Cardano's Largest Organizations Align on 70 Million ADA Funding for 2026 Roadmap

Major Cardano institutions have collaboratively filed a proposal requesting 70 million ADA from the Treasury to finance critical infrastructure upgrades essential for the network's next phase. This unified effort aims to fill existing technological gaps and enhance Cardano's usability for DeFi and institutional adoption.

Key Takeaways & Funding Focus

This joint proposal, which is a departure from pitching new dApps, focuses exclusively on foundational "plumbing" necessary for long-term growth. The requested funds will be directed toward five core integrations:

• Stablecoins: Onboarding major, established stablecoins.
• Custody: Providing robust institutional custody support.
• Analytics: Implementing advanced blockchain analytics tools.
• Bridges: Developing interoperability solutions for asset movement between different chains.
• Price Feeds: Establishing globally trusted price feeds for reliable data.

The proposal requires approval from the Delegated Representatives and the Constitutional Committee before moving forward.

Catalyst: Disruption and Call for Unity

The timing of the filing is significant, following two major factors:

1. Network Disruption: The proposal comes shortly after a brief chain split on the Preview testnet, caused by an outdated cryptography library flaw. The quick resolution reaffirmed the network's core resilience but highlighted the need for synchronized upgrades.
2. Hoskinson’s Call for Unity: Founder Charles Hoskinson used a recent livestream to push for better synchronization and collaboration among Cardano's leadership groups (IOG, Cardano Foundation, EMURGO, Intersect, and the Midnight Foundation). He stressed that the 2026 roadmap hinges on unified progress, not internal competition.

New Era of Collaboration

Hoskinson described the 70M ADA funding request as the first tangible example of this renewed coordination. He confirmed that the community should expect more co-authored proposals moving forward, signaling an end to the strained relationships and governance disputes of the previous year.

The ultimate objective is to propel Cardano toward a stage where it can natively support financial, real-world, and institutional assets, requiring participation from all ecosystem layers.