Cardano Developer Requests Reduced Funding of $46.8 Million for Expansion and DeFi Integration

Input Output, the company responsible for building and maintaining the Cardano blockchain, is seeking a significantly reduced amount of funding from the project's treasury for 2026. The company has submitted nine proposals totaling $46.8 million, down from $97.5 million in 2025, with a focus on scaling the network to increase transaction capacity and expanding into Bitcoin DeFi. This reduction in funding is part of a plan to reduce Input Output's dependence on community funds, with the goal of becoming self-sustaining through its own revenue. The proposals include a consensus upgrade called Leios, which aims to increase Cardano's transaction processing capacity by 10 to 65 times, and a system called Pogun, which would allow Bitcoin holders to borrow and earn yield on their holdings through Cardano without relying on a centralized intermediary. The voting process, which is open to roughly 1,000 elected delegates, will test the Cardano community's approach to governance and funding, and will determine the extent to which Input Output's proposals are approved.