In preparation for mainnet, this month’s State of the Network covers the introduction of federated node partners, the introduction to Midnight City, an overview of ecosystem pathways and a preview of what else is coming along the road to mainnet.
Midnight mainnet in late March 2026
The main stage announcement at Consensus Hong Kong confirmed that Midnight mainnet is coming at the end of March 2026. Mainnet launch is the primary milestone in the Kūkolu phase of the roadmap. Kūkolu represents a period of infrastructure strengthening and operational stability, moving the network from test environments to a live production chain.
Listen to Midnight Foundation President Fahmi Syed, Input Output CEO Charles Hoskinson, and Shielded CEO Mike Ward discuss everything you need to know about Midnight mainnet launch.
Midnight City Simulation
Midnight City is a visual and technical demonstration of the functionality and scalability of the Midnight network. By design, the selective disclosure and programmable privacy features of Midnight are invisible. This simulation provides a window into how the protocol handles data when many actors use the network simultaneously.
The environment uses autonomous AI agents to create a persistent, interactive economy that reflects real-world usage patterns. This demonstration proves that the network can scale and maintain privacy without sacrificing the functionality required for complex social and financial interactions.
Midnight City shows how the world can run on Midnight. Public access to the simulation begins February 26, 2026 at midnight.city.
Network Pulse
This month, reporting on testnet-02 has been retired along with the testnet-02 environment as Midnight moves towards mainnet launch next month.
Design of the new reporting metrics is currently underway. The objective of future reporting is to provide the most practical and insightful metrics that serve both the technical needs of developers and the interests of the general audience.
Details regarding these new reporting metrics and their potential utility will be shared in State of the Network next month. In the meantime, have a look at the current Preprod network activity on Midnight Explorer.
Education & resources
The developer relations team is rolling out activities, tools, and resources to help builders prepare for mainnet launch. Developers should transition their workflows to the preprod network now.
To support this transition, all core packages and examples have been updated to align with the latest preprod environment. Starting a new project is now more efficient with updated configurations that are ready to run on preprod. Key updates include:
- create-mn-app: Scaffold a new Midnight project in seconds via npm or GitHub.
- Updated examples: The Counter and Bulletin Board DApps are fully updated and pre-configured for preprod.
- Core package alignment: Ensure your environment is running midnight-js 3.0.0, wallet-sdk 1.0.0, Compact 0.28.0, and Proof Server 7.0.0.
If you encounter issues during migration, reach out in the #dev-chat channel on Discord. When asking for help, include your Compact version, the network you are using, and the specific error message to receive a faster response.
Midnight Academy expansion
Following the successful relaunch of the Midnight Developer Academy, a new practical module is arriving soon. While the initial courses established the core concepts of zero-knowledge proofs, this new module focuses on hands-on application development. It guides builders through writing Compact smart contracts and assembling a functional DApp. If you have not started your Academy journey yet, now is the ideal time to complete the foundational modules.
Join the conversation
There’s more to learn every week on the Developer Fireside Hang. Pull up a seat and join the conversation every Wednesday at 15:00 UTC on YouTube.
Ecosystem
Infrastructure and ecosystem activity are accelerating in anticipation of mainnet launch. This growth is driven by: establishing a secure, institutional-grade validator set through federated partnerships and fostering a community of dedicated technical leaders and advocates.
Federated Node Partnerships
The transition to mainnet next month means that Midnight will expand to encompass distinct federated node operators. To ensure the network meets the rigorous demands of live applications, a network of trusted partners will operate federated nodes. Last week, four node partners were announced including global technology leaders like Google Cloud, alongside Blockdaemon, which brings institutional-grade infrastructure expertise. They are joined by AlphaTON Capital, focusing on confidential AI for the Telegram ecosystem, and Shielded Technologies, the primary engineering team behind the protocol.
As announced this week, federated nodes will also be operated by industry leaders in telecommunications, fintech, and payment global payment. The latest partners to join the federated model include Pairpoint by Vodafone and eToro, which brings a high standard of regulated fintech compliance. Additionally, MoneyGram will operate a federated node and is collaborating with the Midnight Foundation to explore how established payment networks can utilize confidential transactions for verifiable compliance.
Stay tuned, additional federated node partners will be announced soon.
Ecosystem Pathways
Both the Midnight Aliit Fellowship and the Nightforce Ambassador Program function as core pillars of ecosystem growth. Understanding both initiatives allows builders and advocates to learn different ways to contribute to the Midnight ecosystem.
- Midnight Aliit Fellowship: The Aliit is Midnight's technical fellowship for builders who go beyond building for themselves. Members define network standards, contribute open source reference architectures, and mentor the next generation of developers through the Academy. This is not a visibility program; it is a trusted inner circle for people doing technically rigorous work that moves the ecosystem forward. Candidates must demonstrate hands-on expertise with the Compact smart contract language. To apply, complete this form.
- Nightforce Ambassador Program: A global initiative for volunteers dedicated to stewardship and ecosystem visibility. Open to content creators, community moderators, and event organizers, ambassadors act as the bridge between the Midnight Foundation and the public. Involvement begins with a commitment to the mission of rational privacy. Interested individuals should complete the Nightforce interest form to share their background and motivation.
Releases & Documentation
A major overhaul of the developer documentation is currently in progress to improve technical references and streamline navigation for all builders.
Latest updates and releases include:
- Ledger v7.0.0: Switched to Midnight SRS and midnight-zk 1.0, implemented a new dimension-based pricing structure, and integrated security audit fixes.
- DApp connector API v4.0.0: Transitioned to a type-based architecture with new method for proving delegation and atomic swaps and added comprehensive specification documentation.
- Compact compiler v0.28.0: Introduced unshielded token standard library APIs and transitioned to ECMAScript modules (ESM).
- Faucet v0.11.2: Updated for Ledger v7 compatibility and added a TypeScript client library for programmatic access.
- Additional updates to Midnight indexer v3.0.0 and VS code extension.
For a full list of technical changes, review the latest release notes.
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