IOTA hit $345 million staked fast, offering 17% APY with zero lock or cooldown. stIOTA tokens enable trading or DeFi use, boosting liquidity without locking user funds. IOTA is gaining traction following a significant overhaul introduced on May 5 under the label “IOTA Rebased.” The update introduced live staking, smart contracts, and scalability, backed by a new validator system consisting of 150 validators. With no fanfare, the network passed $345 million in staked assets within days. $IOTA is honestly making a low-key comeback right now. No hype campaign. No loud CT influencers. Just building quietly, rolling out real stuff… and imo, it’s one of the cleanest setups this cycle. Let me break it down 👇 They launched something called IOTA Rebased on May 5.… — Axel Bitblaze 🪓 (@Axel_bitblaze69) May 23, 2025 The system is upgraded with MoveVM and an L2 solution compatible with EVM. The developers benefit from this additional layer while maintaining performance intact. Users are now earning about 17% APY from staking, with no lock-up period and no cooldown, compared to other blockchains that provide 4–5% for restricted access. Investors can start staking IOTA by purchasing IOTA from platforms like Binance, Bitfinex, or Upbit. Wallets for staking are available as a Chrome plugin or as apps for smartphones such as Nightly or Cosmostation. These wallets have an inbuilt staking feature, which doesn’t require further action. Upon staking, rewards trickle in without any intervention from users. Liquidity Staking and Accessibility Rise on Swirlstake Swirl complements IOTA’s staking paradigm further by rewarding users with stIOTA tokens for their stake. They can trade or use them in decentralized finance free from lock-in restrictions normally associated with such staking. With growing apps coming online on Swirlstake, such liquidity-based staking may find further momentum It’s not short-term speculation for IOTA’s focus. Rather than chasing after meme-token trends, it’s supporting use cases like supply chain logistics through TradeMark Africa and TWIN, IoT initiatives through China’s consortium partnerships, and even tokenized T-Bills through the Realize system. Its ID digital partnerships with Walt ID and the Tony Blair Institute join its roster of functioning institutional initiatives. The maximum supply for IOTA coins is 2.8 billion, 80% of which are already circulating. Market cap today stands around $832 million. No large holdings exist in any venture capital funds, meaning there is no impending fear of mass sell-offs. With gas fees eliminated, entry costs are reduced for customers, enabling adoption without hassle. Quiet Performance Over Hype Pays Off in 2025 The IOTA token hit an all-time high at $0.26 after the rebase and is now trading at about $0.22. Although price action here isn’t spectacular, sustained accumulation plus staking interest is attracting long-term holders who steer clear of hype coins. IOTA is focused on practical functionality rather than short-term profit. There are reports about fast confirmations and seamless performance in terms of wallet interfaces. People comment that the 17% return without lock-up makes the experience for staking as hassle-free as possible from currently available options. This flexibility distinguishes IOTA in an environment where people are usually tied up under locked terms. While still being under the radar, IOTA’s system is completely functional and not just an idea. Having staking live, with smart contracts deployed, and early DeFi applications making inroads, it stands poised to develop as the wider crypto arena begins noticing true adoption rather than trend following.