The bullish run began on December 3rd, when a single IOTA token (officially called a “MIOTA”) doubled its valuation from roughly $1.40 to $2.80. MIOTA tokens briefly peaked on December 6th around $5.45 before facing a correction. While the price of MIOTA tokens is still in flux, it has managed to stay at least 6x what it was just six weeks ago. In mid-October, MIOTA was trading around $0.40.
At the time of press, IOTA’s 24-hour trading volume was roughly $1.38 billion, around $130 million higher than that of Bitcoin Cash, the world's third-largest cryptocurrency.
The sudden high demand for MIOTA tokens comes in the wake of IOTA’s announcement in late November that the IOTA Foundation (founded in 2015) has joined with 20 other companies, including Microsoft and Fujitsu, to create a decentralized data marketplace. The marketplace will be integrated along with the IOTA network into Internet-of-Things devices manufactured by other companies in the partnership, and will collect and sell data produced by the usage of said devices.
Unlike the Bitcoin blockchain, however, the Tangle does not rely on miners to confirm transactions. Instead, new blocks are created automatically with every transaction and verified within small groups
of other transactions, rather than needing approval from the entire blockchain in order to be confirmed; for this reason, the Tangle network actually becomes faster and more efficient as more people use it.
Blocks are added in a non-linear, non-chronological fashion to the Tangle; this allows transactions to take place offline (they are added later). Because the entire Tangle does not need to be present on a device to confirm transactions, the network is also “lightweight” and can be supported by a variety of devices, from computers to mobile phones to IoT-connected toasters.
In fact, the design of the Tangle network was created such that it could easily be integrated into the Internet of Things. Its free transactions and “infinite scalability” theoretically make the cryptocurrency ideal for machine-to-machine communication and transactions.
Decentralizing Everything
By allowing automatic, instantaneous payments, the IOTA network hopes to decentralize the ownership of physical objects. For example, the IOTA network could be hooked up to a smartphone and used to automatically calculate the cost pay for the use of a self-driving taxi (with no “middleman”.) Theoretically, the IOTA platform would make the ownership of a car less necessary--all cars could be shared, and used by people who needed them when they need them, rather than sitting in a garage or driveway for most of the day.
The Internet-of-Things industry, while rapidly expanding, has really just barely begun to become a part of the everyday lives of the world’s wealthiest and most technologically advanced societies. According to the IOTA website, “the distributed ledger revolution has only barely begun, the vast majority of use-cases has not even been thought of yet, and with the next generation ledger that IOTA created developers will be able to invent even more solutions.”
The IOTA network also supports a fully-encrypted messaging platform called the MAM (“Masked Authenticated Messaging”) that allows devices connected to the IOTA network to securely exchange data with one another. The platform allows data to be shared with multiple entities at once, similar to a radio broadcast that anyone with permission can tune in and listen to.
IOTA: Fostering a Strong Community of Investors, Developers, and Business Partners
The IOTA Foundation is responsible for starting “The Big Deal,” a community funding project that was created to attract developers and corporate entities to the IOTA network. Participation in The Big Deal is incentivized with the promise of IOTA tokens in exchange for access to knowledge, as well as other resources, such as developers, marketers, and media coverage. The Big Deal may be at least partially responsible for the recent announcement of IOTA’s high-profile partnerships.
The recent buzz has attracted lots of individuals in the crypto community as well. According to a report from CryptoCoinsNews, the /r/IOTA was the sixth-fastest growing subreddit page on Monday of this week. At the time of writing, the subreddit had over 53,000 followers; Ripple had just over 45,000.
Despite its surging popularity, IOTA is only available for trading on thirteen exchanges. At the time of writing, Bitfinex was responsible approximately 60% of IOTA’s trading volume, while Binance and CoinOne held approximately 15% apiece. The remaining 10% was scattered across less well-known exchanges.
While the IOTA network will undoubtedly face its own set of challenges as it continues its journey into IoT integration, it is a force to be reckoned with. The cryptocurrency has positioned itself extremely well to become the first ever to really be adopted for practical, “real-world” use. If everything goes as IOTA has planned, the latest partnerships (and the resulting boost in token value) are just the beginning.
The bullish run began on December 3rd, when a single IOTA token (officially called a “MIOTA”) doubled its valuation from roughly $1.40 to $2.80. MIOTA tokens briefly peaked on December 6th around $5.45 before facing a correction. While the price of MIOTA tokens is still in flux, it has managed to stay at least 6x what it was just six weeks ago. In mid-October, MIOTA was trading around $0.40.
At the time of press, IOTA’s 24-hour trading volume was roughly $1.38 billion, around $130 million higher than that of Bitcoin Cash, the world's third-largest cryptocurrency.
The sudden high demand for MIOTA tokens comes in the wake of IOTA’s announcement in late November that the IOTA Foundation (founded in 2015) has joined with 20 other companies, including Microsoft and Fujitsu, to create a decentralized data marketplace. The marketplace will be integrated along with the IOTA network into Internet-of-Things devices manufactured by other companies in the partnership, and will collect and sell data produced by the usage of said devices.
Unlike the Bitcoin blockchain, however, the Tangle does not rely on miners to confirm transactions. Instead, new blocks are created automatically with every transaction and verified within small groups
of other transactions, rather than needing approval from the entire blockchain in order to be confirmed; for this reason, the Tangle network actually becomes faster and more efficient as more people use it.
Blocks are added in a non-linear, non-chronological fashion to the Tangle; this allows transactions to take place offline (they are added later). Because the entire Tangle does not need to be present on a device to confirm transactions, the network is also “lightweight” and can be supported by a variety of devices, from computers to mobile phones to IoT-connected toasters.
In fact, the design of the Tangle network was created such that it could easily be integrated into the Internet of Things. Its free transactions and “infinite scalability” theoretically make the cryptocurrency ideal for machine-to-machine communication and transactions.
Decentralizing Everything
By allowing automatic, instantaneous payments, the IOTA network hopes to decentralize the ownership of physical objects. For example, the IOTA network could be hooked up to a smartphone and used to automatically calculate the cost pay for the use of a self-driving taxi (with no “middleman”.) Theoretically, the IOTA platform would make the ownership of a car less necessary--all cars could be shared, and used by people who needed them when they need them, rather than sitting in a garage or driveway for most of the day.
The Internet-of-Things industry, while rapidly expanding, has really just barely begun to become a part of the everyday lives of the world’s wealthiest and most technologically advanced societies. According to the IOTA website, “the distributed ledger revolution has only barely begun, the vast majority of use-cases has not even been thought of yet, and with the next generation ledger that IOTA created developers will be able to invent even more solutions.”
The IOTA network also supports a fully-encrypted messaging platform called the MAM (“Masked Authenticated Messaging”) that allows devices connected to the IOTA network to securely exchange data with one another. The platform allows data to be shared with multiple entities at once, similar to a radio broadcast that anyone with permission can tune in and listen to.
IOTA: Fostering a Strong Community of Investors, Developers, and Business Partners
The IOTA Foundation is responsible for starting “The Big Deal,” a community funding project that was created to attract developers and corporate entities to the IOTA network. Participation in The Big Deal is incentivized with the promise of IOTA tokens in exchange for access to knowledge, as well as other resources, such as developers, marketers, and media coverage. The Big Deal may be at least partially responsible for the recent announcement of IOTA’s high-profile partnerships.
The recent buzz has attracted lots of individuals in the crypto community as well. According to a report from CryptoCoinsNews, the /r/IOTA was the sixth-fastest growing subreddit page on Monday of this week. At the time of writing, the subreddit had over 53,000 followers; Ripple had just over 45,000.
Despite its surging popularity, IOTA is only available for trading on thirteen exchanges. At the time of writing, Bitfinex was responsible approximately 60% of IOTA’s trading volume, while Binance and CoinOne held approximately 15% apiece. The remaining 10% was scattered across less well-known exchanges.
While the IOTA network will undoubtedly face its own set of challenges as it continues its journey into IoT integration, it is a force to be reckoned with. The cryptocurrency has positioned itself extremely well to become the first ever to really be adopted for practical, “real-world” use. If everything goes as IOTA has planned, the latest partnerships (and the resulting boost in token value) are just the beginning.
Rachel is a self-taught crypto geek and a passionate writer. She believes in the power that the written word has to educate, connect and empower individuals to make positive and powerful financial choices. She is the Podcast Host and a Cryptocurrency Editor at Finance Magnates.
Schwab Aims Crypto Custody at Its $5 Trillion Advisor Channel by 2027
Featured Videos
Precious Insights: APAC's Bullion Market amid Record Volatility
Precious Insights: APAC's Bullion Market amid Record Volatility
Precious Insights: APAC's Bullion Market amid Record Volatility
Precious Insights: APAC's Bullion Market amid Record Volatility
The precious metals rally has challenged how brokers and LPs think about hedging, pricing, and physical delivery. But with regional banks eyeing physical gold retail and bullion brokers across Southeast Asia harnessing new tech, volatility is not only in 'safe havens'.
This session gathers practitioners from across the bullion ecosystem to unpack what the rally means on the ground in APAC.
Attendees will walk away with:
Insight into the physical market dynamics driving retail demand across Southeast Asia, from central bank buying to store-of-value purchases
Understanding of Singapore's distinct role as APAC's bullion gateway, and competition near and far
Perspective on operational challenges unique to APAC: kilogram pricing, local delivery, and bridging CFD and physical bullion infrastructure
The precious metals rally has challenged how brokers and LPs think about hedging, pricing, and physical delivery. But with regional banks eyeing physical gold retail and bullion brokers across Southeast Asia harnessing new tech, volatility is not only in 'safe havens'.
This session gathers practitioners from across the bullion ecosystem to unpack what the rally means on the ground in APAC.
Attendees will walk away with:
Insight into the physical market dynamics driving retail demand across Southeast Asia, from central bank buying to store-of-value purchases
Understanding of Singapore's distinct role as APAC's bullion gateway, and competition near and far
Perspective on operational challenges unique to APAC: kilogram pricing, local delivery, and bridging CFD and physical bullion infrastructure
The precious metals rally has challenged how brokers and LPs think about hedging, pricing, and physical delivery. But with regional banks eyeing physical gold retail and bullion brokers across Southeast Asia harnessing new tech, volatility is not only in 'safe havens'.
This session gathers practitioners from across the bullion ecosystem to unpack what the rally means on the ground in APAC.
Attendees will walk away with:
Insight into the physical market dynamics driving retail demand across Southeast Asia, from central bank buying to store-of-value purchases
Understanding of Singapore's distinct role as APAC's bullion gateway, and competition near and far
Perspective on operational challenges unique to APAC: kilogram pricing, local delivery, and bridging CFD and physical bullion infrastructure
The precious metals rally has challenged how brokers and LPs think about hedging, pricing, and physical delivery. But with regional banks eyeing physical gold retail and bullion brokers across Southeast Asia harnessing new tech, volatility is not only in 'safe havens'.
This session gathers practitioners from across the bullion ecosystem to unpack what the rally means on the ground in APAC.
Attendees will walk away with:
Insight into the physical market dynamics driving retail demand across Southeast Asia, from central bank buying to store-of-value purchases
Understanding of Singapore's distinct role as APAC's bullion gateway, and competition near and far
Perspective on operational challenges unique to APAC: kilogram pricing, local delivery, and bridging CFD and physical bullion infrastructure
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
License to Fill: Market Liquidity amid Global Turmoil
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Asian markets bear unique characteristics, from connectivity to asset preference. The Singapore Summit will connect global executives and local experts across the liquidity chain to discuss volatility fluctuations, diversification vs over-reliance on single assets, and the role of trust and liquidity relationships in an increasingly automated sphere.
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Regional Focus: Thailand, Vietnam
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Bangkok is consolidating as Southeast Asia's broker hub for CLMV access, while Vietnam's trading volumes have made it harder to ignore from any regional headquarters. Most brokers know both exist. Fewer have tested what operating there actually requires.
This session gathers practitioners with on-the-ground experience in both markets to examine what it takes to build and run operations in Thailand and Vietnam.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of setup requirements in both markets: entity structures, timelines, and what first-time operators tend to get wrong
Understanding of the offshore broker model and how compliant operators work within domestic restrictions in each jurisdiction
Insight into talent acquisition, client onboarding, and distribution in markets where language, culture, and acquisition channels don't follow standard APAC assumptions
Perspective on adjacent Southeast Asian markets worth monitoring for the next regional move
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
Join The Club: What Premium Clients Want
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
High-net-worth traders account for an outsized portion of revenues for various retail brokers.
This session will gather heads of premium, acquisition, and product experts to reveal how they build their client base in Asia.
Attendees will walk away with:
Understanding of how brokers view premium clients (beyond deposit size).
Insight into which services, products, and benefits increase trust and LTV.
Examples of offerings that scale without inflating cost or operational burden.
Lessons from leading brokers on growing premium segments and what’s next.
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
Buying The Deep: Digital Asset Adoption in APAC and Beyond
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
The persisting price drops test the industry's commitment to crypto adoption. While on-chain innovation is making headway across market mechanics, from stablecoins to tokenization, investors remains cautious.
This session brings together market structure experts and institutional investors to explore how a prolonged bear market affects their long-term strategy, and where the opportunities lie ahead of the next cycle.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand account of the bear market's impact on various industry players
Understanding of what custody, connectivity, and settlement gaps still hamper growth in APAC
Insight into how client mandates and operational readiness are shaping who moves and who waits
Perspective on what institutional investors need to move toward actual digital asset capital deployment
