IOTA: The Internet of Things Revolution
By Kima A. profile image Kima A.
8 min read

IOTA: The Internet of Things Revolution

Unlike its competitors, IOTA does not use blockchain technology to carry out its activities.

Some crypto projects are designed to solve specific problems associated with traditional payment methods. However, there are also revolutionary crypto platforms that work on cutting-edge technological developments. An excellent example of such a project is IOTA, which is specifically designed for the IoT (Internet of Things).

What is IOTA (MIOTA)?

IOTA (MIOTA) is a cryptocurrency unlike any other. Unlike its competitors, IOTA does not use blockchain technology to carry out its activities. Instead, the platform is based on various applications related to the Internet of Things (IoT). Thanks to this approach, the platform offers unprecedented scalability and infinite use cases in the market.

Interestingly, the project's co-founders, Sergey Ivancheglo, Sergey Popov, David Sønstebø and Dominik Schiener, did not initially plan to develop a cryptocurrency or a decentralised network. Instead, IOTA started out as a manufacturer of hardware chips for the IoT. These systems can record and execute transactions between machines and devices within the Internet of Things ecosystem.

After realising the networking potential of the Internet of Things, the company shifted its focus to expanding the decentralised networking aspects of this technology. IOTA allows developers to further explore the use cases and various functions of the Internet of Things and their interfaces. Therefore, IOTA plays a key role in the continued implementation of this revolutionary technology.

What Problems Does IOTA Solve?

IOTA is a unique cryptocurrency platform with numerous advantages. Most of the advantages of this platform are related to the DAG (directed acyclic graph) technology. Let's talk about the main advantages.

Free and Fast Transactions

As already mentioned, mining is not possible on the IOTA platform. However, this is also the advantage of the system, because no transaction fees need to be paid. Moreover, users fully confirm all transactions that take place on this platform. Therefore, the platform does not require the intervention of intermediaries and transactions are processed and completed in record time.

Resources and Energy Efficiency

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum cause enormous energy consumption. This is due to the possibility of classic hardware mining. Thanks to IOTA Tangle, all inefficiencies in the use of electricity are eliminated, so the cryptocurrency can be considered environmentally friendly.

Ternary Calculations

Instead of using binary logic, IOTA uses ternary calculations. This is a more efficient and effective approach when it comes to cryptography, graphics processing, vector processing, AI logic, artificial neurons and neural networks.

No Inflation

The total supply of IOTA coins is now constant and it is impossible to create new tokens. This means that the platform is not subject to inflation and the value of the coin can never decrease due to an increase in the number of coins.

A Quantum Test

IOTA can threaten traditional cryptographic systems thanks to quantum computing, which has unprecedented computing power. It is believed that the IOTA network is quantum-proof and impossible to hack.

Use cases of IOTA

IOTA, whose DAG network offers free transactions, virtually unlimited scalability and no blockchain mining, was launched in 2016 with the goal of becoming the world's best IoT platform. Thanks to its unique features, IOTA efficiently handles extremely high volumes of even the smallest data fragments.

The platform's technology has paved the way for a variety of IoT-based use cases, such as:

  • Data exchange between parties in complex supply chains. Organisations in the supply chain can use IOTA to track shipments and receive notifications from sensors and other devices as goods move along the chain.
  • Smart city management. This is currently an important use case as many technologically advanced regions around the world seek to integrate smart city initiatives. IOTA can be used to provide secure and efficient communication between devices for traffic monitoring, waste management, utility management, pollution measurement, and countless other services that fall under smart city management. Taipei, a major economic centre in East Asia, has already partnered with IOTA to explore solutions in this area.
  • Health monitoring and tracking. IOTA supports the secure and transparent transfer of healthcare data, ensuring the integrity of medical records and facilitating machine-to-machine transactions for medical devices.
  • Micropayments between devices. The IOTA platform also enables micropayments between IoT devices, an important use case should IoT technology become as ubiquitous in our lives as its proponents predict.

How is IOTA Different from a Blockchain?

The IOTA network, the Tangle, is a typical DAG, a form of DLT with significant architectural differences from a blockchain. In a blockchain, blocks of transactions are linked sequentially, with each block depending on previous transactions. The validity of each block is partially determined by its relationship to the already confirmed block that precedes it.

In a DAG network, blocks are not processed or produced in the same sequential order as in a blockchain. Each block in IOTA's Tangle is linked to multiple preceding blocks, with the entire network appearing as an interconnected grid of blocks. This allows multiple transactions to be processed simultaneously and speeds up transactions.

The validity of a block, and thus its right to be permanently recorded in the ledger, is determined by the other blocks with which it is linked. If a block contains an inconsistent transaction, such as an attempt to double-spend, the other blocks will reject it, thus preserving the security of the ledger.

IOTA's DAG-based non-sequential block formation is one of the main reasons why the platform can achieve much higher levels of scalability than traditional blockchain. Furthermore, there is no mining procedure for block formation, as each verified block is used to validate several other blocks without the need for mining. This allows IOTA to create an environment without transaction fees.

Advantages of Investing in IOTA (MIOTA)

The advantages of investing in IOTA are manifold. First, the design of the network eliminates all transaction fees. In addition, the network is very fast. Overall, IOTA has virtually unlimited scalability. It is also much more energy efficient than blockchain-based cryptocurrencies.

  • Scalability: IOTA uses a unique structure called Tangle, which is a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) rather than a traditional blockchain. This allows for greater scalability as the network grows, with no transaction fees, unlike traditional blockchain networks.
  • Transactions without fees: One of the distinguishing features of IOTA is its commission-free transaction model. This can be particularly advantageous for microtransactions, which are common in the IoT ecosystem.
  • Speed: IOTA's Tangle allows for faster transaction processing, especially when compared to traditional blockchain networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, which can suffer from congestion and slow processing times during periods of high usage.
  • Future growth potential in the IoT: IOTA is designed to integrate seamlessly with IoT devices, enabling secure data exchange and value transfer between machines. As the IoT ecosystem grows, IOTA's relevance in this area could increase significantly, leading to long-term growth potential for investors.
  • Partnerships and collaborations: IOTA has established several partnerships with prominent companies and organisations, such as Volkswagen, Bosch and the EU's Horizon 2020 programme. These collaborations help validate IOTA's technology and its potential for real-world applications.
  • Sustainability: IOTA aims to provide an environmentally friendly solution with its fee-free model and minimal energy consumption, making it attractive to investors interested in eco-sustainable technologies.
  • Innovative Technology: IOTA's approach, which includes the Tangle and its focus on machine-to-machine transactions, sets it apart from other cryptocurrencies. For tech-savvy investors, this unique technology could represent a high-yield investment opportunity as it continues to evolve.
  • Increasing Institutional Interest: With growing institutional investor interest in blockchain and IoT technologies, IOTA is positioned to benefit from this trend, especially considering its emphasis on real-world applications in the IoT ecosystem.

History of IOTA (MIOTA)

The history of the IOTA project actually begins with the Jinn project. Jinn entered the market as a developer of generic processors for the Internet of Things. In September 2014, Jinn organised a crowdsourcing sale that raised $250,000 for future development. At the time, however, there was virtually no oversight or regulatory framework for the company's ICO. This situation led Jinn to receive some criticism from regulators regarding the event.

2017

Two years later, the IOTA Foundation was founded. The foundation aims to further penetrate the IOTA market in all sectors. Notably, the foundation was only possible because IOTA token investors donated 5% of the total token supply. Today, the IOTA Foundation plays a key role in the market.

For example, the foundation is a board member of the International Association of Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA). This organisation plays a key role in the development of blockchain legislation and other important developments in this area. IOTA's membership in this exclusive organisation is a sign of respect and quality.

2018

In January 2018, IOTA was the victim of a serious hack. The incident resulted in the theft of IOTA tokens worth $10 million. The hackers managed to infiltrate the seed generator and escape by dishonest means. However, unlike most cryptocurrency hackers, the authorities caught the man a year later. The hacker was a 36-year-old man living in Oxford, England.

The hack left developers deeply upset, as investors speculated that the breach was the result of bad programming on the part of IOTA developers. It is important to note that this was not the case. In this case, IOTA itself was not compromised. The public nodes of its network were subjected to a DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack by hackers. The plan worked, as users' credentials had already been stolen via phishing.

2019

One year later, another attacker targeted IOTA. This time, hackers exploited a vulnerability in the mobile and desktop wallet managed by the IOTA foundation, known as Trinity. The hacker managed to steal nearly $2 million from IOTA before the developers suspended their services. The attack was so severe that IOTA took the entire network offline for nearly ten days to fix the vulnerability.

What is IOTA for and how does it apply?

The use cases for IOTA may expand as the cryptocurrency market and the project itself evolve. Currently, you can use IOTA to achieve the following objectives:

  • IOTA Arbitrage Trading: Because IOTA is a frequently traded cryptocurrency, its price is constantly fluctuating. You earn more IOTA by buying low and selling high on the exchange. Bitget's spot market offers a variety of trading pairs to fully meet your needs.
  • Earn with IOTA Staking: You can also earn income through financial management methods such as IOTA staking or IOTA lending. Bitget Earn offers a variety of financial products designed to help you earn more with your IOTA.
  • Send or Pay with IOTA: If you want to give IOTA to your friends, a charity or individual foundation, or if you want to pay someone with IOTA, you can quickly and easily send IOTA to the recipient's billing address.

IOTA was designed primarily to enable seamless communication and value transfer within the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. Its unique architecture, the Tangle, facilitates efficient, free and scalable data exchanges and transactions. IOTA powers decentralised marketplaces where devices can exchange resources or services autonomously, such as selling unused bandwidth, computing power or storage.

Conclusion

IOTA is a revolutionary platform and the price of MIOTA is directly linked to the cryptocurrency network. This cryptocurrency could prove to be one of the most valuable assets of the future due to its unprecedented potential. As IOTA continues to grow and connect billions of devices worldwide, IOTA's innovative approach positions it as a key player in facilitating secure, efficient and seamless interactions between machines.

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By Kima A. profile image Kima A.
Updated on
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