IOTA (MIOTA)

Overview

IOTA (ticker: MIOTA) is a public, open-source network built to move value and data at internet scale. Instead of a traditional block-and-chain design, the IOTA blockchain uses a directed acyclic graph (DAG) called the Tangle to record transactions efficiently. In 2025, the project entered a new phase known as “IOTA Rebased,” adding Layer 1 smart contracts, staking, and a modern validator set to support mainstream apps and real-world tokenization. On markets, the asset you’ll see is the MIOTA token; the live MIOTA price updates separately on this page. Together, these changes aim to make IOTA a flexible base layer for global trade, identity, and everyday apps while staying simple enough for developers and institutions to use. (blog.iota.org)

History & Team

Founding and early years

IOTA was founded in 2015 by David Sønstebø, Dominik Schiener, Sergey Ivancheglo, and Serguei Popov to create a ledger optimized for the Internet of Things. Over time, the non-profit IOTA Foundation formed in Germany and grew by partnering with industry and public-sector programs across Europe. In December 2020, the Foundation announced it had parted ways with co-founder David Sønstebø, while keeping its focus on open development and long-term adoption. (blog.iota.org)

Current leadership

Today, the Foundation is chaired by co-founder Dominik Schiener and run by a board that includes legal, finance, and engineering leaders. Recent updates show the board chaired by Schiener with directors overseeing legal and regulatory affairs, finance and people, and research and development. A Supervisory Board including co-founder Prof. Serguei Popov provides oversight. (blog.iota.org)

Investors, grants, and ecosystem funding

IOTA’s early token distribution was community-driven, with a notable community donation helping to establish the IOTA Foundation. Over the years, the Foundation has participated in multiple European Union initiatives, such as the +CityxChange “smart city” lighthouse project funded under Horizon 2020, and other EU-backed research programs. In 2023–2025, the ecosystem expanded globally with the IOTA Ecosystem DLT Foundation registered in Abu Dhabi’s ADGM to seed growth in the MENA region. (blog.iota.org)

Some venture firms have backed IOTA-related initiatives (for example, the Assembly ecosystem initiative announced funding commitments from investors such as LD Capital, Signum Capital, HTX Ventures, and HyperChain Capital). Although Assembly was later discontinued in favor of streamlining IOTA’s roadmap, these efforts helped attract builders and early projects to the wider ecosystem. (securities.io)

Technology & How It Works

The Tangle and the IOTA blockchain

IOTA introduced the Tangle, a DAG-based ledger where each new transaction confirms previous ones. This design seeks high throughput as activity grows. With the 2023 “Stardust” upgrade, the IOTA blockchain gained a native tokenization framework, NFT support, and the ability to anchor Layer 2 (L2) smart contract chains, turning the base layer into a multi-asset ledger. (blog.iota.org)

From Stardust to IOTA Rebased

In 2025, “IOTA Rebased” transitioned the network to a MoveVM-powered Layer 1 with delegated proof-of-stake (dPoS), a permissionless validator set (targeting up to 150 validators), low transaction fees with fee burning, sponsored transactions, and protocol-native staking. This shift brings general-purpose smart contracts directly to Layer 1 while keeping EVM compatibility available on Layer 2. The upgrade launched on May 5, 2025, through a genesis ceremony with an initial group of validators and continued expansion planned. (blog.iota.org)

IOTA EVM and cross-chain building

Before Rebased, IOTA launched an EVM-compatible chain to make it easy for Solidity developers to deploy dApps. That “IOTA EVM” mainnet went live in June 2024 after testing on ShimmerEVM, bringing DeFi, NFTs, and gaming use cases into the ecosystem. Developers connect with MetaMask, deploy contracts with Remix or Hardhat, and bridge assets between L1 and L2 using official tooling. (blog.iota.org)

What this means for users and builders

• For users: low-fee transactions, staking, and access to apps in IOTA DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and real-world assets.
• For builders: a programmable L1 (Move) plus an EVM L2, native asset issuance on the Tangle, and growing institutional infrastructure. The network also supports storage deposits and metadata features for flexible token and data design. (wiki.iota.org)

Tokenomics & Utility

IOTA tokenomics in two phases

• Stardust era (2023): IOTA introduced a tokenization framework and announced an Ecosystem Fund to accelerate growth. This included a temporary inflation mechanism intended to increase the total supply over four years, aligning incentives for builders and community programs. (blog.iota.org)
• Rebased era (2025 onward): the network adopted dPoS with staking rewards and an adaptive fee model. Newly minted tokens compensate validators and delegators each epoch, while a small portion of fees is burned, creating dynamic pressure on the supply. Sponsored transactions let apps cover fees for users, supporting feeless-like UX for onboarding. (blog.iota.org)

What the MIOTA token does

The MIOTA token powers the IOTA blockchain. Holders can:

• Pay minimal network fees on L1 and interact with L2 dApps.
• Stake or delegate to validators to help secure the network and earn rewards.
• Use MIOTA to mint native assets and NFTs under Stardust tokenization.
• Bridge into IOTA EVM for IOTA DeFi, NFTs, and gaming use cases.
  The live MIOTA price and charts refresh automatically on this page, so you don’t need to look elsewhere. (wiki.iota.org)

Ecosystem & Use Cases

Global trade and supply chains

IOTA is widely known for its work in digital trade. The Trade Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP) uses IOTA to share verifiable trade data among customs, ports, and businesses. In 2024–2025, the initiative evolved into TWIN (Trade Worldwide Information Network), a consortium formed with partners such as TradeMark Africa, the World Economic Forum, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, and the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade. These efforts aim to reduce paperwork, fraud, and delays across borders, with active pilots and government nodes coming online in East Africa. (blog.iota.org)

Identity, public services, and sustainability

IOTA Identity provides decentralized identifiers (DIDs) for people and devices, helping agencies and enterprises verify credentials without exposing private data. The Foundation has worked through EU sandboxes and pre-commercial procurements on topics like digital product passports, public registries, and cross-border identity flows. Energy and smart city pilots have used IOTA to reward energy-saving behavior and to publish tamper-evident environmental data. (blog.iota.org)

Finance, DeFi, NFTs, and gaming

With IOTA EVM, the ecosystem now supports token swaps, liquidity pools, lending, and NFT marketplaces using familiar EVM tools. Developers can port Solidity smart contracts, while users connect with MetaMask or compatible wallets. Some community DEXs and tooling originally launched on ShimmerEVM and continue to expand on IOTA EVM, making it easier to build games, collectibles, and real-world asset (RWA) apps. (blog.iota.org)

Enterprise and institutional access

To serve institutions, IOTA integrated with regulated custodians and has launched programs that fund real-world pilots. For example, a 2025 partnership with Zodia Custody targets tokenization and staking services for professional clients, while the IOTA Business Innovation Program offers up to €100,000 per project to help companies ship solutions on the rebased mainnet. (blog.iota.org)

Advantages & Challenges

Advantages

• Scalable design: the Tangle’s parallel structure plus modern consensus aims for high throughput and quick finality. (blog.iota.org)
• Programmable at L1 and L2: Move on Layer 1 for safety and performance; EVM on Layer 2 for Ethereum-style development. (blog.iota.org)
• Rich tokenization: native assets and NFTs at the base layer, with metadata and storage deposits for flexible designs. (wiki.iota.org)
• Institution- and government-friendly: active work with EU programs, UAE’s ADGM, and trade bodies supports compliant deployments. (blog.iota.org)
• Developer experience: standard wallets, MetaMask, Remix/Hardhat, and official bridges make building and using dApps more familiar. (docs.iota.org)

Challenges

• Evolving stack: the move from Stardust to Rebased is a major shift; teams may need to adjust code, tooling, and token models during the transition. (blog.iota.org)
• Ecosystem maturity: IOTA’s L1 Move environment is newer than EVM ecosystems, so libraries, audits, and integrations are still growing. (blog.iota.org)
• Competitive landscape: many L1/L2 platforms target DeFi, NFTs, and gaming, so IOTA must keep differentiating with real-world adoption (trade, identity, RWAs). (blog.iota.org)

Where to Buy & Wallets

Where to buy MIOTA

MIOTA trades on many global centralized exchanges. As part of the May 2025 Rebased upgrade, the Foundation coordinated with major exchanges to ensure compatibility, with deposits and withdrawals briefly paused during the upgrade window and then resumed. Availability varies by region, so check supported platforms in your country when deciding where to buy MIOTA. (blog.iota.org)

A simple path for most users is:

1. Open an account on a reputable exchange that lists MIOTA.
2. Complete KYC if required, fund your account, and buy MIOTA.
3. Withdraw to a self-custody wallet you control.

Wallets and custody

• IOTA Wallet (official): with IOTA Rebased, the official wallet is a browser extension backed by an optional Wallet Dashboard app for advanced views like vesting schedules. If you used Firefly before, you can import your secrets to the new wallet. (blog.iota.org)
• Hardware wallets: Ledger devices are supported via a new IOTA Ledger app compatible with the rebased mainnet. (blog.iota.org)
• EVM wallets: for IOTA EVM, connect MetaMask, add the IOTA EVM network, and use standard EVM dApps (bridges, DEXs, NFT tools). Community dApps often support MetaMask and ecosystem wallets like TanglePay. (docs.iota.org)

Regulatory & Compliance

Europe (MiCA and public-sector engagement)

The IOTA Foundation is active in European regulatory forums and programs, including the European Blockchain Sandbox and the European Blockchain Services PCP. The team has outlined steps to align with MiCA, such as updating whitepapers, energy disclosures, and internal policies for market integrity. These efforts reinforce IOTA’s standing as a “trusted partner in Europe.” (blog.iota.org)

Middle East (ADGM and Sharia compliance)

IOTA registered the IOTA Ecosystem DLT Foundation with Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), becoming the first DLT foundation under the new regulations there. In July 2024, the MIOTA token was certified as MIOTA shariah compliant by the Cambridge Institute of Islamic Finance, establishing IOTA halal status with an ongoing Shari’a Governance Framework and annual reviews. (blog.iota.org)

United Kingdom and United States

In 2025, the Foundation publicly engaged UK and US policymakers, advocating proportionate rules that distinguish between custodial and non-custodial services, and supporting innovation-friendly frameworks for DeFi and staking. These positions show IOTA’s proactive approach to IOTA regulatory status in major markets. (blog.iota.org)

Future Outlook

The roadmap centers on making IOTA a builder-friendly base layer for open finance and real-world apps:

• Multi-VM future: extend beyond Move to support multiple virtual machines at Layer 1, with an eventual path to bring EVM directly onto L1 for shared security and deeper composability. (blog.iota.org)
• Expanding validators and staking: scale the validator set toward 150 and grow delegated staking participation, strengthening decentralization. (blog.iota.org)
• Real-world adoption: scale trade corridors via TWIN, expand digital identity pilots, and onboard enterprises through the Business Innovation Program and institutional custody integrations. (blog.iota.org)
• Developer momentum: keep improving docs, SDKs, bridges, and funding so builders can launch IOTA DeFi, NFTs, gaming, and RWA projects quickly. (docs.iota.org)

Summary

IOTA has evolved from a feeless IoT-focused ledger into a modern, general-purpose network with Layer 1 smart contracts, staking, and a clear path for institutional and government adoption. The MIOTA token anchors this ecosystem: it fuels transactions, staking, tokenization, and bridges into IOTA EVM for dApps across DeFi, NFTs, and gaming. With active work on trade infrastructure (TLIP/TWIN), identity, and public-sector programs in Europe and East Africa, plus regulatory engagement in the EU, UK, US, and the MENA region—and formal Sharia certification confirming IOTA halal status—the project is positioned to connect real-world systems with open Web3 rails. If you’re exploring the IOTA blockchain today, keep an eye on IOTA tokenomics in the Rebased era, the growing validator set, and the live MIOTA price displayed here as the ecosystem continues to mature. (blog.iota.org)