Charles Hoskinson, CEO of Cardano, has officially announced a bold step forward for Cardano. As part of the Leios Research agenda, the network will soon deploy a new high-speed testnet, designed to push blockchain scalability to the limit—and it’s populated entirely by AI agents.
The initiative has been playfully dubbed the “Face Melting Net” (FMN), but under the meme-worthy name lies one of the most ambitious updates Cardano has seen in years.
What Is Leios and Why It Could Change the Game
The Leios protocol is a key part of Cardano’s 2025 roadmap. It aims to significantly boost the network’s scalability and throughput by enabling advanced parallel processing. In practice, this means faster transaction speeds, smoother DApp operations, and lower latency.
According to Hoskinson, this testnet will run the protocol at “the fastest possible speeds,” offering real-time insight into how well Cardano can handle next-generation Web3 applications.
Thousands of AI Agents Simulating a Real Blockchain Ecosystem
What sets this testnet apart is its use of AI agents—not as a future possibility, but as an integral part of the experiment. These autonomous agents will trade, interact, and simulate complex market dynamics on-chain. It’s a strategic move that positions Cardano right at the crossroads of blockchain and artificial intelligence.
“We’ll populate it with thousands of AI agents to trade amongst each other,” Hoskinson stated on X.
By doing so, Cardano is stress-testing its infrastructure in a way few other blockchains have attempted, making this one of the most advanced and forward-looking testnets in the industry.
The “Face Melting Net” – Meme or Milestone?
While the name “Face Melting Net” may sound tongue-in-cheek, it reflects the project’s underlying intensity. As Hoskinson joked in response to a user:
“Leios is like injecting your [body] with super viagra and Brazilian wandering spider venom. It’s going to be a hard night.”
But beyond the humor lies a serious message: Cardano is moving aggressively into AI and performance scaling. With competitors like Solana and Sui making DeFi and gaming inroads, Cardano needs this technical leap to stay relevant in the Layer 1 race.
ADA Price Struggles to React – Yet Bullish Indicators Emerge
Despite the hype, ADA has failed to mount a significant rally. Since Hoskinson’s announcement on May 2, the token has dropped around 8%, trading at $0.64 at the time of writing.
Source: Tradingview
Over the past month, ADA has gained just 1.8%, underperforming peers like SOL (+19%), SUI (+38%), and LINK (+6%). In fact, Ethereum is the only major altcoin showing similarly weak returns.
Still, on the technical side, ADA is holding key support and beginning to flash bullish signals. MACD momentum is building, and if volume follows, a breakout toward $0.76 could be on the table—potentially targeting $1 in the mid term.
Final Thoughts – Is This Cardano’s AI Inflection Point?
Cardano’s pivot toward AI and its bold experimentation with the Leios testnet suggest the project is entering a new phase—one that could finally translate research into network activity. If the Face Melting Net lives up to the hype, it may not only reshape ADA’s market dynamics but also establish Cardano as a real contender in the AI-integrated blockchain space.
As the testnet goes live and developers engage, the next few weeks could be crucial in shaping the narrative around ADA in 2025.
