Cardano’s Midnight Mints 24B NIGHT Tokens Before Mainnet Launch

TLDR

• The Midnight team minted the entire 24 billion NIGHT token supply on October 14, 2025.
• All NIGHT tokens are locked in a smart contract until the distribution phases are complete.
• The Glacier Drop phase closed on October 20, 2025, after reaching over 34 million eligible wallets.
• The Scavenger Mine will enable users to earn additional NIGHT tokens by completing puzzles and challenges.
• The Redemption Phase will let eligible users claim NIGHT tokens and activate other token allocations.

The Midnight team has minted the full 24 billion NIGHT token supply before launching Cardano’s privacy-focused sidechain mainnet. All tokens are now on-chain as Cardano Native Assets, with the minting finalized on October 14, 2025, at 5:34 PM. This milestone marks a significant step toward the NIGHT token’s planned distribution phases and network utility.

NIGHT Token Supply Secured in Smart Contract

The entire NIGHT token supply is now securely stored within a smart contract, ensuring that no premature movement of the tokens occurs. The Midnight team confirmed this design will maintain transparency throughout the Glacier Drop and Scavenger Mine stages. According to the team, “This provides a permanent and verifiable record on the Cardano blockchain.”

The minting transaction included details about NIGHT token distribution and release timelines tied to Glacier Drop milestones. The token release will follow a strict schedule that prevents early access and ensures fairness across wallets. Onchain data confirms the minting occurred exactly at 5:34 PM, securing the full supply instantly.

The tokens will remain locked until the project completes both Glacier Drop and Scavenger Mine. These events will guide the distribution of NIGHT tokens before final user redemption. This system supports orderly deployment and future decentralization goals for the network.

Glacier Drop Campaign Nears Completion

The Glacier Drop phase concluded on October 20, 2025, following its opening earlier this year to eligible blockchain wallet holders. It reached over 34 million wallets across ADA, BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, and SOL chains. This phase aimed to distribute NIGHT tokens broadly through a structured and transparent process.

The team added support for Ledger and Trezor wallets in August 2025 to expand accessibility for Bitcoin users. Secure null transactions enabled Bitcoin holders to verify eligibility without transferring funds. This upgrade also introduced direct Bitcoin integration for seamless NIGHT token claiming.

Glacier Drop plays a key role in moving Midnight toward full decentralization and token distribution. Once this stage completes, the Scavenger Mine begins. It introduces a challenge-based system for earning additional NIGHT token rewards.

Scavenger Mine and Mainnet Progress

The Scavenger Mine will let users solve puzzles or compute challenges to earn more NIGHT token rewards. Following this phase, the Redemption Phase will commence, allowing users to claim their tokens. This phase also unlocks allocations for block rewards, network reserves, and contributors.

Cardano stake pool operators will earn both ADA and NIGHT token rewards after mainnet activation. Operators like ENIGMA have already produced over 756 blocks on testnet. This reinforces progress across Midnight’s roadmap and prepares for launch.

The mainnet launch is on track for Q4 2025. Over 100 ecosystem partners support the network’s growth. The NIGHT token now has a strong on-chain presence as part of this transition.

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