Cardano PRIME Opens DeFi RFPs Under Proposed 120M ADA Program

AlphaGrowth has opened requests for proposals under Cardano PRIME, moving the initiative from ecosystem analysis toward project selection. The applications target experienced teams capable of building products and infrastructure identified as missing from Cardano DeFi.

PRIME is presented as a proposed 12-month program requesting 120 million ADA. Its broader funding structure still contains elements that must be finalized through Cardano’s governance process.

PRIME Seeks Teams That Can Build for Cardano

Applications are open to existing Cardano projects, independent development teams and established protocols from other blockchain ecosystems that are prepared to deploy on Cardano.

Applicants must explain what they intend to build, how much funding they require and when each stage can be completed. Submissions must include a technical scope, measurable KPIs and milestone dates. Projects involving new smart contracts also need a realistic security audit plan.

Approved work would be funded in stages. AlphaGrowth also plans to support product distribution through Cardano wallets, decentralized exchanges and lending markets, connecting technical delivery with liquidity and user access.

RFPs Target Specific Cardano DeFi Gaps

AlphaGrowth previously assessed Cardano DeFi across 25 categories. The application form now lists 17 RFP categories, alongside an option for teams to propose another product.

The priorities include an EVM-to-Cardano bridge, a wallet serving Cardano and EVM users, eUTXO-native vault standards, curated lending and automated liquidity management. AlphaGrowth is also seeking proposals covering yield-bearing stablecoins, an additional oracle, perpetuals and options, tokenized treasuries, on-chain credit, insurance and AI agent infrastructure.

A team proposing a bridge, for example, must provide its architecture, security model, budget and delivery schedule. It must also explain how the product could bring new capital into Cardano rather than move existing liquidity between local protocols.

Funding Is Tied to New Liquidity

PRIME has a stated target of attracting $200 million in net-new, non-circular TVL. AlphaGrowth defines this as capital entering Cardano from outside sources rather than funds being redistributed within the ecosystem.

As a guide for individual grants, the company wants every dollar of funding to support $50 in sustained TVL. The complete proposed budget also covers liquidity incentives, business development, marketing, administration and other program costs, so the ratio does not apply directly to the full 120 million ADA request.

Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis, and no closing date is currently listed. AlphaGrowth has not disclosed how many teams have applied. The next public indicators will be the projects selected, the funding assigned to them and the delivery milestones attached to each approved proposal.