Cardano Faces Scaling Issues as Community Demands Change

• Cardano’s slow 18 TPS and congestion issues frustrate users, while competitors boast faster, more scalable networks.
• Promised scaling solutions like Hydra and Input Endorsers remain delayed, leaving Cardano struggling with real-world usability.
• Critics urge leadership change, arguing IOHK has failed to innovate; some propose funding alternative development teams.

Cardano is facing mounting criticism over its slow transaction speeds and lack of scalability. While its community remains loyal, critics argue the blockchain lags behind its competitors in both speed and innovation. Prominent blockchain analyst Justin Bons has called for a complete overhaul of Cardano’s leadership, citing IOHK’s failure to deliver on promises.

Cardano’s Struggles with TPS and Speed

One of the biggest concerns surrounding Cardano is its low transactions per second (TPS). Currently, the chain operates at 18 TPS, making it significantly slower than newer blockchain networks. Competitors have achieved sub-second finality and thousands of TPS, while Cardano remains sluggish. Additionally, the network’s 20-second block time makes user experience frustrating compared to faster alternatives.

Moreover, Cardano’s transaction calculations are misleading. Developers count multi-output transactions as multiple TPS, inflating performance figures. However, this method is not unique to Cardano and does not reflect real-world capacity. Even Bitcoin could artificially increase its TPS using similar calculations.

Critical Scalability and Governance Issues

Another major flaw is the chain’s inability to handle congestion. Cardano’s mempool has a fixed maximum size, limiting it to roughly 640 transactions. If congestion occurs, transactions are simply dropped, rendering the network unusable. Additionally, its lack of a fee market means transactions are processed on a first-seen basis, making spam attacks easier to execute.

Hydra, a proposed Layer 2 solution, has been touted as a game-changer, but it does not improve Cardano’s Layer 1 scalability . Input Endorsers, another scaling proposal, has been delayed for over four years, with no official launch date in sight. Even if implemented, the maximum capacity would be around 400 TPS, far below the industry standard.

Community Calls for Leadership Change

Cardano is still one of the most decentralized networks with robust governance systems in spite of these drawbacks. Critics counter that there is no reason to have faith in Charles Hoskinson and IOHK. Justin Bons suggests that Cardano’s on-chain governance should fund an alternative development team to accelerate improvements.

Without radical changes, Cardano risks falling further behind in an industry that thrives on rapid innovation. The community must decide whether to continue trusting its current leadership or demand a new direction to remain competitive.