Charles Hoskinson announced a significant airdrop during Paris Blockchain Week, targeting 37 million users across eight major blockchains. The Midnight sidechain project will leverage zero-knowledge proofs for privacy and will distribute two new tokens: NIGHT and DUST. This airdrop signals a broader approach compared to traditional methods, aiming to expand Cardano’s ecosystem. Hoskinson also discussed the evolution of blockchain through four phases, with the current focus on enhancing privacy.
At the Paris Blockchain Week on April 9, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson announced an extensive airdrop linked to the Midnight sidechain project, aiming to reach around 37 million users across eight major blockchains: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Avalanche, and Polygon.
The Midnight initiative is designed to enhance user privacy through zero-knowledge proofs, enabling users to interact across various blockchains without needing to convert tokens. Hoskinson refers to this functionality as “chain abstraction,” highlighting its potential to streamline blockchain interactions.
The forthcoming airdrop will feature two types of tokens: a governance token named NIGHT and a privacy transaction token called DUST. This airdrop uniquely targets a much wider audience than traditional ones, which usually focus on early supporters, thereby broadening Cardano’s ecosystem reach significantly.
During his keynote, Hoskinson elaborated on the evolution of blockchain technology in four distinct phases. The first phase, represented by Bitcoin, centred on decentralisation. The second phase introduced smart contracts as seen in Ethereum, facilitating self-executing agreements under specific conditions.
The third phase concentrated on scalability and interoperability to improve transaction throughput and cross-network operations. Currently, Hoskinson indicated that blockchain is transitioning into its fourth phase, which emphasises privacy, underscoring the growing concern for user confidentiality amid rapid technological advancement.
