Solayer is making a very deliberate move into the next phase of its life.

 

The Solana-native project has launched the alpha version of its InfiniSVM mainnet and announced a $35 million ecosystem fund to bring builders, capital, and activity onto the network. Taken together, the message is clear. Solayer is no longer just experimenting on the edges of Solana, it is aiming to become a serious piece of high performance financial infrastructure.

 

For a project that started out focused on restaking, this is a notable pivot. And so far, it looks like a well-timed one.

 

From Restaking Experiment to Infrastructure Play

Solayer first entered the picture as a restaking protocol on Solana, offering users a way to put staked SOL to work securing additional services. The idea resonated quickly, especially in a market hungry for capital efficiency.

 

But behind the scenes, the team was already thinking bigger. Restaking was only the starting point. Over time, Solayer began layering in financial products, payments tooling, and quality-of-service concepts tied directly to stake. Each addition pointed in the same direction: building infrastructure, not just yield strategies.

 

InfiniSVM is the clearest expression of that shift.

 

Why InfiniSVM Matters

At a high level, InfiniSVM is Solayer’s take on pushing the Solana Virtual Machine beyond what typical software-only blockchain setups can handle. Instead of relying entirely on standard execution environments, Solayer leans heavily into hardware acceleration and high-speed networking.

 

The goal is not just higher throughput, although the numbers being discussed are eye-catching. The real focus is latency. Solayer wants transactions to feel immediate, finality to be near-instant, and on-chain systems to behave more like traditional financial infrastructure.

 

That matters if you believe the next wave of crypto adoption comes from things like real-time trading, payments, and institutional workflows. These are areas where delays are costly and reliability is non-negotiable.

 

Just as important, InfiniSVM stays fully compatible with the Solana Virtual Machine. Developers building for Solana do not need to rethink their stack to deploy on Solayer, which lowers friction and keeps Solayer tightly connected to Solana’s liquidity and tooling.

 

Mainnet Alpha, Now Live

The InfiniSVM mainnet alpha is live, giving developers a chance to test what this architecture can actually do in production. While alpha networks are, by definition, still evolving, Solayer is already supporting live applications and cross-network connectivity designed to move assets quickly across SVM environments.

 

The team has been careful not to oversell this stage. The alpha is a foundation, not a finish line. Performance tuning, validator expansion, and decentralization will all come over time. Still, getting a live network into the hands of builders is an important milestone, and one many projects never quite reach.

 

Backing the Ecosystem With $35 Million

Alongside the mainnet launch, Solayer introduced a $35 million ecosystem fund aimed squarely at builders. The fund is designed to support teams working across DeFi, payments, real-world assets, and emerging financial applications that need speed and scale.

 

What stands out is the hands-on approach. Solayer is pairing capital with engineering support and accelerator-style programs, signaling that it wants serious builders who plan to push the limits of the network, not just deploy quick forks.

 

The timing feels intentional. With the network live, the next challenge is usage. The fund is meant to shorten the gap between infrastructure and real economic activity.

 

A Crowded, But Promising Landscape

Solayer is entering a space that is getting more competitive by the month. Several teams are exploring new ways to extend the Solana Virtual Machine through app chains, execution layers, and modular designs.

 

Solayer’s angle is clear. It is betting on extreme performance and financial use cases first. That focus sets it apart and plays to Solana’s broader reputation for speed, while pushing the ceiling higher than most existing networks.

 

If real-time on-chain finance becomes a meaningful category, Solayer looks well positioned to benefit.

 

The Road Ahead

There is still plenty of work ahead. Solayer will need to prove that its performance claims hold up under sustained load, that developers stay engaged, and that decentralization keeps pace with growth.

 

But with a live mainnet, meaningful funding behind the ecosystem, and a clear technical vision, Solayer is starting this next chapter from a position of strength.

 

In a market crowded with half-built infrastructure and big promises, Solayer is doing something refreshingly straightforward. It shipped a network, backed it with capital, and invited builders to see what happens next.

Cardano and Draper Dragon Are Making a Serious Bet on Global Adoption

 

Cardano has talked for years about building real world infrastructure, institutional grade DeFi, and sustainable on chain growth. This week, it put real numbers behind that vision.

In a newly published governance proposal, the Cardano Foundation outlined a strategic partnership with Draper Dragon and Draper University to launch a long term ecosystem investment vehicle targeting up to $80 million. If approved by the community, it would become one of the largest and most structured ecosystem funds ever attempted by a Layer 1 network.

The goal is simple on paper and ambitious in practice: use treasury capital not just to fund grants, but to invest like a professional venture fund, grow real businesses on Cardano, and ultimately return capital and profits back to the Cardano treasury itself.

For a blockchain ecosystem that has often been criticized as slow moving or overly academic, this proposal signals a clear shift toward execution, markets, and measurable outcomes.

 

What is actually being proposed

At the center of the plan is the  Cardano x Draper Dragon Ecosystem Fund, a multi year investment fund designed to back Cardano aligned startups from early accelerator stages through pre Series A.

The total target size is $80 million. Of that, $75 million would come from the Cardano treasury, deployed gradually over at least six years. The remaining $5 million would be raised from external limited partners, mainly strategic investors rather than passive capital.

This is not framed as a one off spend. The fund is explicitly designed to operate like a venture vehicle, with equity and token investments, portfolio construction, follow on support, and an expectation of returns. If the fund performs, capital flows back to the treasury, not out of the ecosystem.

That distinction matters.

 

Why Cardano is doing this now

For years, Cardano has relied heavily on grants, community programs, and infrastructure funding. Those tools helped bootstrap the ecosystem, but they also created a gap.

Many teams could build prototypes, but struggled to scale, raise follow on capital, or break into global markets. Grants alone do not solve distribution, liquidity, or institutional credibility.

This fund is designed to fill that gap.

Instead of asking builders to leave the ecosystem once they outgrow grants, Cardano wants to offer a full pipeline: education, early capital, growth support, and access to a global venture network.

It also aligns closely with Cardano’s broader 2030 strategy, which is increasingly focused on hard KPIs like total value locked, monthly active users, transaction volume, and real revenue.

In short, this is Cardano saying it wants to compete not just on research and decentralization, but on adoption and outcomes.

 

The structure is unusually deliberate for crypto

One of the most notable aspects of the proposal is how traditional it is, in a good way.

The fund would be managed by Draper Dragon through a standard GP and LP structure. Draper Dragon would handle investment decisions, portfolio management, and execution. The Cardano Foundation would not pick deals or manage capital. Its role is governance coordination, ecosystem support, and ensuring the treasury’s interests are represented.

The treasury itself would participate through a special purpose vehicle set up specifically to hold the fund interest for Cardano’s economic benefit.

This separation of roles is important. It reduces conflicts, clarifies accountability, and aligns the structure with how institutional venture capital actually works.

Crypto has seen plenty of ecosystem funds announced with vague mandates and little follow through. This one reads like it was designed by people who have actually run funds before.

 

How the money gets deployed

The proposed allocation of the $75 million treasury portion is broken down clearly.

Roughly $50 million is earmarked for direct investments into startups building on Cardano. These would range from post accelerator teams to companies approaching Series A, with flexibility to adapt as markets change.

About $11.5 million is allocated to growth capital. This is where things get interesting. Growth capital can be used for exchange introductions, liquidity strategy, marketing support, partnerships, and hands on help scaling products. This is the unglamorous but critical work that often determines whether a project actually gains users.

Another $6 million is dedicated to education and talent development. This includes a structured accelerator program and a shorter Hacker House format designed to turn developers into founders.

The rest covers management fees and operational expenses, which are laid out transparently and capped.

What stands out is that unspent funds from one category can be recycled into others. If fewer educational dollars are needed in a given year, more can flow into direct investments. The capital stays productive.

 

The Draper advantage

Draper Dragon brings something Cardano has historically lacked: deep, global venture connectivity.

Founded in 2006, Draper Dragon sits within the broader Draper network and has experience investing across Asia, the US, and emerging markets. Draper University adds an education layer that is tightly integrated with venture funding, not bolted on as an afterthought.

That combination matters for Cardano’s ambitions around real world assets, institutional DeFi, and enterprise adoption. These are not purely crypto native markets. They require regulatory awareness, credible founders, and relationships outside the usual Web3 bubble.

This partnership is effectively Cardano buying itself a seat inside a global venture ecosystem, rather than trying to build one from scratch.

 

External investors are a feature, not a bug

Some community members may ask why any outside investors are involved at all.

The answer is leverage.

The proposal allows up to $5 million from external limited partners. These are positioned as strategic investors who bring more than money. Think exchanges, infrastructure providers, family offices, and ecosystem funds that can open doors.

In practical terms, this helps Cardano projects access liquidity, users, and partnerships faster. It also signals to the market that Cardano is investable, not just ideologically interesting.

Importantly, the treasury remains the dominant LP. The ecosystem is not being diluted. It is being amplified.

 

Returns, accountability, and transparency

The fund targets venture style returns, roughly a 3x gross multiple and a 25 percent plus internal rate of return. Those numbers are ambitious, but not unrealistic in early stage crypto investing if execution is strong.

More importantly, the proposal commits to regular public reporting. That includes quarterly updates, ecosystem KPIs, program outcomes, and ongoing community engagement through AMAs and open forums.

Not everything can be public. Deal terms and valuations are sensitive by nature. But the intent is clear: this is not meant to be a black box.

Over time, the team has even floated the idea of on chain verification of certain fund data, which would be a meaningful innovation if delivered.

 

Risks are real, but so is the upside

No venture fund is risk free. Returns are uneven. Markets change. Governance processes introduce delays. Crypto adds volatility on top of all of that.

But the alternative is stagnation.

Without a structured way to support teams beyond grants, ecosystems tend to lose their best builders to better funded chains. This proposal directly addresses that risk.

It also introduces something crypto treasuries rarely attempt: recycling capital instead of just spending it.

If successful, this fund could become a blueprint not just for Cardano, but for how decentralized networks think about long term sustainability.

 

Why this matters beyond Cardano

Zooming out, this proposal reflects a broader maturation of the crypto industry.

The era of infinite incentives and short term hype is fading. Networks are being forced to think like economies, not marketing campaigns.

Cardano partnering with Draper Dragon is a statement that serious adoption requires serious capital allocation, professional management, and patience.

This is not about chasing the next cycle. It is about building companies, users, and revenue that still matter years from now.

 

If the community approves it, Cardano will be making one of the boldest governance backed investments in its own future that the industry has seen.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Monad Raises Massive Funding From Token Public Sale, Mainnet Launches Today

 

The Layer-1 ecosystem is heating up again, and one of the most closely-watched networks of 2025 has just taken a major leap forward. MON token from Monad recently raised hundreds of millions in its public token sale ahead of the mainnet launch on November 24, 2025. The fundraising, sale mechanics and launch blueprint all signal that Monad is positioning itself for serious competition in the high-throughput, Ethereum-compatible blockchain landscape.

 

Funding and Token Sale: What’s Going On

Monad has completed its token sale on Coinbase, raising $269 million from over 85,000 participants. The Ethereum-compatible layer-1 blockchain exceeded its initial fundraising goal of $187 million. The public token sale itself offers 7.5 billion MON (7.5 % of total supply) at $0.025 per token, implying a fully diluted valuation of roughly $2.5 billion if fully subscribed.

The sale is being hosted on Coinbase’s newly launched regulated token-launch platform, accessible in more than 80 countries including the U.S. Participation rules include a minimum bid of $100, a maximum bid of $100,000, and a special allocation algorithm that prioritizes smaller bids to encourage broad retail access.

Additional mechanics include a short lock-up period for early sales, token airdrops for eligible participants, and clear vesting schedules for team and investor holdings. More than 50.6 % of the total 100 billion MON token supply is locked at launch, aimed at reducing short-term sell pressure and promoting longer-term alignment.

 

 

Mainnet Launch

Monad will transition from testnet to mainnet on November 24, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET, at the same time that the token generation event (TGE) occurs and tokens begin circulating. The network claims to be EVM-compatible, supporting Ethereum smart contracts and tooling, while aiming for consumer-grade performance: up to 10,000 transactions per second, sub-second finality, and near-zero gas fees according to project declarations.

At launch day:

• Airdrop recipients (nearly 225,000 users) will receive allocations.

• Major wallets and infrastructure providers will support MON token listing and staking.

• Exchanges have confirmed day-one trading including major platforms.

• Validator network setup is expected to begin with dozens or hundreds of operators entering.

 

The Layer-1 Race Heats Up

Monad’s token sale and launch combination matter for several reasons:

Institutionalized Public Token Sales

Hosting a public sale on Coinbase’s newly acquired token-launch platform represents a shift in how crypto networks raise capital. Rather than opaque private rounds, Monad’s model offers transparent, regulated sale mechanics, broad retail access, and a clear timing path from fundraising to utility.

Mobile-First, Developer-Friendly Infrastructure

By emphasizing full Ethereum Virtual Machine compatibility combined with high performance throughput, Monad attempts to marry developer familiarity (Solidity, EVM tooling) with consumer-grade speed and economics. For networks seeking to capture the next billion users, that is meaningful.

Trading and Market Momentum

Pre-market trading already indicates strong interest: speculative pricing and volumes on decentralized platforms show early demand. With listing day set and a clear public sale price, market participants will watch supply, demand, unlock schedules and ecosystem activity.

 

Tokenomics and Ecosystem Design

Monad’s tokenomics are highly structured:

• Total supply: 100 billion MON.

• Public sale: 7.5 billion MON (7.5%).

• Community airdrop: 3.3%.

• Ecosystem development: 38.5%.

• Team: 27% (vested over multiple years).

• Investors: 19.7%.

• Treasury/operational reserves: ~4%.
  Most tokens are locked and scheduled for long-term vesting. Staking eligibility excludes locked tokens, emphasizing alignment with network growth rather than immediate rewards.

From launch, the network plans to focus on developer grants, validator onboarding, liquidity incentives, and building DeFi and application ecosystems that plug into MON as gas, staking and governance.

 

What's Next For Monad?

Key milestone indicators for Monad include:

• Token listing on major exchanges and initial trading volume.

• Developer uptake and dApp deployment in the first weeks post-launch.

• Validator participation, decentralization metrics and network security.

• Actual performance metrics (throughput, latency, fees) under live network conditions.

• Ecosystem partnerships, liquidity provider commitments and early DeFi builds.

• Token unlock schedule and market behavior around early vesting cliff dates.

 

Final Thoughts

Monad’s recent token sale and upcoming mainnet launch mark a major event in the blockchain infrastructure calendar of 2025. With transparent public access to a high-profile Layer-1, regulated platform hosting, and performance promises built for the next wave of adoption, the project is positioning itself for meaningful impact.

For both retail and institutional participants tracking the Layer-1 race this year, Monad deserves attention. While execution risks remain material, the alignment of sale mechanics, infrastructure timing and market access may make this one of the most significant network launches of the year.

 

If the network hits its targets, the ripple effects across ecosystem activity, token value and developer migration could be substantial. The countdown to November 24 is now on—and with it, a major chapter begins for a new entrant into the blockchain infrastructure space.

 

Stay Connected

You can stay up to date on all News, Events, and Marketing of Rare Network, including Rare Evo: America’s Premier Blockchain Conference, happening  July 28th-31st, 2026 at The ARIA Resort & Casino, by following our socials on X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

The team behind Kadena announced that it will cease operations and end active maintenance of the Kadena blockchain. While the network will continue to run independently, the company confirmed it can no longer sustain operations or fund development.

Following the announcement, the KDA token suffered a steep drop of nearly half its value in a single day, signaling a major loss of market confidence.

The statement emphasized that the Kadena blockchain itself is not owned or controlled by any single entity and will continue through its decentralized miner network. However, the departure of the core company leaves its future uncertain.

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What Kadena Was Built to Be

Kadena launched in 2020 as a proof-of-work smart contract platform designed to combine high throughput with Bitcoin-level security. Its unique Chainweb architecture braided multiple parallel chains together to scale transaction capacity without compromising decentralization.

Founded by former JPMorgan blockchain engineers Stuart Popejoy and Will Martino, Kadena aimed to become the “blockchain for business.” The project positioned itself as a next-generation Layer 1 solution blending enterprise reliability with decentralized power.

At its peak, Kadena’s token reached multi-billion-dollar valuations and was considered one of the most promising proof-of-work alternatives to Ethereum.

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Why the Shutdown Happened

Market Pressures

The company cited prolonged market weakness and funding challenges as reasons for ending operations. Maintaining a Layer 1 blockchain in a competitive market proved too difficult without consistent capital inflows or large-scale user adoption.

Ecosystem Struggles

Despite technical innovation, Kadena struggled to build a large developer community or attract mainstream decentralized applications. Competing with dominant ecosystems like Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche drained resources without producing strong network effects.

Investor Uncertainty

With the company’s withdrawal, token holders now face an uncertain future. Questions remain about who will maintain core code, manage token economics, or coordinate future upgrades.

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What Happens Next

The network will remain operational through miners and independent developers, though without centralized coordination. A new node update has been released to ensure continued block production and validation.

For token holders, the drastic price drop highlights a critical loss of trust. Without a clear business roadmap or dedicated funding, the KDA token’s value may continue to fluctuate heavily.

Projects building on Kadena face new risks. Without official support, development resources, or grant programs, teams may migrate to more active blockchains.

The broader crypto industry will likely view Kadena’s collapse as a warning for small and mid-tier Layer 1 ecosystems: strong technology alone is not enough without traction, liquidity, and community scale.

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The Road Ahead

The Kadena community will now play a key role in determining what happens next. Miners can continue maintaining the network, and community developers may take over tooling and governance.

For investors, the key will be transparency around future token releases, mining rewards, and whether an independent foundation or collective steps in to oversee development.

The collapse also raises questions about sustainability in the blockchain sector. Dozens of alternative networks launched during the 2021 boom now face similar financial pressure, and many may follow the same path.

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Final Outlook

Kadena’s story is a cautionary example of the challenges facing emerging blockchains. It had cutting-edge technology, a clear mission, and respected founders, but lacked the long-term business model and ecosystem growth needed to survive.

The network will continue to exist, but without its founding company, its future depends entirely on the strength of its community and miners. The KDA token crash represents not just lost value but a shift in how blockchain projects must evolve to stay viable.

 

If the community can organize around governance, funding, and developer growth, Kadena could yet find a second life as a truly decentralized network. If not, it risks joining the list of once-promising chains that faded after their founding teams moved on.