One of the key challenges facing BTC users is Bitcoin’s DeFi idle liquidity. The good news is that Cardano is preparing to tackle this problem with its dedicated platform, Pogun. That’s accor
One of the key challenges facing BTC users is Bitcoin’s DeFi idle liquidity. The good news is that Cardano is preparing to tackle this problem with its dedicated platform, Pogun. That’s according to a revelation disclosed today by Charles Hoskinson, the founder and CEO of the Cardano blockchain.
Bitcoin’s DeFi idle-capital problem is well known. Around 83% to 95% of its $1.6 trillion deposited liquidity remains unutilized across major DeFi networks at any given time. Data also show that less than 1% of circulating BTC participates in DeFi protocols, compared to 10%-15% of Ethereum’s supply deployed in DeFi utilities.
This happens because Bitcoin lacks a programmable, trust-minimized financial infrastructure that can deploy idle BTC into key financial applications (like staking, liquidity provision, lending, etc.) without requiring holders to give up control.
In a podcast shared today, Hoskinson revealed that Cardano’s Pogun is preparing to solve the Bitcoin DeFi liquidity obstacle. He issued an update regarding the development of the Pogun Bitcoin DeFi platform. The project has been in its development phase since its announcement in May. So far, it has already obtained $600 million in funding commitments, the CEO noted.
The executive added that several crucial activities are needed to complete the Bitcoin DeFi project. Such undertakings include the Leios scalability protocol upgrade and executing its compatible hard fork enhancement, he said. With development still underway, he hinted that Pogun’s full deployment is likely in Q4 of the year or early 2027.
The broadcast reveals that Hoskinson wants to incorporate $1.6 trillion of idle Bitcoin into Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem through a project called Pogun. According to earlier announcements, the cross-chain liquidity platform will allow BTC assets to operate and be utilized not only on Cardano, but also across numerous chains at once through programmable liquidity primitives.
The platform is currently in development in three phases, including rolling out Bitcoin yield earning, lending capability, and trust-minimized bridging, all scheduled for progressive enablement through the year.
The new platform is set to unlock new demand for ADA, enabling native BTC to participate in Cardano DeFi while bridging the gap between Bitcoin’s unmatched liquidity and other digital assets in decentralized finance.
