TLDRADA price trades near $0.1856, about 11.91% below its recent high of $0.2107.Cardano reached a key spot ETF eligibility milestone after six months of regulated ADA futures trading on CME.Grayscale withdrew its Cardano ETF filing, but other asset managers could still pursue ADA-focused ETF applications.Cardano’s DeFi expansion received 120 million ADA through the approved Cardano PRIME proposal.Leios and Hydra upgrades aim to increase Cardano’s transaction capacity while maintaining network security.Cardano is expanding interoperability through a testnet IBC connection with Injective.Cardano investors remain focused on new network developments as the ADA price trades near $0.1856 after a recent correction. ADA fell about 11.91% from last week’s high of $0.2107. Despite the pullback, attention has shifted to ETF eligibility, DeFi activity, scaling upgrades, interoperability, and Bitcoin integration.ADA Price Faces Pressure as ETF Eligibility ImprovesCardano reached an important ETF-related milestone on August 9, 2026. CME Group launched regulated ADA futures on February 9, giving the token six months of futures trading under a regulated U.S. market structure.Grayscale withdrew its S-1 filing for a Cardano ETF last week. However, ADA still met a key condition linked to the SEC’s streamlined spot ETF review process. This could leave room for other asset managers to submit Cardano-focused ETF applications.Cardano is also extending its reach through interoperability. A testnet connection with Injective uses an on-chain IBC rail that allows users to transfer ADA to Injective and move INJ back to Cardano.The network’s DeFi push also gained support after the community approved AlphaGrowth’s Cardano PRIME proposal. The plan allocates 120 million ADA to support DeFi growth. Cardano’s RealFi testing phase has also recorded more than 3,000 active wallets and over 36,000 on-chain actions.Leios and Hydra Target Higher Network CapacityCardano developers continue work on Ouroboros Leios and Hydra. Both projects aim to increase transaction capacity while keeping Cardano’s base-layer security and decentralization model in place.Leios is expected to reach mainnet this year, while Hydra does not yet have a confirmed launch date. These upgrades form part of Cardano’s effort to handle more network activity as its DeFi and cross-chain services expand.Bitcoin Bridge Adds Another Cardano CatalystCardano is also developing a Bitcoin DeFi link through a BitVM-powered bridge. Charles Hoskinson recently reported major efficiency gains in the bridge’s testing process.We did some Cooking!!!! BitcoinDeFi https://t.co/ET0FpKFN7C— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) August 11, 2026According to the update, data requirements fell from 40 GiB to 0.0281 GB. Execution time dropped from 354 seconds to 0.149 seconds, while costs declined from $14,211 to $37 using the mainnet proof.The ADA price remains below last week’s high, but Cardano investors continue tracking these network changes. ETF eligibility, DeFi funding, scaling tools, interoperability, and Bitcoin integration now remain key areas to watch in the coming months.The post ADA Price Corrects While Cardano Builds New Growth Drivers appeared first on Blockonomi.