Bitom

Bitom is a decentralized protocol for digital assets and identity designed to run on mobile and edge devices. It provides a lightweight token standard, a modular smart-contract layer, and a cross-network bridge intended to enable fast, low-cost transfers and verifiable credentials across participating networks. Bitom aims to balance security with energy efficiency through a proof-of-stake consensus and a compact ledger representation that reduces storage and bandwidth requirements.

Bitom Core forms the base layer, handling accounts, transactions, and consensus. A separate smart-contract layer allows asset issuance and programmable rules without compromising the base protocol's efficiency. The Bitom Ledger uses a compact state representation and a data pruning mechanism, while Bitom Bridges enable interoperability with other blockchains via trust-minimized relays.

Bitom was proposed in 2017 by the Bitom Foundation, with an initial release in 2019. It has seen several major updates, including a 2021 scalability upgrade and a 2023 privacy enhancement. The project is maintained by a global community of developers and researchers, with governance implemented through a delegated model.

Common use cases include micropayments, digital identity verification, credential attestation, supply chain tracking, and IoT data monetization. The protocol emphasizes offline-first transactions and low-bandwidth operation for mobile devices.

Bitom has been deployed in pilots and academic testbeds, with limited real-world production usage as of the mid-2020s. Critics point to the complexity of cross-chain interoperability and privacy considerations; proponents highlight its emphasis on efficiency and accessibility for developing markets.