Key Insights
- •In the latest Ethereum news, Lido v3 brings ETH staking model closer to the Cardano design.
- •DeFi data shows wide liquidity differences between both networks.
- •Charles Hoskinson outlines his Cardano coordinated growth plan for 2026.
Ethereum and Cardano are drawing attention as developers and community voices discuss how both networks deal with structural issues.
Recent comments shared online highlight changes in Ethereum’s staking model, Cardano’s early design choices, and the direction Charles Hoskinson has set for the ecosystem in 2026.
Staking Models Draw Comparisons in Ongoing Ethereum News
Ethereum news currently focuses on the way Ethereum and Cardano approach structural inefficiency.
The talk grew after comments from analysts who noted that Lido’s v3 upgrade brings Ethereum closer to a model that looks similar to what Cardano has used for years.
According to the update, Lido now allows permissionless pool creation. The update gives operators a chance to build their own vaults and handle their own setup.
Cardano has worked this way from the start, as anyone can form a stake pool and take part in the process.
Risk is also handled in a comparable way. Lido v3 separates each vault so that a problem in one area does not spill into the rest of the system.
Cardano already uses a setup where each pool carries its own risk, and failure does not spread beyond that pool.
Based on this development, users now have more choice on Ethereum. Lido v3 gives people the option to select the vault and operator they prefer.
Cardano follows this model as well, as delegators choose their own stake pool and move their stake when they want.
Still, market watchers point out that Ethereum added liquid staking tokens to deal with locked staking.
This created an extra financial layer. Many DeFi platforms now depend on these tokens, which could add more risk if an issue develops in one protocol.
Meanwhile, Cardano does not rely on liquid staking tokens. It does not use slashing or lockups, so the base system does not need extra layers to operate.
DeFi Data Shows Different Liquidity Between Ethereum & ADA
To complement the Ethereum news, a chart shared online compared total value locked on the two networks. Ethereum held more than $65 billion, while Cardano held around $178 million.
Many observers focused only on the size gap, but others offered a different reading.
Cardano has low stablecoin liquidity. It has limited outside incentives and does not use large reward programs to draw temporary liquidity.
Even so, it holds nearly $180 million in value supplied by its own users and early builders. Some analysts see this as a sign of early growth rather than a weakness.
Community voices say the network has room to grow once stablecoins, bridges, oracles, and other parts of the base infrastructure expand.
They view the current numbers as the early stage of a system that has not used its full capacity.
Meanwhile, some market watchers are looking at how it could influence the Ethereum price, which is currently trading at $2,809.
Charles Hoskinson Outlines Cardano Direction for 2026
Charles Hoskinson spoke about Cardano’s roadmap for 2026 in a recent community update.
He described a plan built around five groups: Cardano Foundation, Emurgo, Input Output, Midnight Foundation, and Intersect. The plan is meant to help the ecosystem work in a more organized way.
Charles Hokinson said the network needs stablecoins, bridges, analytics tools, and oracles to take part in wider markets.
These projects require skilled teams and steady funding.
He explained that joint planning across the five Cardano groups could make it easier to secure deals and complete the integrations the ecosystem needs.
A set of 10 to 15 DeFi projects was highlighted as well. Many groups need help with funding, staffing, user experience, and market access.
Hoskinson said these projects could show what the network can do if they receive enough support.
He pointed to areas such as privacy tools, cross-chain liquidity, and better communication with institutions as possible ways to expand the ecosystem.
Hoskinson closed by saying that Cardano could see stronger growth in 2026 if the groups involved follow a shared plan, support core teams, and complete the needed integrations.