The Cardano network is witnessing a surge of attention following the official rollout of NIGHT token mining by the Midnight Foundation. Announced by CTO Sebastien Guillemot, the initiative emphasizes fairness, openness, and community participation — allowing anyone with just a browser and internet connection to start mining.
Launched on October 29, the Scavenger Mine represents the second stage of NIGHT token distribution. Unlike traditional mining, no special hardware or blockchain expertise is required. Users only need a Cardano wallet address to begin mining directly from their browser.
This user-friendly model quickly drew thousands of participants. Many users reported earning small amounts of NIGHT daily, while top contributors achieved significant rewards. Guillemot expressed confidence that this fair-access system would drive a new wave of token holders and boost ecosystem engagement.
Built as a privacy-focused sidechain on Cardano, Midnight Network leverages Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) to ensure verifiable yet confidential transactions. This cryptographic approach empowers both DeFi applications and identity protection without compromising transparency.
Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, recently stated his ambition for Midnight to evolve into a global leader in privacy smart contracts by 2026. The project’s growing traction is evident — over 250 million NIGHT tokens have already been distributed through the Glacier drop, with more than 11,000 successful claims recorded.
Hoskinson also hinted at potential collaboration with Brave Browser. If integrated, Midnight’s ZK layer could support Brave Ads and Brave VPN, enabling monetization through the Basic Attention Token (BAT) while preserving user privacy with ZK-based protection.
This partnership would mark a major milestone, linking Cardano’s privacy infrastructure with one of the web’s most widely used privacy browsers.
Meanwhile, the Cardano mainnet is preparing for the Leios upgrade, a significant milestone that introduces a layered mechanism separating block production and validation. This new structure is expected to boost throughput up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) — a game-changer for scalability and dApp performance.
In parallel, Everstake and Colossus Digital have announced a joint custodial staking service, offering institutional investors a secure way to stake ADA and other Proof-of-Stake assets, reinforcing Cardano’s financial infrastructure and trust layer.
The arrival of Midnight Network has once again put Cardano in the spotlight. With its fusion of privacy technology, community mining, and institutional-grade infrastructure, Cardano is evolving beyond a blockchain platform — it’s becoming a comprehensive ecosystem for the next generation of decentralized innovation.
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