Maestro proposes a comprehensive infrastructure solution that positions Cardano as Bitcoin’s primary smart contract and DeFi execution layer. Leveraging Maestro’s enterprise-grade UTXO infrastructure platform, this integration will bridge Bitcoin's substantial liquidity and large user base directly into the Cardano ecosystem.

Maestro’s solution will provide a complete suite of developer-friendly infrastructure services and tools, including: Blockchain Indexer: For real-time blockchain data querying and insights.

• Mempool Monitoring: Enabling developers to detect transactions and on-chain events instantly, even before they are confirmed.
• Event Notification System: Allowing instant webhook alerts for on-chain activities, significantly enhancing the responsiveness of dApps.
• Wallet Manager: Facilitating secure, efficient wallet management, address derivation, and user transaction tracking.

These tools significantly improve the developer experience, dramatically reducing complexity and integration overhead. By abstracting away blockchain complexities, Maestro empowers developers to quickly build and deploy advanced DeFi applications, wallets, and Layer-2 integrations, directly utilizing Bitcoin liquidity.

Maestro already supports numerous Cardano projects expanding into Bitcoin (e.g., Fluidtokens lending protocol, Tokeo Wallet, Begin Wallet, Lace Wallet) and Cardano L2s like Midgard, Sundial, zkFold, and BitcoinOS. Recent support for Midnight further expands these possibilities, enabling private DeFi transactions anchored by Bitcoin’s economic security. This integration will act as a catalyst for ecosystem growth, positioning Cardano firmly as Bitcoin’s natural DeFi and smart contract execution environment.

Maestro will help make Cardano the smart contract layer for Bitcoin. Currently, Bitcoin faces inherent limitations in supporting DeFi and advanced smart contracts due to its minimal scripting capabilities and simpler UTXO model. Meanwhile, Cardano, despite being a highly capable smart contract platform leveraging an extended UTXO (EUTXO) model, struggles with attracting Bitcoin's substantial liquidity and integrating directly with Bitcoin’s massive economic ecosystem. Without seamless interoperability, both blockchains remain limited: Bitcoin as a largely static asset store and Cardano without access to Bitcoin’s immense capital pool and user base. Maestro seeks to address this by bridging the two ecosystems—leveraging Cardano’s superior smart contract capabilities to unleash Bitcoin’s latent liquidity, thus creating a robust decentralized financial layer powered by Bitcoin’s underlying asset security.

Integrating Maestro’s infrastructure to enable Cardano as the smart contract layer for Bitcoin would generate substantial benefits across several layers of the Cardano developer ecosystem:

1. Cardano DeFi Developers: Developers of DeFi applications (such as lending protocols like Fluidtokens) will gain immediate access to Bitcoin’s immense liquidity pool, significantly expanding their potential user base andTVL. Maestro’s integration enables developers to tap directly into Bitcoin’s economic activity, dramatically increasing capital efficiency and profitability. Demonstrated value includes:

• Significant growth in TVL, user engagement, and protocol revenues.
• Easier user onboarding from Bitcoin-native communities.

2. Wallet Developers (Tokeo, Begin, Lace, etc.):
   Wallet applications will benefit from vastly expanded user functionality. By supporting direct Bitcoin-to-Cardano interactions, wallets can offer their users advanced features like Bitcoin-backed lending, staking, governance, and seamless cross-chain payments. Demonstrated value includes:

• Increased wallet adoption and user retention.
• Expanded revenue streams through cross-chain transaction fees and premium DeFi services.

3. Layer 2 Solutions and Protocols (Midgard, Sundial, zkFold, BitcoinOS, Midnight):
   Cardano’s Layer 2 ecosystems will benefit by directly integrating with Bitcoin’s user base. L2 solutions gain additional utility and liquidity, allowing their technologies (privacy layers, zero-knowledge rollups, sidechains) to achieve broader adoption and market validation. Demonstrated value includes:

• Accelerated adoption and developer traction for L2 solutions.
• Enabling innovative financial products and privacy-oriented services previously unavailable to Bitcoin holders.

4. Cardano Ecosystem Overall: The direct Bitcoin integration positions Cardano uniquely in the broader blockchain landscape. It would transform Cardano into the default execution and innovation layer for Bitcoin DeFi, attracting both institutional and retail adoption. Demonstrated value includes:

• Enhanced market positioning as the leading decentralized finance ecosystem linked to Bitcoin.
• Substantial increase in ecosystem visibility, credibility, and investment inflows.

Ultimately, the proposed integration presents Cardano with an opportunity to become the primary hub for Bitcoin’s smart contract innovation and DeFi, unlocking extensive economic value, developer growth, and cross-chain collaboration.

Maestro’s proposal delivers a complete Web3 developer stack designed specifically to integrate Bitcoin's unparalleled liquidity into Cardano’s advanced smart contract framework. The suite includes blockchain indexing, mempool monitoring, event notification, and wallet management tools, significantly enhancing developer experience and reducing integration complexity. This initiative will unlock substantial economic opportunities and innovation across both ecosystems, firmly establishing Cardano as Bitcoin’s natural DeFi and smart contract execution environment.

Milestones and Deliverables:

-Milestone 1: Blockchain Indexer API Deliverable: Fully operational API for real-time and historical blockchain data queries, including comprehensive indexing of Bitcoin and Cardano UTXOs, transactions, blocks, and metadata.

• Milestone 2: Mempool Monitoring API Deliverable: API providing real-time insight into pending transactions, enabling preemptive action and responsive dApp interactions.

-Milestone 3: Event Notification API Deliverable: Webhook-based event notification system delivering instant alerts for on-chain activities, allowing dynamic dApp interactions and timely user notifications.

-Milestone 4: Wallet API Deliverable: Comprehensive wallet management API enabling secure address generation, transaction tracking, UTXO handling, and seamless wallet integrations across both Bitcoin and Cardano ecosystems.

-Milestone 5: Market Price API Deliverable: Real-time and historical cryptocurrency market price feed API, enabling accurate pricing data for DeFi protocols, wallets, and analytic platforms, thus supporting robust financial and trading applications.

Period: 6 mo Salaries for (4 Software Engineers, 1 DevOps,1 Project Manager)

• $10k /mo x 6 people x 6 mo = $360,000 USD (600,000 ADA)

Team Size:

• 4 Software Engineers
• 1 DevOps
• 1 Project Manager

Duration: 6 months

Maestro has a proven track record of delivering high-performance infrastructure and developer tooling for UTXO-based blockchains, including extensive experience within the Cardano ecosystem. Maestro’s platform already supports various high-profile Cardano projects and integrations, successfully handling millions of transactions and servicing numerous applications across DeFi, wallets, analytics, and Layer-2 scaling solutions. The Maestro team comprises seasoned blockchain engineers and industry experts with deep technical expertise in indexing, transaction management, and API development, demonstrating a commitment to high reliability, security, and scalability in enterprise-grade blockchain solutions.

All libraries, services and APIs will be maintained by Maestro indefinitely.

Maestro is a member of

• Cardano Development & Ecosystem Cooperative (CDEC)
• Cardano Blockchain Infrastructure Alliance (CBIA)

Maestro already supports Cardano project's expansion into Bitcoin

• Defi: Fluidtokens lending protocol, Tokeo wallet, Begin wallet, Lace Wallet,
• L2: Midgard, Sundial, zkFold, BitcoinOS.

No Dependencies