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ADA price jumps as Cardano launches first Bitcoin DeFi protocol

  • Cardano launches Cardinal Protocol, enabling BTC use in DeFi without bridges.
  • ADA’s price surges as Cardinal adoption grows across major Cardano DeFi platforms.
  • Cardinal ensures secure, non-custodial BTC staking and lending.

Cardano has taken a major leap in the decentralized finance world with the launch of its first Bitcoin DeFi protocol, Cardinal, triggering a sharp rise in the price and trading volume of ADA.

The Bitcoin DeFi protocol was first unveiled by Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, during the Bitcoin 2025 conference, where a live demo showcased a bridgeless BTC-to-Cardano transaction using the new system. The protocol is now live.

The news quickly rippled through the market, lifting ADA’s price by nearly 4% within 24 hours and pushing its trading volume to over $700 million, according to DefiLlama and market tracking data.

Adding fuel to ADA’s bullish momentum is its recent inclusion in the Nasdaq cryptocurrency index, something that is driving institutional interest.

Cardinal brings Bitcoin to Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem

For the first time, Bitcoin holders can now access decentralized finance services on Cardano without going through centralized custodians or third-party bridges.

Developed by Input Output (IOHK), Cardinal wraps Bitcoin’s unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) into pegged tokens that users can stake, lend, or borrow while retaining full control over their assets.

The protocol employs the MuSig2 multi-signature scheme to handle peg-in and peg-out processes securely, ensuring the original Bitcoin remains locked on its native blockchain.

Because of this trust-minimized design, Cardinal is seen as a major innovation compared to traditional wrapped Bitcoin solutions that depend heavily on custodial infrastructure.

Wrapped UTXOs and cross-chain compatibility

What sets Cardinal apart is its ability to handle Wrapped UTXOs in a manner that remains transparent and secure while offering flexibility in how users reclaim their native Bitcoin or Ordinals.

These wrapped tokens are not only pegged 1:1 with BTC, but they can also be burned at any time by users to retrieve their original assets through a verifiable process.

Cardinal also uses BitVMX, an off-chain execution system, to bridge Bitcoin’s scripting limitations and enable interactions with Cardano’s smart contracts.

Furthermore, this approach facilitates compatibility with other blockchains such as Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, expanding the reach of Bitcoin within multi-chain DeFi environments.

Cardano DeFi platforms are already adopting Cardinal

Major Cardano-based DeFi platforms including MinswapDEX, SundaeSwap, and Fluid Tokens have already integrated Cardinal, giving users the ability to farm, lend, and trade Bitcoin-linked assets directly.

With this integration, Bitcoin can now be used as collateral, traded for other native tokens, or even employed in NFT and Ordinal markets without compromising security or history.

Technical director Romain Pellerin emphasized that while Cardinal is already transformative, future upgrades will focus on wallet integration, zero-knowledge proofs, and increased liquidity.

These enhancements are expected to deepen the protocol’s appeal and strengthen Cardano’s position in the broader DeFi landscape.

The post ADA price jumps as Cardano launches first Bitcoin DeFi protocol appeared first on CoinJournal.

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Bitcoin Pepe presale sees strong momentum as South Korean lawmaker introduces new crypto bill

  • Bitcoin Pepe aims to combine the security of the Bitcoin network with Solana-like scalability.
  • So far, the crypto project’s presale has attracted more than $14 million in funding.
  • The project is expected to make a listing announcement on June 17.

Bitcoin surged to its highest level this month on Monday, breaking above $110,000 and reversing last week’s losses to trade just 2% below its May all-time high.

As of Tuesday, the world’s largest cryptocurrency had climbed 3.4% over the previous 24 hours, turning a steady advance into a sharp rally. Ethereum also saw strong gains, rising 7% to trade above $2,620.

Notably, the rally unfolded even as US equities remained muted, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both trading flat.

Bitcoin is showing signs of a major rebound as global efforts to establish clearer regulatory frameworks for digital assets gain momentum.

In this improving regulatory climate, retail investors are increasingly pivoting toward high-upside tokens such as Bitcoin Pepe, which is now in the final stretch of its presale.

Speculative capital continues to flow into early-stage crypto projects, with traders seeking momentum-driven plays that offer the potential for outsized returns.

South Korean lawmaker introduces new crypto bill

A South Korean lawmaker introduced a new bill on Tuesday aimed at strengthening the country’s regulatory framework for digital assets, including the establishment of a licensing regime for stablecoin issuers.

Min Byeong-deok, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, announced the legislation, titled the Digital Asset Basic Act, at a press conference, positioning it as a foundational measure to help South Korea lead in the global digital economy.

The bill builds on the Virtual Asset Investor Protection Act, which came into force in July 2024 and primarily focused on safeguarding investors.

The new proposal shifts focus toward creating a structured ecosystem by setting out clearer operational guidelines for participants in the crypto market.

One of the central features of the legislation is a mandatory licensing framework for stablecoin issuers.

Under the proposal, issuers would need to maintain a minimum of 500 million Korean won (approximately $367,890) in owners’ capital to qualify for a license.

This initiative is in line with President Lee Jae-myung’s campaign pledge to promote a won-denominated stablecoin market as a way to stem capital outflows linked to foreign currency-pegged stablecoins.

Bitcoin Pepe’s presale shows no signs of slowing

As the regulatory climate around digital assets improves, it could bring much-needed visibility and legitimacy to the broader meme coin market, shifting perceptions of such tokens from instruments of pure speculation to structured, investment-grade assets operating under regulatory oversight.

This credibility boost stands to directly benefit technically focused projects like Bitcoin Pepe, which aim to separate themselves from the hype-driven pack.

Positioned as the first meme-centric Layer 2 built on Bitcoin, Bitcoin Pepe combines the security of the Bitcoin network with the scalability of Solana-style architecture.

Its goal to “build Solana on Bitcoin” underscores an ambitious technical roadmap that goes beyond the typical meme coin narrative.

By fusing cultural relevance with infrastructure-level innovation, the project is carving out a distinct position in an increasingly saturated sector.

So far, the presale has attracted more than $14 million in funding, with the BPEP token currently priced at 0.0396.

To strengthen its Layer 2 ecosystem, Bitcoin Pepe has also secured several strategic partnerships with various projects, including Super Meme, GemuPlay, GETE Network, Catamoto, and Plena Finance.

The post Bitcoin Pepe presale sees strong momentum as South Korean lawmaker introduces new crypto bill appeared first on CoinJournal.