The IOTA Foundation has officially announced the launch of IOTA MOVEATHON, a groundbreaking series of virtual hackathons designed to ignite innovation across its upcoming protocol upgrade. This marks the beginning of what the team is calling the “Year of Building” — a pivotal moment in IOTA’s evolution as it prepares to redefine the future of decentralized technologies.
Spanning the entire year of 2025, the first edition of IOTA MOVEATHON will run from March to June, culminating in an in-person grand finale in Singapore. With a total prize pool of $150,000 USD, developers worldwide are invited to build transformative solutions using IOTA’s next-generation infrastructure — powered by the Move programming language.
👉 Discover how blockchain innovation is shaping the future of Web3 development.
The Next Evolution of IOTA: A Protocol Reimagined
As one of the longest-standing distributed ledger technologies (DLT), IOTA is undergoing its most significant transformation yet. By rebuilding its core protocol with Move, originally developed for secure digital asset handling, IOTA is evolving into a powerful, scalable, and fully decentralized ecosystem.
This upgrade unlocks a suite of advanced capabilities:
- Full decentralization via 150+ independent validator nodes
- High throughput of over 50,000 transactions per second
- Sub-second finality for instant transaction confirmation
- Native staking with potential annual yields up to 15%
- A dual smart contract ecosystem supporting both MoveVM and EVM, enabling cross-platform compatibility and developer flexibility
Backed by the IOTA Foundation based in Berlin, Germany, the project continues its legacy of real-world integration. Strategic collaborations with institutions like the World Economic Forum, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and various national governments underscore its mission to bridge Web3 with tangible global impact.
What Is IOTA MOVEATHON?
IOTA MOVEATHON is more than just a coding competition — it’s a global call to action for builders, creators, and visionaries. The hackathon series aims to explore the vast potential of IOTA’s upgraded protocol by empowering developers to turn bold ideas into functional applications.
Whether you're an experienced Web3 engineer or a newcomer excited about Move’s security-first design, this is your chance to shape the next wave of decentralized innovation.
Key Dates & Structure
The first phase of MOVEATHON follows a clear timeline:
- Registration opens: March 3, 2025
Exclusive Discord server launch (for qualified participants): April 7, 2025
- Discord will serve as the central hub for collaboration, mentorship, and updates
- Code freeze deadline: May 4, 2025
- Winners announced: May 23, 2025
- Live finals event in Singapore: June 6, 2025
Participants will have over two months to develop their projects, with continuous support from technical mentors and community experts.
Prize Pool: $150,000 in Total Rewards
Top innovators will be rewarded across multiple categories:
Grand Prize Winners (Judged Overall)
- 1st Place: $35,000
- 2nd Place: $25,000
- 3rd Place: $15,000
Track-Specific Winners (Per Category)
Each of the four main tracks awards:
- 1st Place: $8,000
- 2nd Place: $5,000
- 3rd Place: $2,000
Bonus Challenges
Additional bounties totaling $15,000 will be awarded for completing special tasks — ranging from documentation excellence to interoperability breakthroughs.
👉 Join the movement where cutting-edge blockchain meets real-world utility.
Explore the Four Innovation Tracks
MOVEATHON features four distinct focus areas, each targeting critical frontiers in Web3 and decentralized technology adoption.
🏦 Payments & Consumer Applications – Redefining Digital Transactions
This track invites developers to reimagine how people send, receive, and manage value in a decentralized world. Using IOTA’s Move VM, builders can create seamless experiences for microtransactions, cross-border remittances, and everyday digital payments — all with near-zero fees and instant settlement.
Ideal projects include wallet innovations, payment gateways, loyalty systems, and user-friendly interfaces that lower barriers to entry for mainstream users.
🌍 Real-World Assets (RWA) – Bridging Physical and Digital Worlds
One of Web3’s most promising frontiers is the tokenization of real-world assets — from real estate and commodities to intellectual property and supply chain goods. IOTA’s support for digital twins and secure data anchoring makes it uniquely suited for this use case.
Developers are encouraged to build solutions that connect physical assets with blockchain verification, enabling transparent ownership tracking, fractional ownership models, and automated compliance frameworks.
💸 DeF(A)i) – Merging Decentralized Finance with Artificial Intelligence
Short for Decentralized Finance with AI, DeF(A)i) challenges participants to integrate artificial intelligence into DeFi protocols. Imagine AI-driven risk assessment engines, predictive yield optimization tools, or intelligent lending bots that adapt to market conditions in real time.
This track pushes the boundaries of what DeFi can achieve when combined with machine learning and autonomous decision-making systems — all running securely on IOTA’s dual VM architecture.
🛠 Tools & Infrastructure – Building the Foundation for Tomorrow
Innovation thrives on strong foundations. This track focuses on developing essential tools such as developer SDKs, node management platforms, security auditors, testnet environments, and cross-chain bridges.
Projects here will directly contribute to making IOTA more accessible, scalable, and resilient — paving the way for broader ecosystem growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Who can participate in IOTA MOVEATHON?
A: Developers, designers, researchers, and innovators from around the world are welcome. Whether you’re working solo or as part of a team, if you’re passionate about building on next-gen DLT infrastructure, you’re eligible.
Q: Is prior experience with Move language required?
A: While familiarity helps, it’s not mandatory. Learning resources and technical support will be available through the official Discord community and documentation portal.
Q: Do I need to attend the Singapore finals in person?
A: Finalists are encouraged to attend the live event for networking and presentation opportunities, but remote participation options may be available depending on circumstances.
Q: Can I submit a project that uses both MoveVM and EVM?
A: Absolutely. One of IOTA’s key advantages is its dual smart contract support. Projects leveraging interoperability between both environments are highly encouraged.
Q: How are winners selected?
A: Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of industry experts based on criteria including technical complexity, originality, usability, potential impact, and alignment with IOTA’s vision.
Q: Are there any restrictions on open-source licensing?
A: All submitted projects must be open source under an OSI-approved license to ensure transparency and community contribution.
The IOTA MOVEATHON represents a defining moment for the ecosystem — not just as a technical milestone, but as a catalyst for global collaboration. As Web3 matures beyond speculation and into real utility, events like this position IOTA at the forefront of scalable, sustainable, and socially impactful innovation.
With its unique blend of high performance, dual VM support, and real-world integration focus, IOTA is setting the stage for a new era of decentralized development.
👉 Start building today — where blockchain meets real-world impact.