Exclusive: CEO of Kadena Stuart Popejoy discusses parallel processing and execution for EVM chains

Kadena has launched Chainweb EVM, a new execution layer aimed at easing long-standing constraints in blockchain development.

With dozens of projects already live on testnet, the rollout signals a broader shift in how Kadena is approaching infrastructure and the protocol’s CEO has shared what the launch means for builders.

In an exclusive interview with crypto.news, Kadena CEO and co-founder Stuart Popejoy explained that the new EVM-compatible environment is designed to remove long-standing trade-offs developers face when building complex applications.

Built on Kadena’s braided proof-of-work architecture, Chainweb EVM executes transactions in parallel across multiple chains, boosting throughput while preserving the security guarantees of proof-of-work. This combination, Popejoy explained, is especially critical for applications that aim to attract institutional capital.

The CEO pointed out that many current networks force developers to choose between performance and affordability. For sectors like real-world assets, the need for built-in compliance and reliability adds complexity that most EVM chains haven’t addressed at the protocol level. 

To tackle this, Kadena has developed native token standards that embed regulatory alignment directly into the protocol layer. This enables projects to meet institutional requirements without compromising on transparency, speed, or composability.

To further accelerate adoption, Kadena is committing a $50 million grant program, half of which is dedicated specifically to Chainweb EVM to back teams focused on real-world utility. Since the testnet launch, over 50 projects have joined. Popejoy says many are migrating from environments where gas fees and execution limits dictated design choices.

Looking ahead, the team is focused on mainnet readiness and cross-EVM interoperability. But Popejoy emphasizes that metrics like TVL or developer counts aren’t the end goal.

“The milestone that really matters is seeing these institutional applications go live,” he said. “Success isn’t measured by developer adoption metrics; it’s measured by whether we’re powering the infrastructure that brings serious institutional capital on-chain.”