What is IOTA?
IOTA is a distributed ledger designed for machine-to-machine value and data transfer. Unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, IOTA does not use a blockchain, miners, or transaction fees.
It was built with the idea that future economies won’t just involve people — they’ll involve billions of devices paying each other tiny amounts, constantly.
The Tangle (Not a Blockchain)
IOTA uses a structure called the Tangle, a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). Every new transaction validates previous transactions, removing the need for miners.
As network activity increases, throughput increases — the opposite of traditional blockchains. In theory, IOTA becomes faster as it scales.
Offline Transactions (Why This Is Wild)
One of IOTA’s most unusual features is its ability to support offline transactions. Two devices can exchange signed value or data without an active internet connection.
Once either device reconnects, the transaction can be broadcast and finalised on the network. This is extremely relevant for remote locations, embedded systems, and infrastructure where constant connectivity isn’t guaranteed.
No Fees, by Design
IOTA transactions have no fees. None.
This makes micro-transactions viable — paying fractions of a cent between machines, something that is impractical on most blockchains due to fees.
Enterprise & Government Interest
IOTA has focused heavily on enterprise, research, and standards rather than retail hype. The IOTA Foundation is a registered non-profit based in Europe.
Over the years, IOTA has worked with or been explored by organisations connected to automotive, smart cities, supply chains, and data integrity.
While partnerships evolve and change, the project is often discussed in contexts involving industry standards and future digital infrastructure rather than short-term speculation.
ISO 20022 & Standards Conversations
IOTA is frequently mentioned in discussions around interoperability, data standards, and machine-to-machine communication rather than direct retail payments.
While ISO 20022 is primarily a financial messaging standard used by banks, IOTA’s focus on structured data and interoperability places it closer to infrastructure-level conversations than most cryptocurrencies.
Is IOTA a “Bitcoin Killer”?
No — and it was never meant to be.
Bitcoin excels as a decentralised, censorship-resistant store of value. IOTA is aimed at data integrity, automation, and machine economies.
They solve very different problems.
This content is informational only and not financial advice. Cryptocurrency projects involve risk.