Cardano’s Midnight Airdrop Set to Reach 37 Million Users Across Blockchains

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has officially confirmed that the highly anticipated Midnight airdrop, titled the Glacier Drop, will target 37 million users across several major blockchain ecosystems. Speaking on Day 2 of Paris Blockchain Week 2025, Hoskinson highlighted the airdrop’s broad reach and the strategic vision behind Midnight’s privacy-focused protocol.

Hoskinson Outlines the Four Generations of Crypto Evolution

During his keynote, Hoskinson traced the evolution of the crypto industry through four generational phases. He described the first generation as the age of decentralization, led by Bitcoin, while the second generation brought smart contracts and programmable blockchains, with Ethereum as the front-runner.

He said the third generation prioritized scalability and interoperability, addressing the need for different blockchains to interact seamlessly. However, he stated that the industry is now shifting into a fourth generation that places privacy at its core.

Hoskinson stressed that privacy is no longer a luxury or an optional feature but a fundamental requirement for decentralized systems to thrive and scale globally.

Midnight: Privacy, Compliance, and Chain Abstraction

Cardano has developed Midnight, a privacy-oriented sidechain that enables secure and compliant data sharing through advanced cryptographic tools to support this shift. Hoskinson described it as a bridge between compliance and privacy, introducing new levels of functionality to blockchain users.

The Midnight airdrop will include users who hold assets on Cardano, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and notably, XRP. Other eligible blockchain ecosystems include Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon, ensuring multi-chain participation.

Midnight testnet is getting an upgrade. 🛠️
More efficient nodes, simpler setup, a faster proving system, and more.
If you’re a block producer or developer, you’ll need to know what’s new.
➡️ Details + next steps:https://t.co/c86sfRerg4
— Midnight (@MidnightNtwrk) April 8, 2025

The inclusion of XRP reflects growing collaboration between the Cardano and Ripple communities. Ripple recently featured the Cardano logo in a promotional video on tokenization, sparking talk of an unofficial alliance between the two projects.

Airdrop Tokens: NIGHT and DUST Explained

The Glacier Drop will distribute two different tokens: NIGHT and DUST. NIGHT serves as Midnight’s native governance token, offering holders the power to participate in network decisions. It will have a fixed supply and play a central role in ecosystem development.

DUST, on the other hand, functions as a non-transferable token within Midnight’s privacy layer. It will support shielded transactions, enabling users to maintain privacy while staying compliant with legal frameworks.

Importantly, Hoskinson explained that users will not need to convert their assets to interact with Midnight. Thanks to a concept known as chain abstraction, holders of ADA, ETH, BTC, or XRP can use their existing tokens directly within the protocol, streamlining adoption.

Midnight’s development has accelerated in recent months. The team continues to improve its testnet, rolling out upgrades to enhance scalability, developer tools, and integration capabilities. Earlier this week, the team confirmed that another major upgrade is set to launch soon, bringing the project closer to its mainnet goals.

Conclusion: Midnight Bridges Privacy and Utility

With privacy becoming a central focus in blockchain’s next chapter, Cardano’s Midnight protocol aims to lead the charge. With its ambitious goal of reaching 37 million users, the upcoming airdrop represents more than just a token giveaway—it’s a strategic push to onboard millions into a secure, privacy-respecting, and cross-chain-compatible ecosystem.

As Midnight continues to evolve, its role in shaping the fourth generation of blockchain technology appears more crucial than ever.