New Token iBTC Pops Up on IOTA — Could Wrapped Assets Be Coming?

• The IOTA community is speculating after Salima hinted that the mere appearance of iBTC may be the first domino to fall in IOTA’s next chapter.
• For now, the origins and purpose of iBTC remain unclear; if anything, this may be IOTA’s long-awaited leap into the heart of decentralized finance.

Salima, a well-known IOTA enthusiast and tech lover, spotted something new on the network: a token called IOTA Bitcoin (iBTC) listed on Rebased.

In a post on X, Salima wrote: “Something new just popped up on IOTA: a token called IOTA Bitcoin (iBTC) on Rebased. Could this be a WBTC-style IOTA version, a wrapped Bitcoin backed 1:1 for DeFi? Or an experimental bridge, paving the way for iETH, iUSDT, and more? Or simply a mock test token, with no backing yet, but hinting at what’s coming? Whatever the case, the very existence of iBTC might be the first domino in IOTA’s next big move.”

The appearance of iBTC immediately raises questions about IOTA’s broader DeFi ambitions. If this token turns out to be a wrapped Bitcoin pegged 1:1, similar to Ethereum’s Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), it could unlock a new era for IOTA by allowing Bitcoin liquidity to flow directly into its ecosystem.

This would enable BTC holders to engage with decentralized applications (dApps), lending platforms, and liquidity pools built on IOTA, all without leaving the IOTA network.

On the other hand, if iBTC is an experimental bridge token, it may signal that IOTA developers are actively testing interoperability features. A bridge to Bitcoin would be the first step toward supporting a range of assets, such as Ethereum (iETH), Tether (iUSDT), and potentially even more stablecoins or wrapped assets.

Such integrations could turn IOTA into a multi-asset hub, something that will make it more attractive to users and developers alike.

IOTA has long been positioned as a next-generation distributed ledger technology designed for feeless microtransactions and scalable applications, particularly in the Internet of Things (IoT) space. However, its adoption in DeFi has been relatively slow compared to Ethereum, Solana, or newer chains like Aptos and Sui.

The details surrounding iBTC are still under wraps. It’s unclear if this token is part of an official rollout, an independent test, or just an early experiment.

IOTA Research and Hierarchies Alpha

The network continues to push forward with other initiatives. The network has rolled out a new Research Paper Page, giving the community a dedicated hub to dive into the science driving decentralized networks and their real-world use cases.

This builds on IOTA’s growing academic footprint, which already includes a full library of papers on Google Scholar covering decentralized ledger technology (DLT) and the mechanics that make decentralization possible.

On top of that, the team announced the launch of IOTA Hierarchies Alpha, an open-source tool designed to verify trust, not just between users, but also across organizations and devices, both on-chain and off-chain. The goal is to create a stronger foundation for secure, transparent interactions in the IOTA ecosystem.

On the market side, IOTA is facing a rough patch. The latest price analysis points to a bearish trend, with the token slipping 0.52% in a single day to trade at $0.1944. Selling pressure continues to outweigh buying activity, keeping traders cautious despite the excitement around new initiatives.