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

Input Output, the primary developer of the Cardano blockchain, is seeking approximately half the funding it requested in the previous year from the project's community treasury. The company has submitted nine proposals totaling $46.8 million for 2026, with a focus on scaling Cardano to increase its transaction capacity and exploring Bitcoin DeFi opportunities. This reduction in funding is part of a plan to decrease the company's dependence on community funds and transition towards self-sustainability. The proposals are divided into two main themes: the Leios consensus upgrade, which aims to increase Cardano's transaction processing capacity, and the Pogun system, designed to bring Bitcoin-based decentralized finance to Cardano. Smaller proposals cover various improvements, including performance enhancements, security testing, and expanded API services. Each proposal is tied to specific delivery milestones, ensuring that funding is released in stages. The voting process, which opens on Tuesday and runs through May 24, will be decided by roughly 1,000 elected delegates representing ADA holders. The outcome of the vote will indicate whether Cardano's governance treats Input Output as any other grant applicant or continues to approve its requests based on historical deference. Meanwhile, Input Output has reported progress in the ecosystem, including the launch of a new Cardano stablecoin, USDCx, and an increase in total assets deposited on the network.