IOTA Focuses on Real-World Applications in Africa – Ethereum Could Gain 80% Against Bitcoin

IOTA Becomes Part of African Trade Infrastructure

The IOTA Foundation is stepping in as a technology partner for a far-reaching initiative to digitalize African trade. With ADAPT, a shared digital infrastructure for trade data is being created for the first time within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The project is supported by the Tony Blair Institute and the World Economic Forum ^[2].

The initiative aims to replace paper-based processes and make systems interoperable in order to significantly increase efficiency in intra-African trade. Settlement is to take place via the IOTA network ^[2].

Expansion Through LayerZero and Stargate

Parallel to the ADAPT initiative, IOTA is opening technologically to applications that extend beyond its own network. Through the integration of LayerZero and Stargate, as well as new protocol upgrades, the IOTA ecosystem is to be expanded. Stablecoins also play a role in the strategic direction ^[2].

These developments mark a strategic shift for the network, where investment potential is increasingly measured against real infrastructure and adoption ^[2].

Ethereum: Technical Indicators Point to Recovery

While IOTA is working on real-world use cases, Ethereum is showing interesting technical developments against Bitcoin. The ETH/BTC chart in the 2-week timeframe has shown an inverse head-and-shoulders formation since December – a classic bullish reversal pattern that typically follows longer downtrends ^[1].

The left shoulder formed during a weakness phase in late 2024, followed by aggressive capitulation in April 2025, which formed the head at approximately 0.0176 BTC. The subsequent recovery established a higher low in the fourth quarter of 2025 and formed the right shoulder ^[1].

Historical Pattern Could Repeat

The neckline of the pattern sits at approximately 0.0400 BTC, between the 50-period and 200-period EMA. A decisive breakout above this zone would confirm the pattern and pave the way for a measured target of 0.063 BTC in 2026 – corresponding to an increase of approximately 80 percent ^[1].

The current ETH/BTC recovery is similar to the breakout following the accumulation phase of 2019-2020. At that time, the pair rose nearly 450 percent after base formation in the same 0.0160–0.0200 BTC demand zone. Ethereum's recovery in 2025 began from this identical structural base, and the price is now testing the same early resistance area that preceded the parabolic expansion of 2020 ^[1].

Long-Term Downtrend Not Yet Broken

However, ETH bulls must first prove that the long-term downtrend against Bitcoin has actually ended. Ether continues to be capped by a multi-year descending trendline that has rejected every breakout attempt against Bitcoin since 2017. Another failure at this barrier would undermine the inverse head-and-shoulders formation and the fractal setups, increasing the risk of a pullback toward the long-term support level at 0.0175 BTC in 2026 ^[1].