On October 11, a research team from the University of Science and Technology Beijing published a paper in the Journal of Materials Science (DOI: 10.1007/s10853-026-13816-3) systematically investigating the effects of iron microalloying on the microstructure and properties of Ti5553 (Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr) near-beta titanium alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), offering new insights for the design of low-cost, high-performance titanium alloy powders. Iron is a strong beta stabilizer with a cost far lower than vanadium and molybdenum, and its growth-restriction effect arising from solidification segregation can physically impede columnar grain advancement: the average width of as-printed columnar beta grains was refined from 102.69 μm to 54.56 μm. With the addition of 1.5 wt% iron, the as-printed ultimate tensile strength increased from 864 MPa to 1016 MPa, the yield strength rose from 828 MPa to 1000 MPa, and the elongation remained at 18.9%, achieving a synergistic optimization of strength and ductility; after solution treatment and aging, the yield strength reached 1416 MPa, approximately 125 MPa higher than that of the iron-free alloy. This study validates the feasibility of partially substituting vanadium and molybdenum with inexpensive iron for microalloying, providing data support for the development of low-cost titanium alloy grades specifically for printing and for powder formulation optimization, and potentially driving the evolution of additive manufacturing titanium powders from general-purpose grades toward customized grades. Value for powder purchasers: (1) Monitor progress on new low-cost titanium alloy powder grades from domestic powder companies based on this approach; (2) Application validation of Ti5553-type near-beta titanium alloy powders in high-strength component scenarios such as aircraft landing gear is worth tracking; (3) As-printed strength exceeding 1000 MPa with no ductility loss provides a performance basis for titanium alloy printed parts to replace traditional forgings.