Cardano Weekly: Hydra Live, STRIKE Heats Up, Surf Levels Up
00:00 – Intro & Channel Update00:45 – Moneta Account Compromised (USDM Scam Warning)02:03 – Cardano Foundation x MiCA Alliance Partnership02:45 – Cardano Card by Omogo04:42 – Hydra 1.0.0 Released: Cardano’s Layer 2 Goes Live06:36 – VyFinance V3 Upgrades to Plutus V3 Contracts07:58 – Strike Finance: ADA Rewards & DeFi Dominance09:47 – Surf: Borrowing and Lending with One-Click Leverage11:18 – Pulse Coming Soon (Pendle on Cardano)13:15 – Splash & DexHunter Partnership14:19 – Charles Hoskinson on Crypto Banter15:14 – Cardano Summit Berlin Incoming + Free Ticket Guide18:17 – Iagon Cyclone DePIN Devices Shipping19:47 – Wrap Up & Support the ChannelIn this week’s Cardano update, I’m back on a sustainable schedule: one news recap, one interview, and one short tutorial each week.We kick off with a public service announcement: a fake “double USDM” promo is circulating via a cloned site that tries to connect to generic EVM wallets. Do not interact - protect your assets.On to the good news. The Cardano Foundation is collaborating with a MiCA-aligned alliance to deliver standardised resources for Web3 compliance in the EU. Omogo’s “Cardano Card” aims to make crypto spending easier with a smoother UX than older solutions.A big technical milestone lands with Hydra’s 0.0 production-ready release - Cardano’s app-specific L2 for high-throughput use cases. Expect projects like Delta DeFi to take advantage.DeFi keeps building: VyFinance is moving its DEX to Plutus V3 for speed and efficiency; STRIKE continues to dominate on-chain activity with protocol fees paid back to stakers in ADA (DYOR); and Surf adds one-click leverage, a loan calculator, and institutional pilot liquidity.We preview Pulse - a Pendle-style protocol to trade future yield and unlock liquidity today - with an interview coming soon. Plus, DexHunter and Splash are teaming up to pair best-in-class aggregation with efficient swapping.Community and events: Ran interviews Charles Hoskinson, a positive step for the broader crypto dialogue. Cardano Summit in Berlin is close - check discount paths for contributors and consider the hackathons and side events. Lastly, Iagon’s Cyclone DePIN hardware is shipping - I’ll demo it once my unit arrives.Thanks for watching. Like, subscribe, and consider becoming a channel member to support sustainable production. Links below to everything mentioned.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
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Surf Lending: Simplifying DeFi Borrowing and Leverage on Cardano
🎧 Surf Lending Interview – Timestamps00:00 – Intro: Welcome and overview of Surf Lending on Cardano01:00 – Phil’s background in crypto and running a Cardano stake pool03:50 – How Surf was founded and its connection with Bodega05:20 – What makes Surf different from other lending platforms08:10 – Isolated pools explained and how they reduce risk10:00 – Borrowing with native assets and adding collateral13:30 – Supplying ADA for higher returns16:20 – One-Click Leverage: simplifying DeFi looping19:50 – Future upgrades: repay with collateral & short positions23:10 – Meet the Surf development team and advisors26:00 – Bitcoin DeFi and partnership with Sundial Protocol28:00 – How to join and use the Surf platform31:20 – Closing thoughts and final thanksIn this episode, Pete speaks with Phil, founder of Surf, a new borrowing and lending protocol built on Cardano. Phil shares his background as a long-time crypto enthusiast and software developer, starting from his early days staking on Cardano’s ITN to running a successful stake pool. Drawing inspiration from platforms like Binance Lending, Phil explains how Surf was designed to bring a smoother, more user-friendly experience to decentralised lending on Cardano.Surf emerged when LenFi v2 went offline due to a vulnerability, leaving a gap in the ecosystem. The team seized the opportunity to introduce an isolated pool lending model, which limits risk to individual pools rather than the whole platform. Phil outlines how users can supply ADA to earn higher yields than traditional staking, or borrow against native assets like SNEK and Bodega tokens to unlock liquidity without selling their holdings.One of Surf’s standout innovations is the “One-Click Leverage” feature. It allows users to open leveraged positions in a single transaction instead of manually looping multiple borrow-and-swap steps. The team is also preparing a “repay with collateral” feature to simplify closing positions. These tools are designed for both experienced DeFi users and beginners, offering flexibility while maintaining safety through fixed-rate loans and isolated pools.Phil also highlights Surf’s partnership with Sundial Protocol to explore Bitcoin DeFi on Cardano, opening the door to new liquidity and cross-chain integrations. The conversation wraps up with insights on the project’s strong developer team—many with experience from Bodega and Strike Finance—and how community feedback continues to shape new features.Surf aims to make DeFi on Cardano simple, safe, and rewarding—whether you’re earning yield on your ADA or leveraging native assets with confidence.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
[00:00] Intro & ADA Price Surge [01:33] Strike Finance Brings High APR [05:26] Iagon OS Coming Soon [07:21] Update on Iagon Legal PoC [08:09] MPC Wallets for Cardano [11:22] Cardano Foundation Reeve [15:21] Cardano Spot ETF Update [17:17] Project Catalyst Fund 14 to Go Ahead [18:24] Updates from Hydra & Babel Fees [20:52] Watch Catchups: Cardano's Economic Sustainability [21:12] Charles on The Shawn Ryan Show [21:56] Meldgate Legal Proceedings Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/8qU5apu-WZwWelcome back! After a short break, this week’s episode brings you a massive update from the Cardano ecosystem. We kick off with the incredible growth of Strike Finance, which is now distributing over 2.88 million ADA in rewards annually to stakers. The platform’s top traders have earned over $100k in just two weeks, highlighting how powerful DeFi on Cardano has become.We also cover updates from Iagon, including their new Cyclone OS – a plug-and-play system for decentralised storage that’s designed for ease of use and future adoption by enterprise clients. Security and institutional access are front and centre with the Cardano Foundation’s MPC wallet partnership with Anzens and CypherBC. By splitting private key control among multiple parties, this solution helps onboard institutional capital into Cardano DeFi with tokens like MIN and IAG.Then we look at Reeve, the Cardano Foundation’s new blockchain-based financial reporting system. Reeve allows organisations to publish verifiable, on-chain reports. The Foundation used it to publish its own 2024 report, showcasing 659M ADA in assets. Other stories include:SEC’s ETF delay and Grayscale’s legal response.Project Catalyst Fund 14 preps for launch.Hydra and Babel fees advancing smoother token transactions.Meld’s collapse and the legal fallout via MeldGate.com.Plus, we highlight new video resources from the Berlin Hackathon and Charles Hoskinson’s recent interviews. Don’t miss this essential update if you want to stay informed about Cardano’s rapid evolution in 2025.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
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MLabs Pisa Brings Babel Fees to Cardano DeFi
Timestamps00:00 – Introduction00:28 – What are Babel Fees?01:56 – MLabs’ Leaner Approach: Pisa02:24 – How Pisa Works02:52 – Wallet & DApp Integration Goals03:19 – Example Use Case04:19 – Pisa User Experience05:12 – Integration Options06:09 – Confirming ADA Is Still Used Under the Hood06:37 – SPO Involvement?07:34 – How Pisa Handles Transactions08:31 – What Users Receive09:30 – Pisa Fees & Revenue Model11:09 – Support for Long-Tail Tokens12:07 – Developer Integration Effort13:35 – Target Audience & SDKs14:05 – Pisa Launch Timeline14:33 – Upcoming CIP Standard15:27 – Closing RemarksIn this episode, I speak with Ben Hart, Chase, and Luke from MLabs about Pisa – their smart contract implementation of Babel fees on Cardano. Pisa allows users to pay for transaction fees, minimum ADA, and collateral using native tokens instead of ADA. The smart contract handles real-time token swaps behind the scenes and returns a ready-to-submit transaction. No changes to the Cardano ledger are required. SPOs are involved as normal, and there’s no batching – just seamless UX. Developers can integrate Pisa with a few lines of code via HTTP API or an upcoming NPM package. Topics include:What Babel fees areHow Pisa improves the user experienceDifferences from other solutions like AquariumDeveloper integration and the planned CIPLaunch timelines and supported tokensPisa launches within 60 days and is set to improve onboarding for wallets, DeFi apps, and games across Cardano.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
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10 Ways Midnight and Bitcoin DeFi Will Transform Cardano
00:00 Midnight and Bitcoin DeFi to set Cardano soaring02:22 Massive Liquidty Injection03:22 Trigger ADA Fueled Activity 05:31 Increased Staking Participation 06:56 Self Custody 07:55 Wallet Numbers Skyrocketing 09:06 DEX Volume Exploding 09:57 Increased Fees and Network Usage 10:31 L2 Adoption 11:35 Newcomers 12:34 Delegate to My DRep Profile 13:06 Shoutout to Members 13:26 Stake Your ADA at ADAOZ 13:55 Listen on Spotify Midnight and Bitcoin DeFi are about to transform Cardano — and in this video, we break down exactly how. Peter shares the top 10 impacts that these two major developments will have on the Cardano ecosystem. With the NIGHT token being airdropped into Cardano wallets and new Bitcoin-wrapping protocols entering the scene, users will see big changes in how they use and interact with DeFi on Cardano. Topics covered in this episode:Liquidity injection from Bitcoin holders and NIGHT token distributionADA usage increase as users pay for DeFi activityGrowth of Babel fee systems like Aquarium and FeeserMore users staking ADA, Bitcoin, and NIGHTUsers shifting to self-custody wallets to qualify for airdropsMillions of new wallets expectedDEX volume exploding from NIGHT and stablecoin swapsHigher network fees and congestion — but also more rewards for SPOsReal usage of Hydra and Mithril Layer 2 solutionsNewcomers joining Cardano and needing education and protectionWhether you're a long-time ADA holder or brand new to the ecosystem, this episode gives you the insights you need to prepare for what's next. Support the channel by delegating to the ADAOZ stake pool or delegating governance to Peter’s DRep profile. Learn more at https://learncardano.io.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
The Learn Cardano Podcast is about the Cardano blockchain and all its aspects, from staking, stake pool operations, smart contracts, and coding in Plutus to voting in Project Catalyst. If you have heard about Bitcoin and Ethereum but haven’t heard of Cardano, this podcast is for you. We’ll have news updates from the project, interviews with key Cardano leadership, community members, stake pool operators and step-by-step how-to guides to understand aspects of Cardano better.Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review. Find all of the show notes at https://learncardano.io.DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or legal advice. I am not affiliated with, nor compensated by, the project discussed—no tokens, payments, or incentives received. I do not hold a stake in the project, including private or future allocations. All views are my own, based on public information. Always do your own research and consult a licensed advisor before investing. Crypto investments carry high risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. I am not responsible for any decisions you make based on this content.🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq8FhvxET2k Subscribe to the audio podcast:🔗 https://bit.ly/learncardano-spotify 🔗 https://apple.co/3jEPM8C 🔗 https://learncardano.io/ Follow on Social:🔗 https://x.com/learncardano 🔗 https://facebook.com/learncardano
Netherlands