The ledger team focuses on testing for the Chang upgrade. Lace v.1.14 is upcoming. Hydra updated for node v.9.0.0 and simplified the demo setup. Mithril released distribution 2428.0, supported node v.9.0.0, fixed bugs, and optimized certification. Node users should upgrade to v.9.0.0. Fund12 results announced 258 new projects, with Town Hall 171 celebrating winners. Catalyst completed 900+ projects and allocated over 100M ADA. The education team is in Buenos Aires for the Cardano Developer course.

This week, the teams released node version 9.0.0, enabling the Conway ledger era with CIP-1694, Plutus V1 reference scripts, and CIP-69 support. The performance team released benchmarks for node v.8.12.0 and conducted DRep benchmarks. The consensus team supported the 9.0 release with security audits and NoThunks tests. The Plutus team improved contract blueprints and documentation. The Lace team focused on bug fixes. Mithril supported node v.9.0.0, worked on a new distribution, and fixed REST API bugs. Town Hall 170 and Fund12 voting concluded with 1.5bn ada used. The education team prepared for the Cardano Developer course and Voltaire training.

Decentralized applications (dApps) use programmable smart contracts on blockchain to provide accessible services without central authority. Unlike traditional apps with centralized backends, dApps run on open-source, decentralized networks like Cardano, offering transparency and security. Cardano, a third-generation blockchain, supports scalable, secure, and interoperable dApp development. Aiken simplifies dApp development on Cardano by offering familiar syntax, an easy compiler, and clear error handling. It’s used by popular Cardano dApps like Minswap, Sundae Swap, LenFi, and JPG Store, facilitating faster and more efficient dApp creation.

Last week, core technology teams released Cardano node v.8.12.2, enhancing bootstrap peer networking. The ledger team worked on testing and updates, while Lace v.1.13 improved Trezor Safe 3 compatibility. Mithril advanced transaction certification, fixed bugs, and supported node v.8.12. Conway ledger improvements included credential restrictions and a new pricing model. Town hall 169 reported over 1bn ada in voting power. The education team prepared for the Cardano Developer course in Buenos Aires and updated content for Voltaire and Mastering Cardano.

Cardano Foundation and Crypto Carbon Ratings Institute (CCRI) released MiCA-compliant sustainability indicators for the Cardano network. This ensures compliance with upcoming EU Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. Key findings include Cardano's energy-efficient protocol, annual electricity consumption of 704.91 MWh, carbon footprint of 250.73 tCO2e, and marginal power demand per TPS of 0.192 W. The report, developed using scientific methodologies, aims to enhance transparency and sustainability, setting a benchmark for blockchain networks. Leaders from both organizations emphasized the importance of sustainability and regulatory compliance in the crypto sector.

The consensus team optimized db-truncater for speed, supported debugging for bootstrap nodes, and released benchmarks for node v.8.12.0. They also merged a performance fix for node v.8.11, worked on governance action workload, and updated automations for Conway features and the Plutus cost model. The Plutus team overviewed the cost model, designed faster pattern matching, and improved documentation. The Mithril team released a threat modeling explainer, worked on Cardano transaction certification, and improved WASM client documentation. Catalyst released a shortlist of tier-one companies for voting, and the education team updated the Mastering Cardano series and prepared for next month’s developer course.

The Cardano Foundation has integrated the Inter-Blockchain Communication Protocol (IBC) to enhance connectivity and join the interchain ecosystem, addressing challenges in scalability, data privacy, and interoperability. This integration allows reliable transactions and data exchanges across distinct blockchain networks, linking Cardano to over 115 interconnected blockchains and enabling Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-based sidechains. The IBC sidechain improves enterprise blockchain deployment by offering flexibility, scalability, cross-platform innovation, operational efficiency, and security. This move aims to broaden blockchain scalability, reach, and connectivity, benefiting enterprises and developers alike.

This week, the ledger team implemented CIP-0069, enhancing PlutusV3 functionality by making spending datums optional and enforcing single arguments for scripts. They also fixed script execution and delegation bugs. The Lace team prepares for v.1.13 release. The Plutus team released version 1.30.0.0, featuring CIP-0122 and ledger API refactoring. The Mithril team improved transaction certification and throughput. Voltaire & SanchoNet updates include member-experience improvements and upcoming votes. Catalyst town hall 167 marked the end of community moderation for Fund12, with voting starting June 27. The education team prepares for next month’s Cardano Developer course.

The roundtable discussion features Pi Lanningham and Arnaud Bailly exploring the intricacies of Ouroboros Leios, a blockchain-based technology aimed at enhancing decentralized systems. They delve into Leios's architecture, its potential applications in the tech industry, and the innovative solutions it offers for scalability and security. The conversation also covers the implications of Ouroboros Leios for developers and businesses, highlighting its unique approach to consensus and transaction processing. This insightful dialogue provides a comprehensive understanding of how Leios could revolutionize blockchain technology and its real-world applications.

The ledger team enhanced the CDDL specification and improved safety by restricting certain protocol parameter types, introduced tools for controlling test case distribution, worked on UTXO predicate failure tests, enabled retrying of flaky tests in nightly CI, and made further improvements. The Lace team released v1.12, adding a fiat on-ramp with Banxa and enabling multi-delegation for supported hardware wallets. The Plutus team released version 1.29.0.0 of the Plutus libraries, which includes CIP-69 and CIP-117 implementations. The Mithril team improved the throughput of the prover route, transitioned to a chain point-based beacon for faster transaction signing, and prepared a threat modeling explainer for the documentation website. The ledger team continued testing the Conway era and fixed several bugs related to DRep expiry and committee voting thresholds. Intersect updates included interim constitutional committee elections and joining Hyperledger and the Linux Foundation. In Catalyst, town hall 165 shared updates, including the end of the community review period for LV0s and LV1s, and the start of LV2 moderation on June 13. The alternative voting mechanism achieved milestone 1 and was presented during town hall 165. The education team continued working on Mastering Cardano, supporting the DRep Pioneer Program, and preparing for the next Cardano Developer course.