Public Layer 1 blockchain utilizing proof-of-work, Kadena has announced a $50 million grant initiative aimed at advancing developments in its Chainweb Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and blockchain solutions incorporating artificial intelligence. The program invites applications from developers, entrepreneurs, projects, and institutions through an open-access portal, offering equity-free funding. This initiative builds upon Kadena’s scalable, low-fee, parallel-chain architecture.
Of the total funding, $25 million is allocated to support the compliant issuance of tokenized RWAs. Eligible projects may include tokenization of financial instruments such as debt, government bonds, and money market funds, as well as real estate and non-traditional assets like art and collectibles. Kadena will offer a dedicated token standard for RWAs, designed to enable regulatory compliance and enforce permissions directly on-chain. Grant amounts will be determined based on the individual scope of each project, with evaluations conducted on a case-by-case basis.
The remaining $25 million will be directed toward applications built on Kadena’s EVM-compatible multi-chain environment, with an emphasis on decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized exchanges (DEXs), gaming applications, and integrations involving AI. Projects utilizing Solidity for smart contract development are encouraged to deploy on Chainweb EVM, where they can take advantage of high throughput, low transaction costs, and enhanced security. While Kadena’s native Pact language, designed for safe and auditable smart contracts, remains available, the focus of this program is to expand support for Solidity-based development on the Chainweb EVM network.
“Our unique braided consensus mechanism, Chainweb, has been developed over the last six years. It’s only now that we’ve expanded it to the world of EVM developers. They’ll be enjoying much cheaper fees and faster throughput than they may be used to on competing Layer 1s,” said C.J. Freeman, Developer Relations at Kadena, in a statement to MPost.
“We’re doing this while at the same time not sacrificing security, through a braided Nakamoto proof-of-work consensus. There are no capital attack vectors, no PoS governance drama—just proof-of-work hardware and unmatched security,” he added.
Kadena Grant Seeks To Make Projects “Self-Sustaining In Record Time”
AI-focused grants within the program are intended to support projects that integrate AI with blockchain data. Potential areas of development include tools for automated smart contract analysis, on-chain predictive models, and AI-driven identity verification systems. The application process operates on a rolling basis, allowing submissions at any time. The grants committee typically aims to complete initial evaluations within two to four weeks. Once approved, participating teams join an onboarding session to establish project milestones, with funding distributed incrementally as each milestone is achieved.
In addition to financial support, selected teams receive access to technical resources from Kadena’s business development and solutions teams. This includes guidance on smart contract development using the Pact language, code review assistance, and user interface feedback. Support is available upon request as well as through ongoing engagement. Projects may also benefit from promotional opportunities, such as being featured in the Grantee Spotlight series, which includes written content and social media visibility.
“We’re firing on all cylinders to make sure dApps deployed under our grant program are supported to become self-sustaining in record time,” said C.J. Freeman to MPost.
“In the initial phase, we work with our grantees to hone in on the long-term viability of the business model with our ecosystem team. Once that’s established, we provide bespoke deployment support throughout the building phase. We then focus on co-marketing with our builders, ensuring they are cross-pollinated with dApps that can provide a net benefit to the Kadena ecosystem and support their self-sustainability,” C.J. Freeman added.
This initiative aligns with recent updates to Kadena’s roadmap, which include the introduction of permissioning features to manage token flows and a revised governance structure aimed at accelerating the review and approval of proposals. Additionally, a fast bridge is in development to connect Kadena’s native token with Ethereum, with plans to extend support to external Layer 2 networks in the future.
Success for grant recipients will be evaluated based on measurable outcomes such as on-chain activity, growth in unique wallet addresses, and levels of community engagement. The grant team will actively track developer input and broader online sentiment to refine the support provided as needed.
In general, Kadena intends to back projects that broaden the protocol’s adoption and deliver practical utility. The grant program plays a strategic role in shaping the ongoing development of Kadena’s scalable and secure blockchain ecosystem.
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