Hey Cardanians! Welcome aboard the Weekly Cardano Digest #75!

We've filtered through all the noise to distill crucial updates into a breezy, 5-minute read. No need for you to sift through endless info — we've got you covered. Ready to delve into this week's top Cardano news? Let’s dive in.

Here are the topics of the week:

• 🌍 Cardano-Powered Housing Expands Across Africa

• 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka's President Engages with Cardano's Intersect to Explore Blockchain Integration

• 🎉 Input Output Global Inaugurates New Office in Buenos Aires

• Weekly Development Report

• & More!

🌍 Cardano-Powered Housing Expands Across Africa

Empowa, a RealFi project built on Cardano, is extending its mission beyond Mozambique with new initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria.

• Kenya: Empowa has partnered with the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to develop a Cardano-based capital-raising solution for affordable housing. The project, funded by Cardano's Project Catalyst, aims to tokenize real-world assets to address the country's $2.5 billion annual housing finance requirement.

• Nigeria: Empowa is finalizing a partnership with a major housing cooperative to introduce its blockchain-based affordable housing solutions. This initiative will expand Empowa's reach to one of Africa's largest economies.

🔎 But what is Empowa?

Empowa is a blockchain-based platform that leverages Cardano to finance and track rent-to-own homes across Africa. By utilizing NFTs and on-chain tools, it enables families—often excluded from traditional finance—to access climate-smart housing through transparent, decentralized systems.

By building real infrastructure for real people, Empowa demonstrates how Cardano's technology can have tangible impacts beyond DeFi applications.

👉 See how Cardano is helping families build homes, not just apps.

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka's President Meets with Intersect Board Director to Discuss Cardano's Role in National Blockchain Strategy

In a significant development for blockchain adoption in South Asia, the President of Sri Lanka recently met with Kavinda Kariyapperuma, Intersect Board Director and founder of CoinCeylon, to explore the potential of blockchain technology in the country. During the meeting, Kariyapperuma presented the Intersect Development Report, highlighting efforts to drive education, awareness, and real-world adoption through the Cardano ecosystem

This engagement underscores Sri Lanka's growing interest in leveraging blockchain for national development and positions Cardano as a key player in the region's technological advancement.

👉 Stay tuned to the Weekly Cardano Digest for more updates on Cardano's global initiatives.

🎉 Input Output Global Inaugurates New Office in Buenos Aires

Input Output Global (IOG), the core development company behind Cardano, has officially opened its new office in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The inauguration event, held during Argentina's historic "Semana de Mayo," was attended by over 120 guests, including Cardano Ambassadors, state officials, SPOs, DReps, and representatives from companies like TxPipe, Globant, and Eryx.

This expansion underscores IOG's commitment to fostering blockchain innovation and education in Latin America. The Buenos Aires office is designed to serve as a hub for research, development, and community engagement, aligning with Cardano's mission to promote decentralized technologies globally. The opening ceremony was a vibrant celebration of community and collaboration, marking a significant milestone in Cardano's efforts to strengthen its presence in the region.

👉 Stay tuned for more updates on Cardano's initiatives in Latin America

Interesting Stories

Essential Cardano’s weekly development report

🎊 A Message from Lucas

Hey everyone! Writing this from beautiful Mexico City! If you are in Mexico, please reach out, would love to meet, feel free to send me a DM on X. Just arrived here for the Azteca event being held in Puebla and Tlaxcala during this week. Had the pleasure of meeting my good friend, Daniel Sampson, CEO of Metera  Protocol, which just launched its mainnet. 

Wish you all an amazing week! Keep building!

–Lucas Macchiavelli