The IOTA team made substantial progress over the past two weeks to bring Chrysalis on schedule for March.
The biggest network upgrade in our history is not only a march toward production-readiness, but also an enabler of exciting new use cases, partners, and products that have not been possible before.
The Chrysalis upgrade brings with it several interlocking projects, all of which are intended to expand the use of IOTA.
To realize the Machine Economy, feeless micropayments are required, immutable, verifiable data, self-sovereign identities, smart contracts for total autonomy of processes, and tokenization of digital and physical assets. IOTA is currently building all these components
What is Tokenization?
Tokenization allows you to exchange sensitive data for non-sensitive data.
The tokens do not have any relationship with the original value, but they retain some elements of the original data, such as length and format. This allows them to be used for business operations. The original sensitive data is stored securely outside the organization's systems.
Tokenized data is not encrypted and cannot be deciphered. This is a crucial distinction. Tokens cannot be restored to their original form if there is no additional stored data. Therefore, the original sensitive data will not be compromised by a breach in a tokenized environment.
What is a Token?
A token, as mentioned above, is a piece of data that represents another piece of valuable information. Tokens are not valuable by themselves. They only have value if they can be used to represent something, such as a Social Security number (SSN) or a primary credit card account number (PAN).
An example of this is the poker chip. Instead of using cash to fill a table, which can easily be lost or stolen, players use poker chips as placeholders. Even if the chips are stolen, they can't be used to make money. First, they must be exchanged for their actual value.
By tokenizing your environment, important data is removed and replaced with these tokens. Many businesses have sensitive data stored in their systems. This could include credit card data, social security numbers, and medical information. Organizations can use the data for business purposes by using tokenization. This eliminates the need to store sensitive data in an internal repository.
What's the Purpose of Tokenization?
Tokenization serves two purposes: to protect sensitive data and preserve its business utility. This is different from encryption which allows sensitive data to be modified and stored in a way that does not permit its continued use for business purposes. Tokenization can be described as a poker chip and encryption as a lockbox.
Encrypted numbers can also be decrypted using the correct key. However, tokens cannot be reversed because there is no mathematical relationship between the original number and the token.
Tokenization Payments Provide the following Benefits:
- This technology can be used to reduce data breaches.
- Tokenization is a payment method that simplifies compliance with PCI DSS, so your business will be less likely to run into red tape.
- Tokenization is transparent and helps customers build trust.
- It optimizes transactions and drives fintech innovation.
- Tokenization is not only for credit card numbers but also for sensitive information. It's a useful tool to facilitate recurring transactions and to ensure the safety of files, passwords, accounts, and other data.
- Tokenization allows you and your company to reduce the responsibility for managing customers' private information stored on a third-party server.
Tokenization has many positive consequences, but there are also cons.
- Tokenization can be used once you have agreed to it. However, this will complicate the infrastructure of your company.
- You must ensure that your payment processor supports this data security system when you apply it.
- It is better to spend more time looking for the best vendor to use vault tokenization because third-party vaults will be used by your customers to store their data.
Tokenization has twice the benefits as its drawbacks, as you can see from this list. Tokenization is the most secure data security system available. Or not? Let's see.
Tokenization, a key Component of Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are made feasible by the Digital Assets Framework, which is specific to IOTA's Smart Contract Protocol (ISCP). With the addition of the Digital Assets Framework to the IOTA network, smart contracts will be made possible. Smart Contracts will operate with Tokenized Assets, which are not merely functional, to enable completely new uses.
A large number of present business procedures that could be done more effectively, securely, and swiftly can be automated using smart contracts that leverage tokenized assets. For many of the more complex use cases of IOTA Digital Assets, smart contracts are necessary (e.g., complex rights management for security tokens).
Use Cases
These sections will not cover all possible uses. The community and the industry will have to come up with new ways to utilize the protocol's features.
Utility Token
Utility tokens provide a benefit to their owner, allowing them to access goods, services, or products by using a token. Tokens can be used to purchase tickets for concerts, gift cards at coffee shops, and a monthly pass for public transport. You can use them to prove you have the right to use their services.
Native tokens can provide the same functionality in a digital world but with additional benefits.
- It is impossible to counterfeit tokens.
- The tokens are stored in the user's digital wallet. The IOTA Tangle is a decentralized platform that allows you to distribute, transfer, and manage tokens.
- Anybody can create, transfer or hold tokens in an unlimited manner.
- Native tokens inherit IOTA's feeble nature.
- Firefly wallet can easily accept utility tokens.
- The issuer may simply track the distribution, utilization, and availability of the Utility Token by keeping an eye on the IOTA Tangle.
- Utility Tokens are a safe, easy, and inexpensive way to sell services, create loyalty programs, and digitize token-based systems.
Security Token
Security tokens are digital tokens that can be used to transfer financial assets that fall within the securities category. These are highly regulated financial instruments that can be traded, and the conditions may vary depending on where they are issued.
Security tokens have the potential to be a huge industry as they address the weaknesses of traditional securities.
- Compliance with regulatory requirements (KYC and AML, for example) The protocol underlying the protocol can enforce regulatory compliance.
- Both issuers and regulators have real-time information about how securities are traded and allocated in the market.
- Tokenization allows for the tokenization of traditionally illiquid assets like art or real estate. This will allow for better price discovery, fractional ownership, and greater liquidity.
- The cost of managing securities drastically decreases because the protocol can be utilized as a management entity.
- A security token can be traded on a secondary market around the clock.
- Security tokens could lower barriers to entry for retail or smaller investors.
- Important to remember that a Security Token is only a claim on an underlying security and not an asset in itself.
A significant technological difficulty that faces security token architectures based on distributed ledgers is how to enforce compliance. Smart contract platforms that use autonomous agents (smart contracts) at the base layer to control the security token lifecycle can help to overcome this issue.
The smart contract solution for IOTA (ISCP) is two-layered. This is because the foundation must be thin enough to sustain the needs of the machine economy. Advanced security tokenization is possible with ISCP. This indicates that the smart contract can be configured to enforce all of the security token's attributes. An issuer may limit supply and restrict trade as mandated by law. On the 1-layer, this is not conceivable because it would make the protocol more complex.
There is another method for legal security tokenization on 1-Layer. This is done using native tokens. A native token holder could create security tokens and distribute them at multi-party signature addresses.
- Both the issuer as well as the user must sign the transaction to release funds.
- The issuer would not sign any transfer to an address that is not verified.
- Because the issuer knows the verified identities and users, it can stop trades and enforce compliance rules.
- The IOTA Tangle, a safe, decentralized, and cost-free infrastructure, continues to handle the management of security tokens.
Native Tokens allow security tokenization at the 2-layer, such as ISCP. These tokens can be used as fully configurable autonomous agents with self-enforcing rules.
Non-fungible tokens
Based on the type of fungibility, digital tokens can be classified into two types:
- Because they have the same value, fungible tokens can be interchangeable with other tokens. Cash and IOTA are fungible as a $10 bill is converted into two $5 bills. 10 MIOTA equals 5 MIOTA + 5 IOTA.
- Non-fungible tokens, on the other side, are not exchangeable as each token has unique properties that determine its value.
A Non-fungible Token can be used to represent an original work of art, collectible or special edition. It is a digital property right that can trade. There are many exciting uses for it, including:
- Crypto collectibles such as crypto kittens and fantasy football league cards.
- There are in-game items that can trade on secondary markets.
- Digital artwork is stored in the ledger technology.
- You can also use NFTs as collateral in decentralized financing.
- NFTs are great for event tickets. They can transform traditional ticketing into smart ticketing. Smart tickets, which are NFTs, can be verifiable, interoperable, and have clear ownership. Transparent secondary markets are possible without the buyer needing to be concerned about fraud. The organizer can make it impossible to resell tickets if they are strictly prohibited (e.g., personalized tickets). You can make NFTs in computer code non-transferable and stop ticket transfers. Smart tickets are a cost-effective way for ticketing companies to save money, as they are much cheaper than traditional ticketing infrastructure. If properly structured, thousands or hundreds of NFTs (smart tickets) can be created for as little as a few Euros. NFT-based smart tickets also have another advantage: after the event is over, the ticket doesn't die. It can be kept in the wallet of the user and can be collected, traded, or used for any other purpose if needed.
Digital Assets go Beyond Tokenization.
IOTA Digital Assets go beyond being a rival to ERC-20 tokens. They also allow you to tokenize items in the IOTA protocol. They are much more significant because they allow "consensus to prevail despite data."
By establishing a single digital item that can be used again, you can build a consensus chain. By contributing data with these outputs, participants in the network will concur on both the sequence of released data and which data to utilize in the event of conflicting data. Beyond tokenization, this is important for many other applications.
This capability will be used by IOTA smart contracts to build "private, non-counterfeit able Blockchains' ' that can only be updated and maintained by the owner of the digital asset. One of the many use cases that needs consensus data order and data is smart contracts. The DID protocol, Oracle, and digital twins are just a few of the many more.
Read More:- Can Digital Currency be considered Profitable Alternative Investment
Notes and Issues, Regulations
- Digital Assets can be transferred using the same rules as regular tokens, but they are very different from other tokens in that they represent physical assets as well as financial obligations.
- Each Digital Asset issued by an individual or organization carries additional risks. The issuer of the Digital Asset may not meet the obligation. Even worse, they could be fraudulent and not even represent any real asset.
- These risks mean that rules and regulations are necessary to maximize the potential of this technology.
- IOTA tokens offer many possibilities
- IOTA's Digital Assets framework opens up new opportunities and possibilities for tokenization. We are helping our ecosystem realize the unlimited potential of tokenization to be used in concrete business applications, from issuing digital securities to trading NFT artwork. Tokenization has many benefits beyond the obvious business potential. You can create tokens and trade them.
- We are currently working on the most exciting applications today:
- Tokenization that is production-ready and enterprise-level as part of Machine Economy: IOTA tokenized assets can provide real-time data feeds with a small footprint. Think digital twins on steroids.
- Crypto applications like multi-asset wallets or cross-chain Uniswaps: IOTA Digital Assets is a platform that allows cross-network asset trading. IOTA acts as a free bridge currency. The IOTA token will soon be able to represent other assets like Ethereum, Cardano, or Bitcoin as the framework matures. This will allow for seamless inter-asset bridging. IOTA Digital Assets do not create a bridge between currencies. Instead, they allow only one pool to be created, and one bridge can be built. The IOTA Digital Asset framework allows for only one integration, which opens up the possibility of swapping between any assets in the network.
- Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT): An NFT can be used to represent artwork, collectibles, special edition items, or any other unique and exceptional item. It is basically a digital property right that can trade. While NFTs are becoming increasingly popular on crypto protocols, IOTA Digital Assets is likely to explore the market with its feeless transactions.
- Smart contracts require tokenization.
- The Digital Assets framework, especially for IOTA's Smart Contract Protocol(ISCP), is a critical security component that enables smart contracts. Smart Contracts will be made possible by the addition of our Digital Assets framework to the IOTA network. Tokenized assets, in addition to their functional component, will work with smart contracts to create completely new uses.
- Smart contracts that use tokenized assets will automate much of the business that can be done more efficiently, securely, faster, and cheaper on distributed multi-asset ledgers. Smart Contracts are required for many of the more complicated use cases for IOTA Digital Assets (e.g., complex rights management for security tokens); we will share our progress updates about smart contracts in the coming weeks.
- The future roadmap
- Today, we have released the protocol RFC for Digital Asset Framework on IOTA. We urge everyone to read it carefully and invite domain experts to offer their comments. We remain dedicated to transparency and openness and continue to rely on the contributions of our community. Today, tokenization has been made available on the Coordicide Testnet. (GoShimmer). We will now be able to support digital assets on IOTA Mainnet due to the changes made in Chrysalis (in specific UTXO).
- We want IOTA Digital Assets to be available on the mainnet as soon as possible due to their importance. Once the RFC has been approved and reviewed and the Chrysalis upgrade is complete, we will be focusing on adding support for digital assets to our mainnet in the next protocol update. We are thrilled to incorporate the Digital Assets framework in our Firefly wallet. This will make it easier for our community and users to use new digital assets.
- We invite the community to join us in building together, as there are a broad range of NFTs that can help with asset management, democratic investing, asset protection, art evolution, and other value-creating activities. All it takes is for us to get started. We are open to granting applications from projects that want to create this future together with the Ecosystem Development Fund.
Tokenization: 4 Reasons to Use It
Extreme security token
Four reasons tokenization is important for businesses
Although tokenization sounds complicated, its beauty lies in its simplicity.
Tokenization is a way to replace private data, such as payment account numbers, with a string of random numbers. This token is also known as tokenization. Personal data is tokenized when a credit card number is entered online. Instead of private account data being passed through multiple security systems, it's encrypted upon swipe, dip, or entry. High-security token vaults store the actual token data. Fraudsters cannot use the tokens.
Tokenization makes accepting sales payments more simple and secure. Tokenization is not just a security tool. It contributes to seamless payment processes and content customers. Tokenization promotes client trust, minimizes red paper, and powers the technology underlying well-known payment services like mobile wallets. It also helps to limit the risk of data breaches.
#1 - Data breaches are reduced by tokenization
Because of the wealth of payment information, criminals target businesses that take credit or debit cards. Insecure systems that have this intelligence are targeted by hackers who sell or use the stolen data to make fraudulent purchases.
Businesses are well aware of the costs. Ponemon Institute's 2018 Cost of a Data Breach Study estimated that a data breach would cost businesses an average of $3.86 million. Ponemon now estimates that $148 is the cost of each record containing confidential data lost or stolen.
Tokenization protects businesses from the financial consequences of data theft. Even in the event of a breach, personal data is not available for theft. While tokenization cannot protect your business from data breaches, it can help reduce financial losses from any possible breach.
#2 - Tokenization fosters trust between your customers
Consumers expect security and safety wherever they shop. Trust and loyalty are built with customers in an era of fraud. This means that payment information and personal data must be kept safe. A 2018 CA Technologies/Frost & Sullivan survey found that 59% of customers said that a data breach affected their trust in the company.
Tokenization is an advanced security measure that fosters customer trust. Consumers don't want their payment data to be in the wrong hands. Consumers appreciate a strong commitment to protecting customer data.
#3 - Tokenization is the less red tape for your business
Accepting credit or debit cards from businesses requires that they comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Tokenization makes it much easier to comply with industry regulations.
Protecting cardholder data while it is resting is addressed via tokenization. Sensitive data should be kept less often and managed securely throughout storage and erasure, according to PCI DSS. This important need is satisfied by tokenization since it prevents the transmission of sensitive cardholder data to your systems.
This is not a panacea for compliance. Working with a PCI-compliant vendor is a smart way to ensure payment security. Tokenization is an option offered by top payment technology companies. This allows you to focus on your business, and your payment partner can reduce red tape, so your business is in compliance.
#4 - Tokenization drives payment innovations
Tokenization technology is fundamental to many of today's buying and selling methods. Tokenization makes it easier to pay with your devices, whether you are looking for traditional eCommerce or a new type of in-app payment.
Tokenization is a feature that has become increasingly popular in-store payments using your customers' smartphones. Consumers can pay using a mobile wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Their credit card data is saved on the phone to act as a token. Smartphones themselves offer additional security with advanced authentication methods and biometric security.
Tokenization is an integral part of eCommerce. It makes payments more secure and improves user experience online, mobile, or in-app.