Partnering for Inclusion in Digital Trade

IOTA and Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

TL;DR:

The IOTA Foundation and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change are partnering to build open, trusted digital infrastructure to support inclusive trade, digital identity, and innovation for governments, small businesses, and underserved communities worldwide.

The digital systems that power modern economies are often fragmented, proprietary, and exclusionary. To build infrastructure that is truly inclusive and future-ready, we need public goods: open-source, standards-based systems built on trust, interoperability, and shared governance.

This is the motivation behind a new phase of collaboration between the IOTA Foundation and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI). Following the recent launch of the TWIN Foundation in Lusaka, Zambia, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on the design and deployment of trusted digital public infrastructure. Our efforts begin in Africa but are designed with global scale in mind.

Who Is Involved… and Who This Is For

The IOTA Foundation brings decentralized ledger expertise and real-world deployment experience. TBI contributes deep policy knowledge and long-term advisory partnerships with governments across Africa and beyond. Together, we aim to support forward-looking administrations, grassroots innovators, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with practical digital tools.

While the work is collaborative, implementation is driven by the needs and priorities of governments and public institutions. Our role is to co-develop solutions, support open standards, and reduce the technical and institutional barriers to meaningful digital transformation.

Foundations for an Inclusive Digital Future

The MoU focuses on five areas:

1. Trusted data exchange for cross-border trade through the TWIN system
2. Trade and supply chain ecosystems, addressing challenges faced by public and private sector actors.
3. National digital infrastructure upgrading spanning key public sectors such as trade, finance, logistics, and social services.
4. Digital identity and access, grounded in verifiable credentials and privacy-preserving standards.
5. Inclusive innovation, including digital enablement for small businesses, women and youth.

Building Systems That Work

This collaboration involves co-creating use cases, developing policy guidance, and supporting governments with implementation. It includes:

• Deploying the TWIN system globally with government and private sector partners, for example in Africa in supporting the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and its new Digital Trade Protocol, and potentially on traceability systems in Asia and Africa.
• Research and advisory work on digital identity systems that work across borders and use cases, reducing verification time and increasing trust in transactions.
• Supporting governments in building digital public infrastructure – from customs systems and trade platforms to social benefit delivery tools.
• Organizing workshops and stakeholder engagement to align policy, technology, and capacity-building.

The Larger Opportunity

Trade friction, data silos, and identity gaps are not just technical problems; they block access to opportunity. They slow innovation, increase costs, and shut out the very businesses and communities most in need of inclusion.

This collaboration is about changing that. By supporting public digital infrastructure that is open, auditable, and locally governed, we help lower the barriers to participation. That means faster border clearances, trusted online credentials, and stronger protections for people and their data.

“This partnership between TBI and the IOTA Foundation is about making global trade work better for everyone,” said Catherine Rimmer, CEO of TBI. “With TWIN, we’re helping countries modernise their trade systems using digital technology that’s fast, transparent, and trustworthy. It’s practical innovation with real-world impact.”

Dominik Schiener, Co-Founder and Chair of the IOTA Foundation, said: “This agreement marks an important step in our shared mission to deliver digital infrastructure that builds trust, unlocks trade, and empowers small businesses. TWIN is just the beginning – we are also working closely with TBI to explore how public goods digital infrastructure can be used to empower governments and enterprises around the world.”

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