A pivotal moment has marked the future of decentralized finance: for the first time, a Bitcoin Ordinals has been transferred and recorded on the Cardano mainnet, thanks to the interoperability protocol BitVMX, developed by Fairgate. The announcement was made during the world’s largest Bitcoin conference, in a special session organized by Input | Output (IO)| Output (IO)**, the research and engineering company that created the Cardano blockchain.
This operation represents an unprecedented technological leap: two of the world’s most influential blockchains – Bitcoin and Cardano – can now communicate directly, securely, and in a decentralized manner. The result? The opening of a cross-chain market estimated at 1.5 trillion dollars, ready to revolutionize the entire DeFi ecosystem.
BitVMX: the bridge between two worlds
The heart of this innovation is BitVMX, an interoperability protocol that allows the transfer of assets between different blockchains without the need for centralized intermediaries. BitVMX leverages a decentralized validation system and a property transfer mechanism that allows assets on Bitcoin to be assigned to legitimate owners on Cardano.
According to Ariel Futoransky, Chief Security Officer of Fairgate, “we have extended BitVMX to support NFTs and other non-fungible assets, without the need for centralized custody. This paves the way for new forms of digital ownership and liquidity, based on a truly decentralized validation system.”
Cardano and Ordinals: synergy between security and programmability
The integration between Bitcoin and Cardano is not only technical but also strategic. As Charles Hoskinson, CEO of IO, stated, “the future of DeFi is cross-chain, and BitVMX demonstrates how Bitcoin can become a fundamental layer in this evolution. By combining the flexibility of Cardano with the security of Bitcoin, new financial tools and services are unlocked.”
The live demonstration showed how Ordinals, a form of NFT on Bitcoin, can be “wrapped” and transferred to Cardano. This process allows Bitcoin users to access advanced features such as staking, lending, and borrowing, leveraging Cardano’s Extended UTXO model and smart contracts.
Cardinal: the protocol that enhances Bitcoin
During the event, Cardinal was also presented, a protocol that allows Cardano’s infrastructure to enhance Bitcoin’s functionalities. As Romain Pellerin, CTO of IO, explained, “Cardinal defines a secure and trustless mechanism to allow Bitcoin holders to access DeFi, wrapping their UTXOs and unlocking new opportunities.”
Thanks to Cardinal and BitVMX, a new phase opens for the DeFi world on Bitcoin, which until now had been limited by the lack of native programmability. Now, it is possible to fully exploit Bitcoin’s potential without compromising its decentralization.
An ecosystem ready for the future
The integration between Bitcoin and Cardano is not only a technical achievement but also a strategic vision for the future of blockchain. As Jonatan Altszul, CEO of Fairgate, emphasized, “BitVMX is a fundamental element to bring real finance to Bitcoin, allowing the secure movement of assets without compromising decentralization.”
During the session, Brandon Wolf, General Manager of IO’s Lace wallet, offered an exclusive preview of the DeFi bridge functionalities between Bitcoin and Cardano. The event also featured prominent figures such as Sergio Lerner (Fairgate), David Tse (Babylonchain), and Eric Wall (Taproot Wizards), who discussed the future implications of this technological breakthrough.
Cardano at the center of the multi-chain future
This innovation strengthens Cardano’s role as a central platform in the multi-chain future of blockchain. Users will be able to benefit from Bitcoin’s unparalleled security and Cardano’s advanced programmability, all through a secure, decentralized, and user-controlled infrastructure.
IO’s goal is clear: to build a sustainable, scalable, and secure Web3 ecosystem capable of bringing blockchain into the real world. With BitVMX, Cardinal, and integration with Bitcoin, Cardano positions itself as one of the absolute protagonists of the new era of decentralized finance.
Who are the protagonists
Input | Output (IO)| Output (IO)** is one of the world’s leading blockchain engineering companies, committed to developing infrastructure for a sustainable Web3. Founded by Charles Hoskinson, IO is known for its scientific approach to building blockchain solutions, with a particular focus on scalability, security, and real-world adoption.
BitVMX, on the other hand, is a decentralized interoperability protocol that enables secure and trust-minimized asset transfers between blockchains. Its ability to extend Bitcoin’s functionality to non-fungible assets and programmability makes it a key technology for cross-chain DeFi.
Finally, Fairgate is a pioneer in the field of Disputable Computing and privacy technologies, with a clear mission: to unlock Bitcoin’s full potential through innovative and decentralized solutions.
A new era for DeFi
The integration between Bitcoin and Cardano via BitVMX represents much more than a simple technical milestone: it is the first step towards a truly global DeFi ecosystem, where users can move their assets between different blockchains securely, transparently, and without intermediaries.
With the adoption of this technology, a new era opens in which Bitcoin is no longer just a store of value but becomes an active part of a decentralized, dynamic, and programmable financial world. And Cardano, with its advanced architecture, confirms itself as the ideal platform to lead this transformation.
