During the recent Paris Blockchain Week on April 9, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson revealed plans for a significant airdrop associated with the Midnight sidechain project.
During the recent Paris Blockchain Week on April 9, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson revealed plans for a significant airdrop associated with the Midnight sidechain project. This initiative aims to reach approximately 37 million users across eight prominent blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche and Polygon.
The Midnight project focuses on enhancing user privacy through the use of zero-knowledge proofs, allowing seamless interaction across different blockchains without requiring token conversion. Hoskinson referred to this capability as "chain abstraction."
The upcoming airdrop will distribute two types of tokens: the governance token, NIGHT, and the privacy transaction token, DUST. Unlike traditional airdrops, which typically target early funders and select users, the Midnight airdrop will encompass a much broader audience, significantly expanding the reach of Cardano's ecosystem.
In his keynote address, Hoskinson also discussed the evolution of blockchain technology, outlining four distinct phases. The first phase, exemplified by Bitcoin, emphasized decentralization. The second phase, represented by Ethereum, introduced smart contracts—self-executing programs that operate under specific conditions.
The third phase focused on scalability and interoperability, enhancing transaction throughput and network interactions.
Hoskinson noted that blockchain technology is currently entering its fourth phase, which prioritizes privacy. This shift reflects an increasing awareness of user confidentiality in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.