Key Insights:
- Cardano news reports that the network will roll out the Dijkstra hard fork in two phases, with Linear Leios targeted for 2026.
- Peras activation is scheduled for Q2 2027 after Dijkstra Phase One lands.
- Amaru targets Cardano mainnet block production in November 2026.
Cardano developments took a fresh direction following Intersect’s publication of the roadmap for the Dijkstra hard fork. The schedule outlines a two-phase rollout for structural upgrades and new network features.
According to the report, phase one is aimed at Q4 2026 and brings in Linear Leios alongside several ledger and transaction enhancements. Phase two is set to kick off in Q2 2027 through the activation of Ouroboros Peras.
Cardano News: Cardano Upgrade Enters First Phase
As detailed in recent Cardano updates, the network upgrade commences with Protocol Version 12 during the Dijkstra era. This initial step triggers a hard fork to activate Ouroboros Linear Leios, which is designed to boost volume a network can handle without fees or delays exploding.">throughput while retaining the core security guarantees of the Praos protocol.
To accommodate extra transaction references, the architecture relies on Endorser Blocks and Ranking Blocks. While Ranking Blocks build upon traditional Praos blocks with added announcement fields, Endorser Blocks contain transaction references instead of the transactions themselves.
Once an Endorser Block receives certification, a subsequent Ranking Block applies those transactions directly to the ledger. This certification demands aggregated signatures that fulfill a 75% quorum from active stakeholders, allowing Cardano to handle higher transaction volume without needing faster slots or larger block sizes.
Phase one also introduces Nested Transactions via CIP-118 and Guard Scripts via CIP-112. Furthermore, Account Address Enhancement Phase 1 establishes ledger-level definitions for account-style addresses, while the upgrade drops the transaction isValid field and rolls out the PlutusV4 Script Context.
Cardano News Outlines Testing Before Mainnet
The roadmap details a structured testing phase prior to any mainnet deployment. A Dijkstra-compatible node will initially be released to testnet operators, followed by a roughly two-week Preview hard fork testing window.
This testing period focuses on tool validation, integration checks, volume a network can handle without fees or delays exploding.">throughput benchmarking, and Endorser Block propagation. Pre-production testing will then run for one to two weeks before advancing to a mainnet governance action.
Deploying to the mainnet requires governance ratification alongside a Hard Fork Initiation action, though the schedule does not specify an exact launch date. Additionally, phase one must put the foundational structural requirements in place to support the subsequent Peras activation.
Because Peras is planned as an intra-era hard fork for Q2 2027, the necessary protocol parameters and block structures have to be integrated during Dijkstra’s first phase. This groundwork ensures the second phase can activate Peras directly without initiating a brand-new ledger era.
ADA Price and Additional Dijkstra Preparations
Data from CoinMarketCap indicated that the ADA price was trading at $0.176753, accompanied by a 24-hour trading volume of $114,136,558 and a market capitalization of $6,461,346,460.
Concurrently, Intersect noted steady progress on Amaru, a Rust-based Cardano node implementation. The software is currently capable of synchronizing with the network tip, relaying, and validating data, with developers aiming for mainnet block production by November 2026.
Dijkstra preparations also encompass technical updates to the Cardano Constitution to govern the network’s new features upon activation. Other changes include CIP-181, which eliminates the DRep norm for reward withdrawals, and CIP-50, which implements a leverage parameter for staking rewards.
By default, the CIP-50 parameter preserves existing reward mechanics. Phase one will also lay the groundwork for Fair Min Fees through the introduction of CIP-23.
