Cardano's Big Bets: Stablecoins, Oracles, and the Race for Blockchain Supremacy

Cardano (ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson has confirmed ongoing discussions with World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin and Chainlink to bolster the ADA network’s functionality and competitiveness in the evolving blockchain landscape. During a recent AMA session on August 31, 2025, Hoskinson teased that Cardano is "working on a series of cross-chain partnerships," including potential integrations with USD1 and Chainlink. These developments aim to expand Cardano’s ecosystem and improve its standing among other Layer-1 platforms [1].

USD1, a stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial (WLFI), is currently the fifth-largest stablecoin by market capitalization, valued at $2.67 billion. Hoskinson expressed optimism that USD1 could be integrated onto Cardano, noting that IOG Chief of Staff J.J. Siler is in discussions with WLFI CEO Zach Witkoff to finalize the deal. If successful, USD1 would become the largest stablecoin on the Cardano network, potentially increasing transaction volumes and user engagement [2]. The stablecoin, which launched on Ethereum and BNB in March 2025 and later expanded to Tron in June, has shown strong adoption, with 20% of its 3 billion token supply already released for trading on major exchanges [1].

Hoskinson emphasized that integrating USD1 is part of a broader strategy to attract institutional and developer interest to Cardano. He noted that such partnerships are essential for the blockchain to remain relevant in a competitive landscape dominated by projects like Ethereum and Solana . The inclusion of USD1 on Cardano could also create new use cases for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, smart contracts, and cross-industry solutions, thereby improving network interoperability and overall reliability [2].

In addition to USD1, Cardano is exploring a collaboration with Chainlink, a leading decentralized oracle provider. While the integration could be complex due to the "absurd number" of technical requirements outlined by the Chainlink team, Hoskinson stated that Cardano is committed to "handling it" and "figuring it out." He praised Chainlink founder Sergey Nazarov for his strategic acumen and acknowledged the value Chainlink brings to the blockchain ecosystem through its partnerships with institutions like the U.S. Department of Commerce [1].

The integration of Chainlink would allow Cardano to access verified macroeconomic and financial data on-chain, strengthening its real-world data capabilities and positioning it as a more reliable platform for enterprise and institutional use. Hoskinson also mentioned that Cardano is in early-stage talks with Aave , a prominent DeFi lending protocol, as part of its broader ecosystem-building strategy [2]. These collaborations aim to enhance Cardano’s DeFi potential and reinforce trust among developers and investors.

The ongoing efforts reflect Cardano’s commitment to staying competitive in the fast-paced blockchain space. With institutional interest in DeFi and tokenized assets on the rise, the platform is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the market by prioritizing robust infrastructure, scalability, and strategic partnerships. These developments could drive increased liquidity, staking participation, and overall network activity, further solidifying Cardano’s long-term growth trajectory [1].

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