Cardano News

A new proposal for an intra-era hard fork to Protocol Version 11 has been introduced, building on recently completed work for the core Haskell node. To manage the transition, a Hard Fork Working Group (HFWG) is being formed to coordinate ecosystem feedback, conduct impact assessments, and handle communication. A virtual session will be held to discuss the upgrade's impact and the traditional naming of the hard fork before any formal governance actions are raised.

Intersect has launched a Bug Bounty Program to reinforce the security of the Cardano open-source ecosystem. This initiative invites ethical hackers to identify and report vulnerabilities in critical repositories, offering rewards for valid findings. By crowdsourcing security research, Intersect aims to proactively discover potential issues, ensuring the network's resilience and stability while fostering a collaborative approach to maintaining Cardano's core infrastructure.

The consensus team addressed 'bufferbloat' issues and enhanced resource management following the Leios demo. Scaling updates include Mithril hotfix 2543.1 and Hydra's introduction of the 'SafeClose' safety feature alongside improved partial fanout. Intersect announced its election results following a high voter turnout, while Project Catalyst Fund15 launched with a new "Midnight: Compact DApps" category. Additionally, the education team is currently conducting a developer course in Buenos Aires.

Laura Mattiucci recapped Day 2 of the Cardano Summit in Berlin, where CTO Giorgio Zinetti announced a new stablecoin initiative and a Masumi hackathon. EMURGO CEO Phillip Pon discussed the organization's strategy for connecting technology, capital, and real-world value. Panels explored AI infrastructure, future disruptions, and the convergence of stablecoins with traditional payments, while masterclasses focused on digital identity and decentralized funding.

Laura Mattiucci recapped Day 1 of the Cardano Summit in Berlin, which featured a keynote by CEO Frederik Gregaard on enterprise adoption and the release of the Digital Trust Infrastructure report. Panels included leaders from Mastercard, Volvo, and the UN, highlighting real-world blockchain applications. Giorgio Zinetti concluded the day by summarizing major announcements, including the new Gyro crypto card and initiatives to increase network liquidity.

The "Day Zero" event at w3.hub gathered over 475 builders and developers, establishing a community-driven atmosphere ahead of the main summit. Highlights included interactive governance workshops, the finale of the "Layer Up" hackathon, and the "Battle of the Builders" pitch competition. BikeID emerged as the winner of the pitch competition, while BioFlow and KarbonSense took top honors in the hackathon for their work in health data and environmental intelligence.

The Cardano Community Digest highlights the anticipation for Day Zero of the Cardano Summit 2025. Key features include spotlights on content creators, the DQuadrant JUNO stake pool, and the official launch of Project Catalyst Fund15. The edition also shares the ambassador story of Hinson Wong and covers recent IOG technical updates regarding ecosystem advancements and infrastructure developments.

The Plutus team hosted UPLC 2025 and introduced the scaleValue primitive for the upcoming hard fork. Scaling advancements include the Mithril 2543.0 distribution and the Hydra v1.1.0 release, while Intersect concluded its committee election voting. Additionally, the Ouroboros Phalanx upgrade was introduced alongside a new Compact DApps category for Project Catalyst Fund15.

In a blog post, Intersect's Growth and Marketing Committee shared key findings from their first community-wide marketing survey. The results highlight a strong demand for unified messaging and increased support for developers and founders. Respondents prioritized DeFi and real-world use cases, advocating for treasury-backed liquidity programs. While grassroots efforts are effective, there is a clear call for better storytelling tools and a cohesive long-term vision to guide Cardano's growth.

The Hydra team announced the launch of v1, marking the protocol as production-ready. The ledger team finalized CIP-118, introducing nested transactions and Babel fees, while IOG published a deep dive on Ouroboros Phalanx to deter grinding attacks. Additionally, the consensus team showcased a Leios prototype, Intersect committee elections are currently underway, and Project Catalyst Fund15 is preparing for its official launch.