- ADA has rebounded as Cardano faces calls for a “killer app” to drive wider adoption.
- Hoskinson highlights RealFi, Pogen and Midnight as key projects for Cardano’s next phase.
- ADA remains about 70% below last year’s level despite its recent weekly recovery.
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has responded to calls for the network to build a “killer app” that attracts more users and liquidity. He pointed out that several projects are already on the way to make the network more useful in the coming months.
The discussion comes as ADA has started to recover after a long decline. CoinMarketCap data shows ADA is up 5% over the past 24 hours and 19% over the past week. However, the token remains about 70% below its level a year ago.
Hoskinson Highlights RealFi, Pogen and Midnight
Hoskinson pointed to several projects that aim to expand the Cardano ecosystem. Specifically, he said RealFi is coming next month, Pogen within 90 days, and Midnight is receiving a major upgrade that will allow applications to launch.
He also rejected the idea that Cardano lacks projects capable of attracting users. According to Hoskinson, the Cardano community previously chose not to fund Pogen, Blockfrost, and other commercial projects linked to Input Output Global (IOG).
He also criticized the Cardano Foundation for not doing enough to promote Midnight.
Developer Calls for a “Killer App”
Hoskinson was responding to developer Jeff Papineau, who said Cardano needs a major application capable of bringing more users and liquidity to the network.
Papineau suggested a decentralized exchange (DEX) built with Midnight technology. He questioned why there is not already a Midnight-based DEX where users trade Bitcoin and Ethereum for USDCx.
He argued that such an application would give people a practical reason to use Cardano while bringing more liquidity and activity to the network. Papineau said he expected an early version of the application to be available by now.
Cardano DRep Questions How the Network Can Grow
Meanwhile, Cardano DRep Jaromir Tesar questioned whether decentralization alone is enough to attract large numbers of users. He pointed to platforms such as Base, Solana, and Robinhood as examples of the importance of demand and a simple user experience.
Tesar said decentralization should be treated as a useful feature rather than the primary goal. He argued that blockchain remains difficult for everyday users because of expensive hardware wallets, transaction fees, complicated DeFi applications, scams, and irreversible transactions.
He also said many blockchain applications simply replicate services that already exist without fully taking advantage of decentralization.
Make Decentralization Useful
Tesar said he continues to support decentralization but believes developers should focus on areas where it provides a clear benefit. He described blockchain as a “trust machine” because it provides open access, resists censorship and allows people to interact without relying on a central authority.
However, the challenge is building products that deliver those benefits while remaining secure, affordable, easy to use, and accessible. He also questioned who is responsible when decentralized platforms are hacked or DAOs fail.
Tesar called his proposed approach the “commercialization of decentralization”. In simple terms, he wants Cardano to move beyond building decentralized technology and create products that demonstrate why people should use it.
Hoskinson is pointing to RealFi, Pogen and the next phase of Midnight as projects that will bring more applications to Cardano. But developers and community members are increasingly demanding more than new technology that attracts users, liquidity, and helps ADA’s price soar.
Related: Cardano Price Prediction: Can ADA Hold Its Breakout as On-Chain Activity Slides 72%?
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