Cardano Explorer MCP(Model Context Protocol) Server

[Proposal setup] Proposal title

Please provide your proposal title

Cardano Explorer MCP(Model Context Protocol) Server

[Proposal Summary] Budget Information

Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA

75000

[Proposal Summary] Time

Please specify how many months you expect your project to last

5

[Proposal Summary] Translation Information

Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated

No

Original Language

en

[Proposal Summary] Problem Statement

What is the problem you want to solve?

There is no standard way for AI agents to fetch live Cardano blockchain data, limiting Cardano integration for AI.

[Proposal Summary] Project Dependencies

Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'

The main dependency is on Cardano explorer backends for live blockchain data. To reduce risk, the server will support multiple providers (Koios, Blockfrost, or direct node queries), ensuring no single point of failure. MCP and Cardano SDKs are open-source and pose no licensing risks.

[Proposal Summary] Project Open Source

Will your project's outputs be fully open source?

Yes

License and Additional Information

Project code will be released with an MIT license and there will also be a self hosted version of the code.

[Theme Selection] Theme

Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal

AI

[Campaign Category] Category Questions

Mention your open source license and describe your open source license rationale.

License Chosen: MIT License

Rationale:

• Permissive license encourages broad adoption by developers and AI researchers.
• Allows commercial use, supporting integration into both open-source and proprietary projects.
• Simplifies contributions from the community without restrictive obligations.
• Aligns with project goals of maximizing usage by AI agents and developers, ensuring Cardano ecosystem benefits widely.
• Ensures compatibility with other open-source libraries commonly used in blockchain and AI projects.

How do you make sure your source code is accessible to the public from project start, and people are informed?

• Public GitHub org hosts all code/SDKs from Day 1.
  

• Version Control: Conventional Commits, feature branches, beta releases.
  

• Progress Tracking: GitHub issues, milestones, regular commits.
  

• Community Updates: Telegram/Twitter announcements, clear timelines.
  

• Goal: Full transparency, early feedback, and community collaboration.
  

How will you provide high quality documentation?

• All MCP tools and SDKs will have comprehensive user and developer documentation, including README, setup guides, and API references.
• Documentation will use Markdown and Docusaurus for clear structure, visuals, and examples.
• Includes step-by-step tutorials, code snippets, and integration guides to ensure easy adoption by developers and AI agents.
• Updated alongside releases to maintain accuracy and usability.

[Your Project and Solution] Solution

Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem

Cardano generates massive amounts of live blockchain data, but there is no standard way for AI agents or developers to access it in real time. Current blockchain explorers are designed for human use, not for natural language integration. This makes it difficult for AI agents and chatbots to interact with Cardano data directly. Without a unified approach, developers are forced to rely on fragmented APIs or build custom integrations, slowing down innovation and limiting Cardano’s visibility in the growing AI ecosystem.

The Solution

We propose to build the Cardano Explorer MCP Server, an open-source implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) that exposes Cardano blockchain data in a standard, AI-friendly way.

The server will:

• Support advanced queries and filtering, enabling developers and AI agents to perform everything a normal blockchain explorer can do, but in a structured, machine-accessible way.
• Provide prebuilt MCP actions (e.g., “get latest block,” “lookup transaction by hash,” “fetch stake pool stats”) for seamless integration with AI tools.
• Include plug-and-play backend support, allowing developers to choose existing explorers (Koios, Blockfrost, or a self-hosted Cardano node). A default backend will be included out-of-the-box.
• Offer both a hosted version for convenience and an open-source version for self-hosting, ensuring accessibility and long-term independence.
• Demonstrate AI-first use cases such as:
  • “Ask AI: What’s the last transaction on address X?”
  • “Summarize the delegation history of stake pool Y.”
  • “Explain Cardano transaction fees for the last epoch.”

Why This Approach?

Our approach bridges the gap between Cardano’s blockchain data and the AI developer ecosystem. The Model Context Protocol” a fast-growing open source standard developed by anthropic and use by many for connecting AI agents to external tools. Many existing companies and AI services support MCP for external tooling such as OpenAI Agents SDK, Gemini CLI, Claude code, OpenAI Agents SDK, Confluent, Microsoft Copilot, Figma, Blender, Cursor IDE and many more

By adopting MCP, we ensure compatibility with leading AI platforms using industry standard methods. Making Cardano data AI-native will significantly lower the barrier for developers to build novel AI + blockchain applications.

Who Will Benefit

• Developers & AI Builders: Gain easy access to Cardano data for use in applications, research, and automation.
• AI Agents & LLMs: Gain the ability to “talk to Cardano” directly, opening new user experiences.
• The Cardano Ecosystem: Gains greater visibility and utility in AI contexts, encouraging adoption and experimentation.

Proof of Impact

Impact will be demonstrated by:

• An open-source release of the MCP server.
• Github likes and forks
• Live hosted endpoint usage metrics.
• Example integrations with popular AI tools showing how Cardano data can be queried naturally.
• Community adoption by developers who integrate the MCP server into their projects.

Why It Matters to Cardano

By making Cardano blockchain data accessible through MCP, this project positions Cardano as one of the first blockchains with AI-native infrastructure support. It strengthens Cardano’s role in the AI+blockchain convergence, drives developer adoption, and increases the ecosystem’s visibility where AI innovation is happening fastest.

[Your Project and Solution] Impact

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

This project will lower the barrier for building AI agents that use live Cardano data, making it easier for AI systems to interact with the blockchain in real time. By providing a standard MCP-based interface, the Cardano ecosystem will become directly accessible to the fast-growing number of AI agents adopting MCP. This will not only expand the range of use cases (analytics, governance tools, financial dashboards, NFT insights) but also increase the visibility and relevance of Cardano within AI-driven innovation.

Measuring Impact

We will measure impact using both quantitative and qualitative indicators:

• Quantitative:

  • Total number of calls made to the hosted MCP service.

  • GitHub stars, forks, and contributions to the open-source project.

• Qualitative:

  • Community feedback from developers and AI builders integrating the MCP server.

  • Case studies showing successful AI agent integrations.

  • Adoption by top well-known companies or projects building with AI agents that rely on Cardano data.

Sharing Outputs

All outputs will be shared openly with the Cardano community:

• Code will be released on GitHub under an open-source license.

• Documentation, tutorials, and sample integrations will be made available for easy adoption.

• Regular updates and demonstrations will be shared through Cardano community channels, Catalyst reports, and developer spaces.

• Success stories and use cases will be highlighted to inspire more community members to build AI agents powered by Cardano

[Your Project and Solution] Capabilities & Feasibility

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team has prior experience working with both Cardano and ERC-20 networks, giving us a strong foundation in blockchain infrastructure. The team includes a project manager, an AI developer, backend engineers, and two dedicated Cardano blockchain developers, ensuring we have the expertise to deliver on both the AI and blockchain integration aspects.

To maintain accountability, we will follow a milestone-based release process with regular progress reports, and all code will be open-sourced for community visibility. This provides transparency in both development and fund management.

Feasibility will be validated by testing integrations with multiple Cardano explorer backends (e.g., Koios, Blockfrost, and self-hosted nodes). The final outcome will included a fully functional hosted MCP server, released alongside the open-source version to guarantee accessibility and real-world usability.

[Milestones] Project Milestones

Milestone Title

Core MCP Server & Explorer Integration

Milestone Outputs

• Design and implement the foundational MCP server architecture that enables scalable and secure interaction with the Cardano blockchain.
• Integrate the server with a reliable Cardano data source to provide real-time blockchain data.
• Publish a beta release of the open-source code on a public GitHub repository, including setup instructions for developers.
• Establish basic query capabilities for at least 4 key blockchain data points (balances, transactions, delegation info, and block metadata).
• Ensure the repository contains clear instructions for contributors and testers to replicate the environment locally.

Acceptance Criteria

• MCP tool successfully lists available tools upon server startup and confirms discoverability.
• Tool calls respond reliably to at least four blockchain queries, including:
  • Wallet/Address Balance lookup
  • Transaction detail retrieval
  • Stake delegation and pool info
  • Block metadata details
• Documentation ensures developers can install and run the server independently.
• A recorded demo video demonstrates real-time data fetches directly from the Cardano blockchain through the MCP server.

Evidence of Completion

• Public GitHub repository containing code, release notes, and setup documentation.
• Demo video recording uploaded and shared with the community (via YouTube or similar).
• A public update/announcement confirming milestone completion with links to the repository and demo materials.

Delivery Month

2

Cost

22500

Progress

30 %

Milestone Title

Complete Implementation of Calls for Explorer Data & Common Prompts

Milestone Outputs

• Expand the MCP server to support complete Cardanoscan REST API implementation, allowing advanced queries with filtering and searching features.
• Ensure integration supports multi-backend compatibility, allowing configuration for Koios, Blockfrost, or self-hosted Cardano nodes.
• Implement additional prompts and data access methods tailored for AI agents, enhancing usability for real-world agent use cases.
• Optimize response handling to ensure that returned data is fast, accurate, and developer-friendly

Acceptance Criteria

• MCP tool calls return accurate blockchain data across all supported endpoints.
• Query results are filterable and searchable, ensuring developers and AI agents can extract targeted insights.
• System must allow configuration to switch between multiple explorer backends without requiring deep code changes.
• At least 3 community testers are able to run queries and provide feedback confirming system reliability.

Evidence of Completion

• Screenshots of live queries performed on different explorer backends.
• Logs showing successful data retrieval and filtering capabilities.
• A summary document with direct quotes, feedback, or screenshots from at least 3 testers confirming functionality.
• Public update describing the milestone’s achievement and inviting broader community testing.

Delivery Month

3

Cost

22500

Progress

60 %

Milestone Title

Hosted MCP Server & Typescript SDK/Client Library

Milestone Outputs

• Deploy a publicly hosted MCP server, accessible to developers and AI agents without requiring local setup.
• Release a Typescript SDK/client package published on GitHub and npm for easier integration into agent frameworks and applications.
• Provide working examples within the SDK showing how to query blockchain data and integrate with AI agents.
• Begin onboarding early adopters, gathering structured feedback through testing sessions and surveys.

Acceptance Criteria

• At least two AI agent use cases (e.g., querying balances, fetching delegations, or summarizing transactions) are publicly demonstrated and documented.
• SDK is published on GitHub and npm with working usage examples.
• External developers confirm that they were able to integrate and use the SDK successfully.
• Hosted MCP server is publicly available with uptime monitoring and basic documentation.

Evidence of Completion

• Demo video showing AI agents successfully using the hosted MCP server.
• SDK publicly released on GitHub and npm, including setup guides, examples, and changelogs.
• Documented feedback from external developers confirming successful use.
• A public URL of the hosted MCP server with usage instructions.

Delivery Month

4

Cost

15000

Progress

80 %

Milestone Title

Final Milestone: Documentation, Community Release & Impact Report

Milestone Outputs

• Publish full documentation covering setup, integration, advanced usage, and troubleshooting for developers.
• Release tutorials, onboarding materials, and recorded walkthroughs to accelerate adoption by the community.
• Highlight case studies and success stories from early adopters, showcasing real-world value and impact.
• Submit a final Catalyst close-out report and video summarizing the work completed, funds utilized, and overall impact achieved.

Acceptance Criteria

• Documentation must cover server setup, integration into AI agents, and SDK usage with clear examples.
• At least one external project or collaborator is publicly showcased using the MCP server.
• A Catalyst close-out report and video are delivered, demonstrating accountability and transparent fund usage.
• Tutorials and case studies are made available for future adopters.

Evidence of Completion

• Documentation portal (e.g., GitHub Pages or ReadTheDocs) with tutorials, guides, and onboarding resources.
• At least one testimonial or case study published, confirming external adoption.
• Final close-out report submitted to Catalyst, alongside a public video presentation summarizing results.
• Public announcement of project completion and next steps for community engagement.

Delivery Month

5

Cost

15000

Progress

100 %

[Final Pitch] Budget & Costs

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

1. Team Compensation

• Surafel Fikru (Project Manager / Blockchain Developer)
  • 28,000 ADA - 35 ADA/hour (~$31.50/hour) for 800 hours
  • Responsibilities: Project oversight, milestone management, blockchain integration, server architecture.
• Ishak Sebsib (Backend Developer)
  • 14000 ADA - 17.5 ADA/hour (~$15.75/hour) for 800 hours
  • Responsibilities: MCP server backend implementation, API endpoints, multi-backend support, performance optimization.
• Yeabsira Nigussie (AI Developer)
  • 14000 ADA - 17.5 ADA/hour (~$15.75/hour)
  • Responsibilities: AI agent integration, SDK examples, facilitating use by AI agents.
• Samuel Wondimagegnehu (Blockchain Developer)
  • 14000 ADA - 17.5 ADA/hour (~$15.75/hour)
  • Responsibilities: Advanced blockchain queries, testing, validation, assisting MCP integration.

2. Infrastructure / Hosting Costs

• Azure cloud hosting for MCP server (Milestone 3 onward)
  • Includes VM for hosted MCP server, storage, bandwidth, and monitoring
  • Estimated monthly cost: ~1,000 ADA per month → for 2 months = 2,000 ADA

3. Documentation, Tutorials, and Community Engagement

• Writing and publishing developer documentation, tutorials, onboarding guides
• Community engagement (announcements, demo videos, feedback collection)
• Estimated budget: ~3,000 ADA

4. Miscellaneous / Contingency

• Small buffer for unexpected minor expenses related to testing, tools, or communication
• Estimated budget: ~1,000 ADA

[Final Pitch] Value for Money

How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?

• International Wage Context: The team’s compensation reflects competitive international remote rates for specialized blockchain and AI developers. For instance, blockchain developers typically earn $30–50/hour remotely, and AI developers range $25–40/hour. Our hourly pay (Surafel: ~$31.50/hr; others: ~$15.75/hr) is in line with these rates while being sustainable for the project.

• Technical Complexity Justification: The project involves significant technical challenges, including building a robust MCP server, integrating multi-backend blockchain data sources, and enabling AI agents to interact with live Cardano data. These tasks require full-time, highly skilled developers and careful testing to ensure reliability, security, and correctness.

• Outputs vs Costs: The grant will fund open-source software, a hosted MCP server for public use, and a Typescript SDK/client library to facilitate AI agent integration. These deliverables are designed for maximum community benefit, allowing developers and AI systems to access live Cardano data easily. The costs cover development, deployment, documentation, and community engagement — all critical for adoption and usability.

• Value for the Cardano Ecosystem: By funding this project, the Cardano ecosystem gains a publicly available, fully functional tool that accelerates AI experimentation, improves blockchain data accessibility, and reduces barriers to entry for innovative applications. The cost is proportional to the expertise, effort, and infrastructure required, making it a high-value investment that will benefit the broader community.

[Required Acknowledgements] Consent & Confirmation

Terms and Conditions:

Yes