Cardano Activates Van Rossem Hard Fork Through Community Governance
Cardano successfully implemented the Van Rossem hard fork on July 18, marking its first major upgrade entirely approved through community governance, according to Decrypt. This upgrade lowers smart contract costs and includes several technical improvements, showcasing a shift in the network's governance model away from centralized control.
On July 18, 2026, Cardano executed the Van Rossem hard fork, transitioning the network to protocol version 11 without any downtime. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first major upgrade ratified entirely through on-chain community governance, eliminating the direct involvement of the founding development company, Input Output.
The fork reduces execution costs for Plutus smart contracts and incorporates five technical enhancements, including new cryptographic tools and a security requirement for stake pools to utilize unique cryptographic keys. The decision for this upgrade was made through a voting process involving three separate entities: delegated representatives (DReps), stake pool operators, and the Constitutional Committee. The upgrade was approved by 77.63% of DReps, surpassing the required 60%, while 52.7% of stake pool operators also supported it, just above the necessary 51% threshold.
The name of the fork honors Max van Rossem, a prominent contributor to the Cardano project who passed away in October 2025. Van Rossem played a crucial role in establishing the governance system that facilitated this historical upgrade.
Cardano's governance model has evolved since the Chang hard fork in 2024, which introduced on-chain voting. Following this, the Plomin hard fork in early 2025 empowered token holders with decision-making capabilities, paving the way for this significant decentralization in network governance.
As Cardano continues this journey toward greater decentralization and community-driven governance, observers will be keen to watch how this new upgrade impacts the network's scalability and overall ecosystem health.
Summary based on original reporting by Jose Antonio Lanz at Decrypt, originally published Jul 20, 2026. SolanaWire does not republish source content.
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