Cardano Hits 111 Million Transactions, 27% Weekly Developer Surge

Cardano has reached a significant milestone, processing its 111 millionth network transaction this week. This achievement underscores the growing user interaction with decentralized applications on the blockchain. The platform now supports 2,005 active projects, demonstrating a steady expansion of its ecosystem. Staking participation remains robust, with 1.33 million wallets currently delegating ADA tokens. Developer activity has surged by 27% weekly, as evidenced by 259 GitHub code updates. The deployment of smart contracts continues to grow, with 138,996 Plutus scripts and 7,682 Aiken scripts now operational.

On-chain governance participation is also on the rise. The network counts 1,377 registered Delegated Representatives (DReps), with 976 actively participating. Recent transaction volume reached 276 billion ADA tokens, equivalent to approximately $165 billion at average market prices. Market sentiment data shows 93.8% user optimism toward Cardano—a 30-day peak. Over 22 billion ADA tokens are currently staked, representing 62% of the circulating supply. This substantial staking ratio signals holder commitment to network security.

External adoption includes integration with Brave Browser’s beta service. Brave reports 91 million monthly active users, potentially exposing new audiences to Cardano functionality. Support for Cardano’s upcoming Midnight sidechain is also confirmed. This integration expands Cardano's reach beyond core blockchain users to mainstream audiences, further driving ecosystem activity.

Cardano's ecosystem is experiencing a period of cautious development. While the blockchain continues its focus on scalability and academic rigor, it lags behind newer Layer 1 blockchains in Total Value Locked (TVL), DeFi activity, and developer traction. However, institutional discussion around Cardano remains active, especially as ADA was included in Grayscale’s multi-crypto ETF, alongside other major cryptocurrencies. This inclusion has rekindled hopes for deeper capital exposure through passive index strategies.

Charles Hoskinson and the IOG team have recently emphasized mid-year upgrades to Plutus smart contracts, aimed at reducing friction for DeFi protocols on-chain. However, adoption remains tepid, with most developer growth shifting to more performant chains. Property-based testing has been introduced to enhance the reliability and security of Plutus smart contracts by automating edge-case testing. This development is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the Cardano ecosystem as it continues to grow.