Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson says the network’s next growth phase depends on real DeFi usage rather than market hype. In a recent interview with Altcoin Daily, he said Cardano must post stronger on-chain numbers to compete with larger ecosystems. He pointed to user activity, capital flows, and stablecoin growth as the core signals that could define the network’s future direction.
Hoskinson said narrative cycles no longer provide enough momentum for Cardano. Instead, he said measurable DeFi performance must guide the ecosystem’s next stage. Those figures, he noted, should appear clearly on-chain.
He added that Cardano has reached its limits as a standalone layer-1 network. To move forward, he said the ecosystem must lean harder into decentralized finance activity. That shift, he argued, could reset growth expectations.
Charles Hoskinson said Cardano’s monthly active users, total value locked, and stablecoin supply must grow sharply. He stated that these metrics need to increase between 10x and 100x from current levels. Such expansion, he said, would place Cardano closer to leading ecosystems.
He directly compared Cardano’s position with Ethereum and Solana. He said those networks already show stronger DeFi activity across key indicators. Cardano, he added, must now match those benchmarks.
Recent actions aim to close that gap. The Cardano Foundation committed eight-figure ADA funding to support stablecoin DeFi liquidity. The move seeks to increase usage and attract deeper capital pools.
Hoskinson said the ecosystem plans to onboard major stablecoins this year. He named USDC and USDT as targets for integration. He said their arrival could improve traction across DeFi applications.
Stablecoin growth, he noted, ties directly to higher transaction activity. That activity, in turn, affects user retention and capital efficiency. He said those links matter for sustained expansion. These liquidity efforts align with broader ecosystem goals. Hoskinson said stronger stablecoin flows could support lending, trading, and payments. Such use cases could lift Cardano’s core DeFi metrics.
Hoskinson described Midnight as part of Cardano’s growth plan rather than a separate bet. He said the privacy-focused sidechain represents a new generation of cryptocurrencies. Its design, he added, serves emerging market needs.
He said Midnight could capture a share in the privacy niche if development moves quickly. That progress, he argued, could draw users from Bitcoin, XRP, and other chains. Those users could then interact with Cardano-based DeFi.
Hoskinson said decentralized applications could benefit by integrating with Midnight. By adding privacy features, he said apps could attract new user segments. Could this hybrid approach deliver the next million users and reshape Cardano’s DeFi metrics?
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Charles Hoskinson says Cardano’s next phase depends on measurable DeFi expansion rather than market narratives. He points to higher TVL MAU and stablecoin supply as core targets. Integration with Midnight could attract new users and liquidity. The takeaway is clear: on-chain results must now drive Cardano’s growth story.