Researchers in Japan say they have found a way to unlock the potential of using blockchain security in IoT devices, enabling faster, more reliable communication across connected machines.
The team at Chiba University developed a lightweight peer-selection algorithm, Dual Perigee, that reduces delays in blockchain networks, allowing devices to exchange information in real time without adding extra computational strain.
Blockchain has long been considered a promising solution for securing IoT devices because it creates tamper-proof, verifiable records of data. But the technology has struggled to be practical in real-world IoT networks: until now, it has simply been too slow for time-sensitive applications such as supply-chain monitoring, industrial automation, and smart-city infrastructure.
IoT networks are expanding rapidly, with billions of sensors, meters, and machines generating automated decisions across industries. A temperature reading might trigger a payment for perishable goods, a vibration alert could initiate preventive maintenance, and a location signal might automatically update a logistics contract. In these scenarios, data integrity is essential — but speed is just as critical.
Blockchain can help by storing encrypted, time-stamped data in linked blocks, creating an immutable ledger that authorised participants can verify. Private, permissioned blockchains — where only authenticated participants can access the network — are particularly suited to enterprise IoT. They combine the security benefits of blockchain with faster validation times, while embedded smart contracts allow devices to take automated actions when predefined conditions are met.
Even private networks, however, can experience delays. The Chiba team found that these bottlenecks often stem from how devices connect in peer-to-peer networks. Inefficient network topologies can create overlapping communication paths, generating redundant copies of transactions and blocks, which in turn cause congestion and slower performance.
In a study published in IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, the researchers examined how network structure affects blockchain performance in IoT systems. By simulating multiple network configurations, they identified patterns that significantly increased latency.
“We aimed to bridge the gap between theoretical design and practical deployment of IoT-blockchain systems by identifying the fundamental causes of their high latency and proposing a decentralised solution that is both simple and effective,” said Kien Nguyen, Associate Professor at Chiba University and lead author of the study.
Their solution, Dual Perigee, is a lightweight algorithm that lets each device evaluate its peers based on how quickly they relay transactions and blocks. Nodes that consistently perform slowly are automatically replaced with better-connected peers, allowing the network to self-organise into a higher-speed configuration without central control.
Testing in a simulated 50-node IoT environment showed that Dual Perigee reduced block propagation delays by 48.54% compared with the standard Ethereum approach, and outperformed earlier optimisation methods by more than 23%, all without placing additional computational demands on devices.
“We deliberately designed Dual Perigee to rely on passive measurements,” Dr Nguyen said. “It uses information that nodes are already receiving, and requires only minimal additional calculations. That makes it suitable for practical IoT deployments.”
The findings could have significant implications for enterprise applications. In supply chains, IoT sensors can record temperature, time, and location data, creating an immutable history of goods as they move from factory to warehouse to retailer. Smart contracts can trigger automated payments, alerts, or updates when conditions are met, improving accuracy, efficiency, and accountability.
In smart buildings and cities, blockchain can authenticate both devices and users, ensuring that connected systems such as lighting, meters, and environmental sensors operate on verified data. As IoT networks scale, maintaining trust and security across a growing web of devices becomes increasingly important.
“The proposed decentralised latency-aware peer-selection mechanism can serve as a foundation for future blockchain platforms that support real-time, mission-critical IoT services, ultimately enabling more secure, responsive, and trustworthy digital infrastructures,” Dr Nguyen said.
Industry trends underscore the urgency of these solutions. Analysts forecast that by 2030, nearly 40 billion IoT devices will be connected worldwide. At the same time, enterprise adoption of blockchain technology is accelerating. Private blockchains are expected to drive much of this growth, supporting applications from industrial monitoring to logistics management.
