What is Midnight and the NIGHT token on Cardano?

Midnight is a blockchain built for "programmable privacy" that runs as a partner chain to Cardano. It uses zero-knowledge proofs so apps can prove something is true without exposing the underlying data. Its token, NIGHT, is public, while the fee resource it produces, DUST, is private.

When did the Cardano Midnight mainnet launch?

Midnight produced its genesis block on March 17, 2026 and made its full public debut on March 30, 2026, The Block reported. It has its own ledger, consensus and smart contract environment, and assets can move between Midnight and Cardano without a third-party bridge.

At launch the network used a federated validator model. Early node operators named in the announcement included Google Cloud, MoneyGram, Pairpoint by Vodafone, eToro, Worldpay, Bullish and Blockdaemon. Cardano stake pool operators can also run Midnight validators and earn NIGHT. As of November 2026, the August 2026 network update noted a new node release covering both the preproduction network and mainnet.

What is the NIGHT token used for?

According to Midnight's documentation, NIGHT is used for staking, governance and generating DUST. NIGHT is always unshielded, so its balances and transfers are visible on chain even when held at a shielded address. Much of the NIGHT supply sits on Cardano as cNIGHT and reaches Midnight through a cross-chain path; the docs say a native version is planned.

Midnight is not a privacy coin in the usual sense. The token itself stays public. The privacy lives in the transactions and app data.

What is the Midnight DUST token?

The docs describe DUST as a shielded, non-transferable fee resource rather than a token. Every transaction uses some DUST. A NIGHT balance generates DUST over time up to a cap, which the August 2026 update put at 5 DUST per 1 NIGHT, and DUST decays if it is not used. Holders can register, update or revoke which address receives their DUST.

Because DUST cannot be traded, its cost does not swing with a market. Developers can also sponsor DUST so their users do not need to hold NIGHT at all.

How did the Midnight NIGHT token airdrop work?

NIGHT was distributed through the Glacier Drop, Decrypt reported in 2025. People who held more than $100 of ADA, BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, BNB, AVAX or BAT at a June 11 snapshot could claim. ADA holders were allotted 50 percent, BTC holders 20 percent, and the other chains shared 30 percent. Later phases, called Scavenger Mine and Lost-and-Found, covered unclaimed tokens. Claimed tokens unlock in four 25 percent steps every 90 days.