq, the Layer 1 blockchain designed for the machine economy. peaq provides native device identity, data provenance, and machine-native payment rails across more than 60 DePIN projects spanning mobility, energy, connectivity, and data infrastructure. For MastChain, the peaq integration means every AIS message in the network is associated with a cryptographically verifiable physical device on chain, and the same rails can support direct data purchases by machine clients, including AI agents querying maritime data over stablecoin micropayments.
“peaq is built for the reality of physical infrastructure, not for the abstraction of it,” Taylor said. “AIS data arrives continuously, every second of every day, from devices scattered across the planet. That only works on a chain that treats hardware identity as a first-class concern. That is what peaq does.”
Pre-orders open at 12:00 UTC on May 4, 2026, through mastnode.com. After the initial 200 units ship, MastChain expects a second production run to follow later in the summer.
About MastChain
MastChain operates a decentralised AIS vessel tracking network where independent contributors run ground stations, authenticate maritime data cryptographically, and earn MAST tokens for verified coverage. The network is operated by Worldwide AIS Network ApS, founded in 2025 and headquartered in Copenhagen. MastChain is built natively on peaq. More information at mastchain.io and mastnode.com.
About peaq
peaq is the Layer 1 blockchain for the machine economy, providing identity, access control, payments, and rewards for decentralised physical infrastructure networks. More information at peaq.xyz.