IOST
IOST is a company.
Financial History
Leadership Team
Key people at IOST.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded IOST?
IOST was founded by Jimmy Zhong (Co-Founder).
IOST is a company.
Key people at IOST.
IOST was founded by Jimmy Zhong (Co-Founder).
IOST was founded by Jimmy Zhong (Co-Founder).
Key people at IOST.
IOST is a blockchain technology company building scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications (dApps), smart contracts, and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. It provides a high-performance Layer-1 (L1) mainnet with EVM-compatible Layer-2 (L2) solutions like PayFi, enabling interoperability, secure payments, and asset transfers across ecosystems.[1][2][3] Originally focused on enterprise-grade scalability via its Proof-of-Believability (PoB) consensus, IOST now serves financial sectors, institutions, and developers by solving blockchain bottlenecks in throughput, security, and RWA integration, powering over 930 million transactions with zero downtime since 2018.[1][2]
The platform targets mass adoption challenges, offering high TPS (up to 7,000-8,000 in tests), sharding, and developer tools in languages like JavaScript and Python. It tokenizes assets like bonds and real estate, facilitating compliant yield opportunities for institutional investors.[1][3]
Founded in 2017 in Singapore by Jimmy Zhong, Terrence Wang, Justin Li, Ray Xiao, and Sa Wang—experienced entrepreneurs from tech and blockchain backgrounds—IOST emerged to address scalability limits in early blockchains like Ethereum.[1][3] The team raised $35 million (~35,000 ETH) in a private token sale in December 2017, followed by additional rounds totaling over $31 million, including $10 million in 2023 from investors like BitValue Capital and DWF Labs.[2][6]
The idea crystallized around creating an "Internet of Services" blockchain for commercial-scale dApps. Key milestones include mainnet launch in February 2019 (after ERC-20 phase), achieving high TPS via PoB, and pivoting to RWA infrastructure. Early traction came from developer SDKs and partnerships, building a robust ecosystem.[2][3][6]
IOST rides the RWA tokenization wave, bridging traditional finance (TradFi) with DeFi amid a projected $10B+ tokenized asset market by 2028.[1] Its timing aligns with regulatory progress (e.g., Singapore's MAS licensing) and L2 demand for scalable, interoperable chains, countering Ethereum's congestion via high TPS and cross-chain features.[1][3]
Market forces like institutional adoption, yield-seeking in low-rate environments, and blockchain interoperability favor IOST, positioning it as a gateway for compliant RWAs. It influences the ecosystem by enabling dApps, fostering developer communities, and setting standards for secure, enterprise-ready infrastructure.[1][2]
IOST is evolving from a general scalability platform to a leading RWA powerhouse, with plans for permissionless subnets per asset class and $10B tokenized volume by 2028.[1] Upcoming trends like multi-chain DeFi, AI-driven assets, and global regulations will amplify its PayFi and interoperability edges, potentially boosting adoption via more institutional partnerships.
Its influence may grow as a neutral L2 hub, but success hinges on execution amid competition from Solana or Polygon. IOST's battle-tested mainnet and RWA pivot make it a strong contender in the digital economy's asset revolution.[1][6]