The Cardano Foundation Is Expanding Its Global Initiatives Through Network Expansions

The Cardano Foundation is expanding its global initiatives through network integrations and an academic collaboration to advance blockchain research and practical applications.

After announcing several European integrations in March, the Foundation unveiled multiple partnerships across Europe and Latin America at the beginning of April. These partnerships expand Cardano’s reach in both the financial and academic sectors.

Europe Integrations Continue With Liechtenstein Exchange and France Platform

April saw several new integrations highlighting the growing adoption of Cardano’s native assets and staking features. A regulated exchange based in Liechtenstein has now launched a dedicated Cardano ecosystem page on its platform. This new section includes a selection of Cardano-native tokens and their corresponding projects, offering users in European markets greater insight into the blockchain’s ecosystem.

Moreover, Meria Finance, a French financial technology company, has announced the integration of on-chain ADA staking into its platform. This move allows Meria’s users to directly stake their Cardano (ADA) tokens and earn passive rewards.

The integration expands staking access to a broader financial audience. It also marks Meria’s first major integration with Cardano since entering the cryptocurrency market in 2017.

The partnership between the Cardano Foundation and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) in Brazil is a significant initiative establishing a leading academic institution in Latin America. Together, they will be exploring the technology and its potential across various industries.

The partnership will focus on areas where the Cardano Foundation typically invests, including the role of blockchain technology in the financial sector, digital assets, decentralized autonomous organisations (DAOs), and blockchain economics.

One joint project will involve cooperation with Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned oil company, to research blockchain-based energy production and consumption solutions. The project aims to explore applications in renewable energy and improve transparency, efficiency, and security in the sector.

PUC-Rio’s Ledger Labs will be the pivotal partner. As part of the initiative, the Cardano Foundation will support the development of Ada Labs for Blockchain Applications (A.L.B.A.), a laboratory modelled after a similar initiative in Argentina. The labs will be the center of joint research and technical experimentation activities and blockchain-oriented educational courses.

The partnership will also promote public engagement through joint activities, collaborative research, and community development projects. Such activities link academia to real-world use cases for blockchain and foster cross-sector knowledge sharing.