Latin American telecom operator VIVA launches Avalanche network Iris

According to CoinDesk, Latin American telecom operator VIVA has become the first operator to launch the Iris network. Iris is a telecom settlement network based on Avalanche, founded by former IBM blockchain partner Jules Miller, which helps operators integrate identity, billing, and distribution systems into financial services without replacing existing telecom systems. VIVA has been operating in Bolivia for over 25 years and has recently expanded into the Mexican market.

VIVA conducts transaction settlements using the US dollar stablecoin USDi issued by stablecoin infrastructure company Agora, and can hold eligible operational reserves in US dollars instead of local currency. Iris operates on a dedicated Avalanche Layer 1 to control settlement, operations, and compliance requirements. At the launch of Iris, it secured a commitment of $43 million from Balesia Group, a family office that has telecom operations in the Americas.

Ava Labs Chief Business Officer John Nahas stated that the initial expansion of Iris will focus on Latin America and parts of Africa and Asia. He mentioned that the super app product used by VIVA has helped reduce the churn rate of prepaid mobile users by 33% and increase customer lifetime value by 35%. Iris is currently in discussions with more telecom operators worldwide to onboard additional operators and services.