TLDR
- The Cardano community approved $70 million in treasury funding for core protocol development.
- Input Output Engineering will receive 96.81 million ADA in stages based on milestone completion.
- The proposal passed with 74.01 percent of the 200 votes cast by community representatives.
- Intersect will oversee the funding process and verify milestones before each payment is made.
- The development plan focuses on improving scalability, interoperability, and developer experience.
The Cardano community has approved over $70 million in funding for Input Output Engineering (IOE) through an on-chain treasury vote. This funding will support core protocol development across scalability, interoperability, and developer experience initiatives. It marks a historic step as the community directly authorized treasury spending for essential blockchain infrastructure.
Cardano Allocates 96.81 Million ADA for Core Enhancements
Cardano stakeholders supported the proposal with 74.01% of the 200 total votes, showing strong consensus. Seven decentralized representatives (DReps) opposed the proposal, while another seven abstained. As a result, the treasury will release 96.81 million ADA, valued at $70.9 million based on ADA’s price of $0.7324.
Input Output Engineering will receive this amount in stages, tied to the completion of specified development milestones. Intersect, an independent organization within the Cardano ecosystem, will manage the milestone verification process. Funding disbursement will occur quarterly after each milestone is successfully met and verified.
This structured approach ensures transparency and accountability throughout the development period. IOE will also publish monthly reports detailing progress, timesheets, and budget utilization. These updates will inform the Cardano community and support continued trust in the process.
Cardano Targets Interoperability, Scalability, and Developer Tools
Cardano’s development roadmap includes upgrades to core protocol components to meet growing ecosystem needs. IOE will implement performance improvements to Ouroboros Leios to increase network throughput. Enhancements to Mithril will reduce node bootstrap time and encourage faster network synchronization.
Key projects like Hydra and Project Acropolis will receive updates to strengthen Cardano’s transaction efficiency and user functionality. IOE also plans to optimize RAM usage and reduce system resource demands for stake pool operators. These improvements aim to increase operational efficiency and reduce overall infrastructure costs.
By focusing on scalability and developer tools, Cardano intends to attract more projects and users. Better tooling and performance upgrades are expected to boost ecosystem activity, making the network more accessible for developers and efficient for end users.
Community Engagement and Funding Oversight Remain Central
Intersect and IOE will jointly define development milestones before each quarter begins. Milestone results will determine the release of subsequent funds to IOE. This process supports structured progress tracking and prevents uncontrolled spending.
Tim Harrison, EVP of Ecosystem and Community at IOE, highlighted the significance of this vote. He stated that the community’s approval strengthens shared accountability and future development goals.