Noble acquires Helium Mobile as HNT slides 7% on deal news

Key Takeaways:

• Andrew Yang's Noble Mobile acquires crypto-powered Helium Mobile
• Deal terms undisclosed; HNT token falls 7% to $0.64
• Nova Labs to focus on Helium network data offloading business

Andrew Yang's Noble Mobile acquired Helium Mobile, the decentralized wireless service built on the Solana-based Helium network, the companies said Tuesday, in a deal that validates the DePIN model while sending the HNT token down 7% to $0.64.

"We were drawn to Noble Mobile because of a deep alignment in values, vision, and the people leading the organization," Helium Mobile Chief Operating Officer Frank Mong said. "Our subscribers deserve a home that shares our conviction that connectivity should be affordable and accessible to everyone."

Helium Mobile subscribers will keep their phone numbers and retain access to the same 5G network powered by T-Mobile, according to Mong. Noble Mobile, founded by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, will also adopt the Helium decentralized network — a crowd-built cellular infrastructure composed of nearly 139,000 mobile hotspots that act as miniature cell towers, per Helium's website. The network has been used by AT&T and Telefonica to extend coverage in their existing networks.

The deal allows Nova Labs, the firm that created the Helium network and launched Helium Mobile, to shift focus to its data offloading business — a service that lets major carriers automatically offload traffic onto Helium hotspots in areas where coverage is available. Nova Labs closed a multi-year deal with a large US carrier at the end of 2025, underscoring product-market fit, Mong said. The Helium mobile network now serves more than 2.6 million daily users and generates over $47,000 per day in revenue, according to Helium World's dashboard. Noble Mobile, which offers unlimited data plans for $50 per month with cash-back incentives for using less than 20 gigabytes, raised a $10.3 million seed round led by Corazon Capital in September 2025.

HNT has fallen about 28% over the past 30 days, with the token trading at $0.64 as of Tuesday. The Helium network's model — which rewards hotspot operators with Solana-based HNT tokens for providing coverage used by carriers and subscribers — remains unchanged by the acquisition, Mong said. Nova Labs fielded roughly 10 suitors interested in buying the mobile business before selecting Noble, he added.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.