Cardano Founder Announces Midnight Airdrop to Reach 37 Million Users, Including XRP Holders

  • Cardano’s Midnight airdrop will reach 37 million users, including XRP holders, as part of its push for widespread adoption.
  • The airdrop will distribute two tokens, NIGHT for governance and DUST for privacy-focused transactions.

At the 2025 Paris Blockchain Week, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson confirmed that the upcoming Midnight airdrop will reach an impressive 37 million people, including users from major blockchain networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and XRP. This ambitious move is part of a broader strategy to enhance the adoption of Midnight, a privacy-focused sidechain developed by Cardano.

Hoskinson’s announcement underscores the scale of the airdrop, set to impact holders across various blockchain ecosystems, including Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon. The inclusion of XRP in the airdrop comes amid growing collaboration between the XRP and Cardano communities, signaled by a recent Ripple promotional video featuring the Cardano logo.

Also read: XRP Price Forecast: Can Ripple Reach $5.5 by 2028?

The airdrop is part of the ongoing evolution of the cryptocurrency sector, which Hoskinson categorized into four generational phases. According to him, the current “fourth generation” of blockchain technology is centered on privacy, a crucial component for the decentralized future. Midnight, which enables secure and compliant data management through advanced cryptographic techniques, is at the forefront of this shift.

One of the standout features of Midnight is its focus on cross-chain interaction. Thanks to a concept known as “chain abstraction,” users can engage with Midnight without needing to convert their assets. Whether holding ADA, BTC, ETH, or XRP, participants can use their native tokens directly on the platform, simplifying access and encouraging wider engagement.

The airdrop, dubbed the “Glacier Drop,” will distribute two key tokens: NIGHT, a governance token integral to the Midnight ecosystem, and DUST, which powers shielded transactions while maintaining compliance. The Midnight team has been working diligently to prepare the platform for mass adoption, launching a series of upgrades to improve developer experience and network scalability.

As Cardano’s Midnight project gains momentum, the Midnight airdrop will serve as a significant milestone in the blockchain’s quest for privacy-focused innovation, attracting users from across the crypto landscape.