Dominik Schiener's vision to connect $35 trillion to the blockchain: from Kenya to ASEAN

Dominik Schiener, co-founder of IOTA, has presented an ambitious plan to integrate the $35 trillion global commercial economy into regulated, production-ready public blockchain infrastructures. His strategy deliberately moves away from crypto speculation and focuses on three concrete pillars: tokenized assets, digital identities, and data integrity. With implementations already active across multiple continents, the project is establishing itself as a functional on-chain commerce solution, not merely aspirational.

IOTA’s expansion into emerging markets represents a fundamental shift in how blockchain technology is conceptualized. Instead of offering speculative gains, IOTA positions itself as economic infrastructure. “Cryptocurrencies don’t profit from speculation; they profit by solving real economic problems,” said Karen O’Brien, IOTA’s Chief Marketing Officer. This philosophy has catalyzed RealFi solutions on its mainnet, including initiatives like tokenizing electric vehicle chargers in partnership with Bolt Earth.

The TWIN System: Real-Time Digital Commerce

The Trade Worldwide Information Network (TWIN) platform currently operates as an integrated production system on the IOTA Mainnet, digitizing trade documents and certifying data in real time. In Kenya, TWIN started with flower exports and plans to expand to all raw materials by 2026. Each shipment generates approximately 26 transactions within the system.

In the UK, TWIN has recorded over 2,000 bird movements between Poland and Great Britain, significantly streamlining customs and regulatory procedures. The scalability potential is substantial: if just 1% of the global trade market adopted this model, it would generate over 650 million transactions annually on the network.

ADAPT: Transforming African Trade for 1.5 Billion People

The ADAPT initiative represents IOTA’s most ambitious deployment to date, developed in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Tony Blair Institute, and the World Economic Forum. The goal is to digitize trade infrastructure for 1.5 billion Africans by 2035.

Projected benefits are transformative: border clearance times could drop from 14 days to hours, while cross-border transfer fees could decrease by more than 50%. Additionally, specialized applications are already operating within the ecosystem. Salus enables mineral tokenization, Orobo creates digital passports for products, and ObjectID provides verification for physical goods.

Expansion into Southeast Asia: ASEAN as the Next Target

IOTA’s negotiations with multiple ASEAN countries are in advanced stages, with regulatory frameworks being finalized and nations preparing formal agreements. Although progress varies, the overall momentum is accelerating.

The region offers undeniable strategic attractions: 650 million people and existing tokenization legislation position it as an ideal destination for on-chain commercial infrastructure. Dominik Schiener and his team have identified ASEAN as a key zone for the next phase of global expansion.

Tokenomics Mechanisms: Utility Reinforced Through Deflationary Design

IOTA has implemented a tokenomics structure designed to enhance token utility as adoption scales. Transaction fees are burned (deflationary), digital assets require token deposits for storage, and participants earn staking rewards at an 11% APY. This combination, along with enterprise accumulation, creates aligned incentives for sustained growth.

The transition to a Layer 1 architecture based on Move in 2025 complements these improvements. The design increases $IOTA’s utility as trading volume on the public mainnet grows.

Price Pressure Versus Operational Progress

Despite significant operational advances, the market has shown skepticism. IOTA failed to break above the $0.090 resistance for weeks prior.

As of this review (March 11, 2026), the price is at $0.06, reflecting a 3.16% drop in the last 24 hours. The divergence between actual adoption and market valuation suggests investors are still pricing in uncertainty regarding the execution of these ambitious plans, even as Dominik Schiener and his foundation continue deploying tangible solutions in real markets.