IPFS: What It Is and How It Powers Decentralized Storage in Crypto

When you think of storing data online, you probably think of Google Drive or Dropbox. But IPFS, a peer-to-peer protocol for storing and sharing files without central servers. Also known as InterPlanetary File System, it’s what lets crypto projects keep data live even if a company shuts down. Unlike regular websites that rely on one server, IPFS breaks files into pieces and spreads them across thousands of computers. If one goes offline, the rest still hold the data. This is why projects like NFTs and decentralized apps need it—they can’t afford to lose their content just because a server crashes.

IPFS doesn’t store money, but it stores the things money and tokens depend on. Think of an NFT that points to a digital artwork. If that artwork is hosted on a normal server, and the artist stops paying for hosting, the image disappears—leaving your NFT as just a link to nothing. But if the artwork is saved on IPFS, it lives forever, as long as someone on the network keeps a copy. That’s why Filecoin, a blockchain network built to incentivize storage on IPFS exists. People get paid in Filecoin tokens to store files on IPFS, making sure important data doesn’t vanish. And Web3, the vision of a user-owned internet built on blockchain can’t work without it. You can’t have true ownership of digital assets if their data is locked behind corporate servers.

That’s why the posts here focus on IPFS-related topics. You’ll find deep dives into how decentralized exchanges use it to keep trading data alive, how crypto projects avoid losing their content, and why some tokens fail when they skip proper storage. Some posts talk about exchanges and regulations, but behind every secure, permanent NFT or DeFi app is a file stored on IPFS. It’s the quiet foundation—no one notices it until it’s gone. What you’ll see below isn’t just a list of articles. It’s a look at how real crypto projects handle data, and why the ones that get storage right last longer than the ones that don’t.