IOTA Unveils Rebased Mainnet Upgrade with Move Smart Contracts, Dual EVM Support, and Enhanced Performance
The IOTA Foundation has launched the critical Rebased mainnet upgrade, marking the most significant technological advancement in the project’s history. This upgrade makes IOTA the first Layer-1 blockchain to offer native smart contracts using the Move programming language, while maintaining compatibility with Layer-2 EVM-based applications. Key features include a substantial performance boost with over 50,000 transactions per second, 500ms confirmation times, a dual smart contract system (L1 MoveVM and L2 EVM), deflationary token burn during network spikes, and staking yields up to 15%. The mainnet upgrade also mandates a minimum two-month testnet phase, comprehensive security audits, and validator readiness. Institutional nodes from companies like LugaNodes and Twinstake are joining, reinforcing decentralization and enterprise reliability. The upgrade positions IOTA as the third leading Layer-1 to implement Move after Aptos and Sui. Meanwhile, IOTA’s registration as the first DLT foundation in Abu Dhabi and partnerships with groups like the World Economic Forum highlight increasing institutional adoption and regulatory clarity. For crypto traders, this signals greater scalability, adoption potential, and heightened investor confidence, likely improving the token’s market utility and liquidity.
Bullish
The Rebased upgrade massively improves IOTA’s technical capabilities by introducing native Move smart contracts, dual EVM compatibility, significantly higher transaction throughput, and enhanced staking options. These developments boost the appeal of IOTA for both developers and institutional users, while also enhancing security, scalability, and compliance signals. Strong institutional participation and regulatory clarity, such as its DLT foundation status in Abu Dhabi, further elevate investor confidence. Historically, major technical upgrades paired with increased adoption and positive regulation tend to drive prices higher in the short to mid-term, suggesting a bullish impact on IOTA’s market outlook.