 
 
The Cardano Foundation has unveiled an ambitious new roadmap aimed at accelerating global adoption, encompassing a strategy that spans decentralized finance (DeFi), Web3, governance, and real-world asset (RWA) integration.
In a blog post, the Foundation outlined six core initiatives that will shape its activities over the coming years. The plan hinges on a major push into DeFi, including the provision of an eight-figure ADA liquidity commitment to support stablecoin projects and improve on- and off-ramps into the ecosystem.
This effort will be reinforced by partnerships and community-driven proposals aimed at deepening Cardano’s DeFi footprint.
Expanding into Web3 and venture funding
The Cardano Foundation recognizes the need to boost adoption beyond traditional enterprises. As such, it is also enlarging its Web3 team, with a focus on integrations, listings, and tokenized real-world assets.
To complement this, the Cardano Venture Hub will expand its role in supporting startups and established businesses through direct investments, loans, and advisory programs. The Foundation has pledged up to 2 million ADA for 2026, while continuing collaborations with accelerators such as Draper U, Techstars, and CV Labs.
 
The Foundation also plans to advance standards like CIP-0113 and CIP-0143 to enable programmable, interoperable tokens. Work is also underway with the Masumi Network to streamline agent-to-agent payments through Cardano’s infrastructure.
Moving forward, the Foundation will expand its delegation strategy by assigning 220 million ADA to 11 new Delegated Representatives (DReps), while reducing its own self-delegation to ensure broader community participation.
This is a shift from the previous five-year focus on stake pool operators toward fostering deeper ecosystem growth.
The new roadmap will also focus heavily on promotion and education. This move will be supported by a 12% increase in the marketing budget for 2026, aimed at amplifying outreach through events, content, and developer engagement.
Initiatives such as the Cardano Academy and Cardano Summit will continue to bridge blockchain with enterprise and regulatory circles.
Reacting to the roadmap, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson called it “a good start,” while stressing the need for a community-elected board as “the last mile to reconciliation.”
Source: https://zycrypto.com/cardano-foundation-unveiled-next-phase-of-network-roadmap-for-mass-adoption/