Midnight Network is a data-protection-focused blockchain designed to support the development of decentralized applications (dApps) that handle sensitive commercial and personal data. Developed in collaboration with Input Output Group (IOG), the entity behind Cardano, the project's core principle is "rational privacy," which aims to balance data confidentiality with the needs of regulatory compliance. The network is supported by the Midnight Foundation. ^[1]​

Overview

Midnight is a blockchain platform purpose-built for applications requiring the protection of sensitive information. The network's design philosophy, termed "rational privacy," enables developers to create dApps that can selectively disclose information to meet regulatory requirements while keeping other commercial or personal data confidential. This approach is intended to facilitate the development of a new generation of applications that can operate in regulated industries without compromising user privacy. ^[1]​

The project is organizationally backed by the Midnight Foundation, which also manages marketing efforts. The core technology and ecosystem are being developed by Input Output Group (IOG), the research and engineering company known for building the Cardano blockchain. IOG's founder, Charles Hoskinson, is actively involved in setting the strategic direction for the project. As of late 2025, the Midnight Network is operating a live testnet for developers. ^[1]​

History

The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the project was established in July 2023, marking its initial public presence. ^[1]​

A significant phase of development and communication occurred in late 2025. On November 17, 2025, IOG founder Charles Hoskinson delivered a keynote address that detailed a four-phase ecosystem roadmap for Midnight. This roadmap outlined the planned delivery of core network features over the following year. ^[1]​

In December 2025, the project released a "State of the Network" update, announcing several major milestones. This included the official launch of the network's native token, $NIGHT, and the opening of a corresponding redemption portal for the token. During this period, the network reportedly experienced a high volume of activity on its testnet. The same month saw the premiere of the "History of Secrets" marketing campaign, designed to align the project's mission with historical efforts in data protection. ^[1]​

Further developer-focused progress was announced later in the month. On December 28, 2025, a "Starter Template" was released to help accelerate dApp development on the network's Preview environment. This tool was co-developed by ecosystem partners edda labs and meshsdk. On the same day, a developer announced the successful migration of an example dApp, "BBoard," to the Preview network. ^[1]​

Technology

Core Architecture

Midnight is a privacy-focused blockchain that utilizes advanced data-protection technologies, widely understood to be based on Zero-Knowledge proofs. This allows the network to validate transactions and execute smart contracts without exposing the underlying data to the public ledger. The core concept of "rational privacy" is built into the architecture, giving developers granular control over data visibility. This enables the creation of applications that can prove certain facts for compliance or auditing purposes while ensuring the confidentiality of all other sensitive commercial and personal information. ^[1]​

Network Environments

As of December 2025, the Midnight Network operates in a test phase with distinct environments for development and testing:

• Testnet: The general-purpose testing environment for the network. It was confirmed to be live and experiencing significant activity in late 2025.
• Preview Network: A specific, developer-focused instance of the testnet. This environment was operational in December 2025 and served as the deployment target for early dApps and development tools, such as the "BBoard" example application and the "Starter Template."

These environments provide the infrastructure for developers to build, test, and refine their applications before a future mainnet launch. ^[1]​

Tokenomics

The Midnight ecosystem utilizes a dual-token model. ^[1]​

$NIGHT Token

$NIGHT is the primary native token of the Midnight Network. It is designed to function as both a utility and governance token within the ecosystem. The token was officially launched in December 2025, at which time a redemption portal was also made available. ^{[1] [2]}

Development and Partnerships

The primary development of the Midnight Network is led by Input Output Group (IOG). The project also fosters an ecosystem of external partners to build out tools and applications. Notable early partners include edda labs and meshsdk, who collaborated on the creation of a "Starter Template" for the Preview network to simplify the onboarding process for new developers. The project's open-source code and development resources are maintained on a public GitHub repository. ^[1]​

Developer Support

The Midnight project has established several initiatives to support builders and grow its developer community:

• Midnight Academy: An educational program designed to teach developers how to build on the network.
• Aliit Fellowship: A fellowship program that provides support to developers and projects creating applications within the Midnight ecosystem.
• Developer Tooling: The availability of resources like the "Starter Template" and example dApps such as "BBoard" provides a practical foundation for new development efforts.

These programs and tools aim to lower the barrier to entry and cultivate a robust community of developers focused on privacy-preserving applications. ^[1]​

Marketing and Outreach

The Midnight Foundation leads the project's marketing and branding efforts. In December 2025, it launched the "History of Secrets" campaign, which draws parallels between historical encryption methods and the network's contemporary focus on digital privacy. Promotions for this campaign highlighted ciphers like the Scytale and the Caesar cipher to frame modern data protection as part of a long historical tradition. ^[1]​

To introduce the ecosystem to a global audience, IOG has scheduled a promotional tour in Japan for early 2026. The tour is planned to include events in several major cities:

• Sapporo (January 25, 2026)
• Osaka (January 28, 2026)
• Fukuoka (January 31, 2026)
• Naha (February 3, 2026)
• Tokyo (February 7, 2026)

This outreach tour signifies a strategic effort to engage with the international developer and blockchain community. ^[1]​