Ethereum News Today: BlockDAG and Cardano: PoW, Presales, and the Push for Mainstream Adoption

BlockDAG has emerged as a standout project in the cryptocurrency space in 2025, having raised $383 million through its presale with 25.4 billion tokens sold. Analysts are closely monitoring the initiative due to its hybrid architecture, which combines a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) scalability model with Proof-of-Work (PoW) security features. This combination addresses a key challenge in blockchain technology—scaling without compromising security or decentralization. The project has demonstrated testnet performance of up to 10 blocks per second, with scalability expected to increase as adoption grows. The PoW component, in particular, is seen as a critical factor in attracting institutional interest, offering spam resistance and Sybil attack protection that many DAG-only systems have historically struggled with [1].

One of the project’s most distinctive features is its accessibility. Unlike traditional PoW projects that require expensive hardware, BlockDAG has introduced the X1 Mobile Miner app, downloaded by over 2.5 million users, which allows smartphone users to participate in the network as lightweight mining nodes. For more advanced users, the X10 hardware miner has already sold 19,000 units, providing reliable returns for semi-professional miners. This democratization of mining is a key part of BlockDAG’s adoption strategy, fostering a broad, decentralized miner base before the mainnet launch. Analysts have noted that this approach not only enhances network security but also builds loyalty among early participants [1].

The project is also making inroads into mainstream visibility. BlockDAG has partnered with several global and regional sports teams, including Inter Milan, the Seattle Seawolves, and the Seattle Orcas. These partnerships are positioning the project as more than a technical network—analysts argue that this strategy enhances its brand recognition and consumer appeal, an advantage few presale projects achieve. Additionally, the ecosystem is already taking shape with over 4,500 active developers working on 300 decentralized applications. The project’s Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility ensures that Ethereum-based developers can migrate projects easily, a feature that has historically driven growth for networks like Polygon and Avalanche [1].

The presale structure is designed to create urgency for early participation. BlockDAG is currently in Batch 29 of its presale, with a price of $0.0016 per token, and the next batch is set at $0.03. The price is expected to rise incrementally until the presale concludes, with a projected $0.05 listing price. For early buyers, returns have already exceeded 2,660% in paper gains. With a hard cap of $600 million, analysts believe hitting this milestone would place BlockDAG among the largest grassroots-funded launches in crypto history. The project has already raised more than enough to be considered one of the most funded presales of the year, and its growing user base and developer ecosystem suggest strong potential post-launch [1].

Meanwhile, Cardano (ADA) has also shown signs of renewed interest. Despite a recent 6.67% drop in price to $0.86, whale activity has picked up, with large holders accumulating 130 million ADA tokens. This accumulation has occurred alongside a decline in holdings among smaller investors, signaling institutional-level confidence. The mean coin age on the network is trending higher, indicating a shift from distribution to accumulation. Analysts are watching closely to see if ADA can break through the $1 psychological barrier, which has previously resisted upward movement. If it succeeds, the next target could be $1.20, with some projections suggesting a potential rise to $2.05 by the end of 2025, particularly if favorable macroeconomic conditions and regulatory developments align [2].

Cardano’s ecosystem is also showing strength, with daily transaction volumes averaging 2.6 million and active address counts remaining steady in 2025. Development activity remains robust, with a score of 80.86, significantly higher than Ethereum’s 25.05. Institutional interest in Cardano has also increased, with reports indicating that Grayscale has registered a Cardano spot ETF in Delaware. Analysts view this as a major step toward broader adoption and mainstream acceptance. Whale accumulation in the last two weeks, as reported by on-chain analyst Ali Martinez, has sparked speculation that a significant price movement may be on the horizon [3].

The market’s reaction to Cardano’s recent price action has been mixed. While the coin has underperformed compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum in recent weeks, bulls are maintaining a strong defense of key support levels. The $0.85 mark is seen as critical, with a break above $1.00 signaling a potential continuation of the bullish trend. Some analysts have even suggested a potential target of $1.50 if buying momentum continues and broader market sentiment improves. However, whale accumulation does not always translate directly into price appreciation, as large investors may be accumulating for long-term strategic reasons rather than immediate profit [4].

Source:

[1] BlockDAG Review 2025: $383M Presale, 25.4B Coins Sold ... (https://crypto-economy.com/blockdag-raises-383m-with-25-4b-coins-sold-as-analysts-question-ethereum-and-solanas-2025-dominance/)

[2] Cardano (ADA) Price: Bulls Eye $1 Breakthrough as Whale ... (https://coincentral.com/cardano-ada-price-bulls-eye-1-breakthrough-as-whale-accumulation-accelerates/)

[3] Cardano Whale Accumulation Rockets as ADA Price Plots ... (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cardano-whale-accumulation-rockets-ada-140637005.html)

[4] Cardano Whales Scoop Up 150M ADA, What Happened? (https://blockchainreporter.net/cardano-whales-scoop-up-150m-ada-what-happened/)