Cardano moves to full decentralized governance with Plomin hard fork

Cardano is taking a major step toward decentralized governance with the activation of the Plomin hard fork. 

This upgrade gives Cardano (ADA) holders direct voting power over key blockchain decisions, including protocol changes, treasury management, and governance proposals.

The Plomin hard fork marks a shift from centralized decision-making to a system where the community has greater control. 

Before this upgrade, governance decisions were primarily influenced by the Cardano Foundation and other core contributors. Now, ADA holders can vote on governance actions either directly or through delegated representatives.

For a hard fork to be enacted, certain technical and governance requirements must be met. In this case, three key thresholds were passed: at least 85% of stake pools upgraded to a compatible Cardano node, over 51% of stake pool operators voted in favor of the upgrade, and more than 67% of the Interim Constitutional Committee determined that the upgrade was constitutional.

Tonight, Cardano evolves.

The Plomin hard fork takes effect, marking the transition to full decentralized governance. $Ada holders gain real voting power—on parameter changes, treasury withdrawals, hard forks, and the blockchain’s future.

A milestone in blockchain governance.

— Cardano Foundation (@Cardano_CF) January 29, 2025

Seven governance actions

The Plomin hard fork introduces seven governance actions outlined in Cardano Improvement Proposal CIP-1694. These include allowing ADA holders to propose and vote on constitutional changes, approve treasury withdrawals, and initiate votes of no confidence against governance structures. Additionally, staking reward withdrawals will now be restricted to accounts that delegate to a DRep, reinforcing decentralized decision-making.

This governance model aligns with Cardano’s long-term goal of minimizing centralized oversight. By enabling the community to control blockchain upgrades and treasury spending, Cardano aims to build a system where power is distributed rather than concentrated.