In a world marked by tariff battles and near-shoring, the TWIN Foundation is working towards a better global trade system propelled by open-source technology and decentralized infrastructure.
The TWIN Foundation debuted on May 8 at the AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum in Lusaka, Zambia. It’s an initiative of the Trade Worldwide Information Network (TWIN).
TWIN is designed to bring real-time, verifiable data sharing to global supply chains. It is deployed with TLIP, an African trade-focused program. TWIN accesses the IOTA protocol, decentralization, tokenization, and dataspace standards like Gaia-X
Partners signed on to TWIN at the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in 2024. They include the IOTA Foundation, TradeMark Africa, World Economic Forum, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the Global Alliance of Trade Facilitation, and the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade.
TWIN fosters the development of tailored trade and supply chain ecosystems that adapt to diverse business needs. It digitizes processes and embraces open standards to prioritize interoperability, scalability, and traceability.
The system uses IOTA’s Distributed Ledger Technology for secure, scalable data exchange.
“TWIN uses IOTA’s Distributed Ledger Technology to create a secure, transparent registry that supports smart contracts, decentralized identity, and credential verification,” a blog post on TWIN’s website states. “Key services like the TWIN Catalog, Registry, and Clearing House ensure compliance of participants and services, while events and changes are immutably recorded, enabling data integrity, auditability, document tokenization, and luxury goods authentication.”
TWIN nodes connect participants and services to deliver secure data exchanges and smooth interactions. Every participant has a personal ledger account. Additional features include recorded, auditable events and data integrity proofs. Smart contracts enforce rules and compliance.
“What truly sets TWIN apart is its decentralized, multi-system capability,” the company said. “Thanks to the technology, shared standards, and Trust Framework, trade ecosystems built on TWIN aren’t siloed; they can communicate seamlessly with each other. The result is a globally connected network of trade ecosystems, enabling more collaboration, innovation, and efficiency.”
TWIN is involved with several projects:
UK Cabinet Office Border Trade Demonstrations: This initiative showcased UK-EU border operations, tracking more than 900 poultry consignments from Poland to the UK in 2024-2025. TWIN provided real-time data insights to improve visibility, planning, and collaboration.
RESULD: RESULD focuses on fresh produce supply chains between Kenya, the Netherlands, and the UK, digitizing operations to reduce disruptions, enhance product quality, and uphold ESG standards.
Virtual Watch Tower: This connects monitoring hubs through TWIN-powered digital middleware. It improves oversight and operational efficiency.
TWIN’s technology will be made available as an open-source digital infrastructure for the public good, in alignment with the not-for-profit principles of the TWIN Foundation.
Custodianship of core infrastructure: Overseeing the technical and operational design, innovation, and maintenance of TWIN’s infrastructure.
Standards and best practices: Developing and implementing standards applicable to distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) and allied innovations.
Building networks of success: Pursuing partnerships with organizations and institutions that align with the foundation’s mission.
Ecosystem support: Sharing knowledge and best practices with ecosystem builders to improve the implementation and management of TWIN ecosystems.
Sustainable models: Implementing fundraising and cost recovery strategies to ensure the foundation’s operations are financially sustainable.