Cardano Advances Privacy-Focused Midnight Network Toward 2026 Mainnet

• Midnight entered the Kukolu phase, with the network now in stable mainnet conditions and real dApp deployments ahead of 2026 milestones.
  
• Roadmap projections point to a genesis block in about 90 days, while NIGHT liquidity and incentives are now active for routine ecosystem use.

Cardano’s privacy-focused Midnight network moved into the Kukolu phase, a roadmap step that ushers in a stable mainnet. The project said it’s now primed for real applications ahead of the next stages planned for 2026.

The team described Kukolu as the second level scheduled for the current quarter and the first of several phases mapped for 2026. Roadmap projections shared with the community point to a Midnight genesis block in about 90 days, based on the current schedule.

Midnight launched in December 2025, and its native token, NIGHT, later reached an all-time high of $1.81. The token has since traded below $1 during a period of broad market volatility.

CNF previously covered that Charles Hoskinson has moved to depersonalize Cardano’s public leadership as the project heads into 2026. He said he will step back from X, with the account continuing under curator oversight supported by AI. Hoskinson framed the shift as a way to reduce personality-driven bias and keep attention on Cardano’s product roadmap

Kukolu Phase Sets Parameters for Stable Midnight Usage

Midnight described Kukolu as a “safe port,” meaning the foundation is stable enough for applications to run without expected resets. Builders can deploy products and test live use cases, while the network runs under settings intended for steady operation.

The update also said NIGHT can be traded and used inside the ecosystem, with liquidity described as sufficient for routine activity. The team added that incentives are available as the network’s economic layer becomes active, enabling normal transactions and token-based interactions.

Midnight’s focus remains confidential activity, with decentralized apps designed to protect user data by default. The project said privacy features aim to support seamless transactions while limiting exposure of user identity across on-chain activity.

With Kukolu in place, the team said developers and partners can start building and onboarding users on live applications. The project framed the phase as a point where real products can launch, rather than only running in controlled environments.

In market activity, NIGHT token traded at about $0.09062 at the time of reporting, up roughly 4.6% over 24 hours.

Some traders cited short-term chart signals showing higher buying activity, while volume stayed muted during the latest session. Trading volume remains a concern after prior reports of a sharp contraction late in 2025, including a cited 45% drop in the final days of the year.

The Midnight roadmap calls for additional 2026 phases after Kukolu, and the community is watching for milestones tied to the stable mainnet rollout. Other Cardano updates are expected as the Midnight project approaches the projected genesis timeline and expands application activity.

Meanwhile, Cardano price traded near $0.382, up about 7% in 24 hours, as volume rose about 25%.