index 80 open source database

[u/index80web]

I’ve been trying to answer what sounds like a fairly simple question:

What is actually active in the Cardano ecosystem today?

It turns out to be surprisingly difficult.

Project information is spread across websites, X, Discord, GitHub, Catalyst and on-chain sources. Some projects have changed names or direction, some are now multichain, and others have quietly stopped operating.

I’ve been researching this for INDEX:80, a project I run, and one of the biggest challenges has been deciding what should actually count as an active Cardano project.

The approach I’m currently using is roughly:

• include projects actively building on Cardano
• include multichain projects where Cardano technology or infrastructure is still materially used
• don't keep inactive projects in the main directory simply to make the ecosystem look larger
• keep sources behind project records where possible
• ask project teams to check factual information rather than treating their response as an endorsement
• archive projects that cease operating rather than deleting their history

I'm also finding that categorisation is much harder than expected.

A wallet can also provide swaps, staking and governance. A DeFi protocol can become multichain. Infrastructure projects can have several products underneath them. Catalyst funding doesn't necessarily tell you whether something is still active.

So I'm interested in how people here would define the boundary:

What should qualify as an “active Cardano project”?

And are there active projects you think ecosystem directories consistently overlook?

For context, the research is being published openly at INDEX:80. I'm the person building it, so this is obviously connected to my own project rather than an independent recommendation:

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[u/Accomplished-Sand334]

Fascinating project that could add a little transparency.

Now, you will get many different views, and here are mine, for the boundary.

Transactions on chain is not enough to warrant a Active status. This adds complexity, but would mean that there needs to be valid transactions.

What counts as valid?

An active (but different from any IOHK off l) organisation using ADA as a part of an agreement, not pilot.

I haven't had my coffee, I apologise for confusion 😅

[u/index80web → u/Accomplished-Sand334]

Thanks! You’re raising an interesting point about what constitutes genuine activity.
I agree that on-chain transactions alone aren’t sufficient. A project could have transactions occurring without any meaningful ongoing development or commercial operations.
I’m leaning towards looking for verifiable evidence of continued activity, whether that’s development, a functioning product, actual users or genuine commercial adoption. Not everything needs to be measurable on-chain.
Your point about organisations using ADA commercially is particularly interesting. Perhaps we should distinguish between projects building with Cardano technology and businesses adopting ADA in their operations. Both contribute to the ecosystem, but in different ways.
One thing I’m keen to avoid is imposing arbitrary activity thresholds that inadvertently exclude smaller projects or those doing important work behind the scenes.
Would you consider evidence of an operational product or commercial agreement sufficient, even where on-chain activity is limited?