On March 23, 2026, Charles Hoskinson announced a historic milestone in the world of cryptography: the commencement of Midnight Launch Week. After eight years of research and development, the Midnight network—a blockchain protocol focused on privacy and compliance—has officially entered its Mainnet operation phase.

Hoskinson compared this launch to landing a space shuttle: a highly technical, high-stakes process that requires absolute precision to ensure a safe arrival on the runway.

Launch Phases: From Testnet to Federated Mainnet

The rollout of Midnight is being conducted in stages to ensure maximum stability:

  1. Testnet Phase: Over the past year, the team has been testing, breaking, and fixing the system to train developers and operators.
  2. Federated Mainnet (Current Phase): Midnight is now entering the Federated Launch phase. Instead of moving directly to full decentralization, the network is being run by trusted partners such as Google Cloud and Telegram acting as Federated Node Operators (FNO).
  3. Guarded Launch: Currently, the network is in a “guarded” state. Transactions and dApp (decentralized application) deployments are restricted to ensure stable consensus before being opened to the public gradually.

What Makes Midnight Different?

Midnight is not just another standard blockchain. Hoskinson highlighted several key features that set it apart:

  • Dual-Token System: Midnight operates alongside Cardano. The value-carrying asset (CSITE) lives on one side, while the operational asset (DUST) is generated on the Midnight network.
  • Four-Address Structure: It features both private and public ledgers, allowing users to maintain confidentiality while remaining compliant with regulations.
  • ZK (Zero-Knowledge) Technology: Utilizing Plonk and Halo 2, Midnight is the first blockchain that allows for “keeping secrets” at scale while remaining verifiable.
  • Smart Compliance & Abstraction: Through the Midnight Passport program, the system supports smart compliance where users can choose which information to reveal via selective disclosure.

Future Vision: AI and Scalability

One of the most intriguing points in the presentation was Midnight’s role in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hoskinson stated that the language of AI agents is not verbal, but “proofs.” With ZK systems and Multi-Party Computation (MPC), Midnight provides the infrastructure for trillions of future AI agents to transact securely and trustlessly without direct human intervention.

What’s Next?

For asset holders, the first visible step will be the generation of DUST, which will be reflected in an update to the Lace wallet. In the coming weeks, the “guardedness” of the network will be lifted, and the first wave of dApps will begin to deploy.

Hoskinson concluded by thanking the team, who have been working 24/7 for the past few months. “Blockchains can now keep a secret,” he stated, marking the birth of the fourth generation of cryptocurrencies that prioritizes usability and user privacy.

Original video can be watched at YouTube: Charles Hoskinson – Midnight Launch Week

or you can watch it here: