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The Cardano Foundation has delegated 220 million ADA to 11 Delegated Representatives (DReps), shifting governance power to the community.
Specifically, the delegations target the Adoption and Operations governance pillars of Cardano. As a result, the restructuring reduces the Foundation’s overall voting power and transfers a majority of influence to community participants.
Notably, this announcement represents the first tangible milestone in the Cardano Foundation’s governance roadmap. It further reinforces Cardano’s broader transition toward a decentralized, community-led governance model.
Key Points
- Cardano Foundation delegated 220 million ADA to 11 DReps, with each receiving 20 million coins.
- Priority is given to Adoption and Operations DReps.
- The move now brings the Foundation’s total delegation to the community to 360 million.
- The Foundation also self-delegated approximately 171 million ADA to eliminate passive voting.
Cardano Foundation Delegates 220 Million ADA to 11 DReps
This week, the Cardano Foundation revealed that it has delegated 220 million ADA to 11 DReps, increasing its total delegation to 360 million ADA. According to the announcement, each selected DRep, focused on Adoption or Operations, will receive approximately 20 million ADA.
Among the beneficiaries are Patrick Tobler (NMKR & Masumi), Goofycrisp (Snek), Florian Volery (Liqwid), James Meidinger (Mehen Finance / USDM), and Dave (DAVE Pool).
Through this move, the Foundation aims to ensure that decisions shaping Cardano’s future reflect a broader mix of expertise, incentives, and community perspectives.
Today, we reached the first milestone in the Cardano Foundation's governance roadmap.
We've just delegated an additional 220 million ada to 11 selected DReps. All of them focus on either Adoption or Operations.
Read the full announcement: https://t.co/1W2m4PD1LD
— Cardano Foundation (@Cardano_CF) January 20, 2026
Why Adoption and Operations Matter
Prioritizing Adoption and Operations signals a governance model that now extends beyond core protocol development. Adoption-focused DReps include stake pool operators (SPOs) and ecosystem builders who drive real-world utility and onboard users into the Cardano ecosystem.
This approach aligns with the Foundation’s 2025/2026 adoption strategy. According to its roadmap, the Foundation plans a major expansion into real-world assets (RWAs), committing $10 million to Cardano-based RWA initiatives following its partnership with MembersCap.
Last year, the Foundation also announced plans to allocate an eight-figure commitment in ADA to strengthen stablecoin liquidity across the ecosystem.
Additionally, Operations-focused DReps bring hands-on expertise in the network’s daily management and security. Their involvement helps ensure that governance decisions remain grounded in operational reality.
Cardano already ranks among the industry’s most secure blockchain networks and has not suffered any full, prolonged network-wide outages since its 2017 mainnet launch. By delegating ADA to Operations DReps, the Foundation aims to preserve and strengthen this track record.
Ending Passive ADA in Governance
Meanwhile, the Foundation adjusted its own voting posture. Rather than leaving a portion of its treasury on auto-abstain, it self-delegated approximately 171 million ADA, ensuring that all Foundation-held assets actively participate in governance.
Although this self-delegation exceeds earlier estimates, the net effect remains a 43 million ADA reduction in the Foundation’s overall voting dominance. Consequently, the majority of its ADA holdings now empower community DReps instead of reinforcing internal control.
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