Hey there, tech enthusiasts and developers! If you’ve been on the lookout for an exciting update in the world of EVM-compatible Layer 2’s, we’ve got some great news for you. The integration of IOTA EVM endpoints into Blast is here. Let’s dive into what this means for you and why it’s a game-changer.

What is IOTA and IOTA EVM? 

IOTA is designed to tackle the very challenges that often hinder the scalability and efficiency of traditional blockchain systems. Thanks to its Tangle architecture, it allows for parallel transaction validations without the disadvantages that come from blocks and chains. This means faster, more scalable applications without the typical bottlenecks. On top of that, transactions on IOTA come with zero fees – no transaction fees whatsoever.

Let’s zero in on what makes IOTA a standout in the world of DLT:

• Highly scalable – IOTA uses a DAG data structure allowing transactions to be added in parallel, unlike blockchain alternatives.
• Low resource requirements – Designed for devices, such as sensors, to participate in a low-energy network.
• Access security – The IOTA 2.0 protocol leverages Mana and the Scheduler to regulate access and prevent malicious nodes from issuing an unfair share of blocks or congesting the network. 

The IOTA protocol is continuously evolving through research and development. It consists of several networks: the IOTA Mainnet, which is the production-level network managing IOTA tokens, the Shimmer, which is the staging network for testing and deploying the latest protocol updates and the IOTA EVM, the first fully EVM-compatible smart contract chain on IOTA,  enabling scalable, fast, and secure smart contracts

Why build on IOTA EVM?

Because IOTA EVM combines the IOTA network’s feeless, flexible, and highly interoperable structure with an EVM-compatible IOTA Smart Contract Chain, you can expect a new era for seamlessly tokenizing real-world assets. Its core attributes include:

• EVM Compatible: You can run contracts from other EVM chains with minimal to no adjustments.
• MEV protection: To protect against Miner Extractable Value attacks, the IOTA Smart Contract chain natively randomizes transaction ordering, making it impossible to determine the content of a block in order to manipulate it.
• Magic Smart Contracts: Magic Smart Contracts enable you to communicate with Layer 1 and non-EVM smart contracts. They allow you to manage native assets as if they were ERC20 or ERC721 standard contracts, while retaining seamless interoperability with Layer 1.
• Best-in-Class: To sum up,  IOTA EVM stands at the cutting edge of cross-chain technology. It capitalizes on IOTA’s rapid and secure parallel processing capabilities to drive expansive community and economic growth. Enhanced by features like its advanced EVM compatibility, native randomness, and MEV protection, IOTA EVM is set to revolutionize cross-chain interactions, enabling you to build innovative, user-friendly applications. Moreover, IOTA EVM is an evolution of ShimmerEVM, the test network that underwent over six months of rigorous battle-testing and constant feedback from IOTA’s builder ecosystem, and processed over five million transactions, as well as IOTA EVM’s smart contract code scored a perfect 100% in a recent audit by an external security auditing firm.

Blast Off with Blast’s APIs

Whether you’re looking to execute smart contracts that are token related, NFTs, governance dApps, or gaming dApps, Blast provides the tools you need. Free access to public and dedicated endpoints means you can tap into the IOTA EVM Mainnet or Testnet with ease, leveraging real-time data, transaction history, network status and many more. 

Builders can benefit from features and capabilities such as:

• Core API: custom APIs that offer optimized throughput and reduced latency for transactions on IOTA and enable access to real-time data, transaction history and network status.
• Archive Nodes: These nodes retain all historical transaction information on the IOTA blockchain from the genesis block to the present, enabling users to query and retrieve any past information (available with Blast paid plans).

Everything You Need to Start #BUIDLing on IOTA EVM using Blast

Block Explorer: https://explorer.evm.iota.org

Public RPC Endpoints: https://blastapi.io/public-api/iota

Dedicated endpoints: https://blastapi.io/chains/iota

• To obtain dedicated IOTA EVM endpoints go to blastapi.io
• Launch and select the Consumer App
• Connect with your MetaMask, Wallet Connect, or your email
• Create a new project or use one of your existing ones
• Inside the project space, select the IOTA card and click Activate to generate your dedicated endpoints
• IOTA EVM APIs for Testnet and Mainnet have been activated

The collaboration between IOTA and Blast is more than just a technical integration; it’s a commitment to empowering developers. Keep on building!