Cardano developers cut community funding applications to $46.8 million, making progress…
April 23, 2026
Cardano’s core development company, Input Output, has recently put forth a series of nine funding proposals totaling $46.8 million for 2026, marking a significant decrease from last year’s $97.5 million. This move signals Input Output’s intention to gradually diminish its dependence on community funds. The funding proposals are centered around two main initiatives: the consensus upgrade Leios and the Bitcoin DeFi system Pogun.
Leios is anticipated to enhance Cardano’s transaction processing capacity by up to 65 times, aiming for a throughput of over 1,000 transactions per second (TPS). Testing for Leios is scheduled to commence in June, with a full rollout expected by the end of the year. On the other hand, Pogun, the Bitcoin DeFi system, will enable Bitcoin holders to participate in lending and yield-generating activities through Cardano without needing to rely on centralized custodians. The lending feature of Pogun is set to be publicly released in the second quarter.
The decision-making process for these funding proposals involves around 1,000 democratically elected representatives (DReps). The voting period will come to a close on May 24, determining whether the Cardano community views Input Output as a standard funding applicant or not. Additionally, Cardano’s stablecoin, USDCx, has seen a rapid increase in circulating supply, reaching 14.6 million tokens shortly after its launch. Furthermore, the network’s total value locked (TVL) has climbed from $137.5 million to $142.7 million, showcasing growth and interest in the platform.
Overall, these funding proposals and developments demonstrate Cardano’s commitment to enhancing its ecosystem and expanding its capabilities. With a focus on innovation and community involvement, Input Output is taking steps to secure necessary resources while reducing reliance on external funding sources. The upcoming decisions made by the Cardano community through the voting process will undoubtedly shape the future direction of the platform, paving the way for further advancements and growth in the cryptocurrency space.
