Cardano Launches Privacy Layer with Midnight’s NIGHT Token
Cardano advanced its privacy capabilities this week with the debut of Midnight’s NIGHT token, which has doubled in value since launch. After an initial period of volatility, NIGHT recovered quickly, approaching a $1 billion valuation as OKX, Bybit, and MEXC listed the token. User redemptions from the ‘Glacier’ airdrop, the first of several planned through 2026, also contributed to early activity.
Midnight’s Privacy Architecture
Midnight, developed by Input Output, is a partner chain adding a programmable privacy layer to Cardano using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). Its dual-state architecture separates public and private data while enabling selective disclosure to auditors, institutions, or counterparties.
The network maintains two parallel ledgers—one public, one encrypted—allowing applications to reveal only the necessary information. This design supports regulated DeFi, enterprise data exchange, identity frameworks, and financial products that cannot operate on fully transparent blockchains.
Smart Contracts and Cross-Chain Strategy
Using Compact, a TypeScript-inspired smart contract language, Midnight makes ZK development accessible to non-cryptographers. NIGHT’s 24 billion token supply was distributed across eight ecosystems—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, and Cardano—encouraging cross-chain adoption.
Key metrics to watch include Cardano DeFi privacy adoption, bridge volume, Compact usage, and token distribution. Midnight introduces a privacy and compliance layer poised to reshape value transfer across the Cardano ecosystem in 2026 and beyond.
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