Cardano Development Firm Input | Output Offers a Glimpse at the Network’s Possible Future Following the Plomin Hard Fork with a 2025 Roadmap Proposal

The proposal introduced in a Wednesday, January 29 blog post suggested three development priorities for the network: scalability, usability and utility

Cardano development firm Input | Output (IO) has proposed a 2025 roadmap for the network, following the implementation of the Plomin hard fork, which introduced full decentralized governance.

The roadmap outlines three key development priorities for Cardano: scalability, usability and utility, and interoperability and extensibility.

In terms of scalability, IO aims to enable the Cardano network to support billions of users by 2030. This will involve a multi-faceted approach, including the integration of Hydra, Layer 2 rollups like Midgard and Gummiworm, and proposed consensus layer updates to unlock parallel transaction processing with Ouroboros Leios and Peras.

As highlighted recently by Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson, Layer 2 chains are already working to integrate Hydra while Ouroboros Leios is being prototyped.

Moving on from scalability, IO also has plans to improve the usability and utility of the Cardano network. This will include expanding developer tools and making the chain more accessible to users.

The firm suggests supporting multiple programming languages. It also pushes for the advancement of identity tools like Hyperledger Identus and the privacy-focused protocol Midnight. Further, it champions the implementation of Babel fees, an idea to simplify transactions by allowing fees to be paid in any token.

Finally, IO aims to extend Cardano’s capabilities for greater interoperability, enabling the network to become the center of a thriving multichain ecosystem that includes even Bitcoin.

To achieve this, the firm suggests a layered node architecture, a multi-resource consensus, and hybrid DApps leveraging the multi-resource consensus for atomic cross-chain transactions.

The firm also talked up Cardano’s push to become a smart contract layer for Bitcoin through its BitcoinOS partnership. According to IO, in 2025, they will be exploring merged mining and ways to allow Bitcoin holders to interact with Cardano DeFi and experience private transactions on Midnight.

IO believes that focusing on these areas will be the key to bolstering the widespread adoption of Cardano. Ultimately, however, how the network progresses from here is now up to the community.