On July 18, 2026, Cardano implemented its Van Rossem hard fork, marking the first time a major network upgrade was entirely governed through on-chain voting. This transition to version 11 of the protocol proceeded smoothly without any interruptions to the network.
The Van Rossem upgrade stands out because every step, from proposal to activation, was decided by the community via on-chain governance. Stakeholders voted with 77.63% approval from delegators and 52.7% support from staking pool operators, surpassing the 60% and 50% thresholds required. The Constitutional Committee also endorsed the update with six favorable votes. All votes concluded on July 13, five days before the official rollout, shifting Cardano’s update process away from centralized control.
Technical Enhancements and Developer Benefits
This update introduces five Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs) focused on improving the performance and efficiency of Plutus smart contracts. The changes aim to reduce execution costs and speed up various blockchain operations. In addition, new cryptographic capabilities have been added to bolster the network’s security and functionality.
Security Strengthening and Future Readiness
Van Rossem also tightens security by revising the rules governing VRF keys used by staking pools. These keys are key for maintaining the randomness and fairness of Cardano’s Ouroboros consensus protocol. The upgrade lays the groundwork for the upcoming Ouroboros Leios, a planned evolution expected to significantly increase network throughput and scalability.
Following the update, large ADA holders have been accumulating more tokens while market participants remain cautious. This measured approach reflects the community’s focus on stability despite the significant governance transition.
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
