Cardano is moving closer to implementing Protocol 11 through an intra-era Hard Fork designed to enhance its smart contracts and optimize technical performance without impacting current operations.
This week, the tech community received news of the start of a new evolutionary phase for the Cardano network. After a year marked by the consolidation of its decentralized governance, Charles Hoskinson's blockchain is now heading towards a precision technical upgrade. This involves the implementation of... Protocol 11, a movement that, unlike previous major milestones, is defined by its "intra-era" characterseeking to optimize the core of the system without forcing users to make structural changes to their transaction methods.
The organization Intersect, a key player in the administration of this blockchain ecosystem, has been responsible for formalizing this process through its first update bulletin of 2026.
According to data shared on social media, the main focus lies in enhance Plutus' capabilities —the network's smart contract language— and in the introduction of new cryptographic features.
Overall, this transition is being managed with a technical thoroughness reminiscent of major engineering projects, where the goal is to improve the engine while the vehicle continues to run, ensuring that existing contracts at Cardano maintain their absolute integrity.
Acquire ADA before its new hard forkA hard fork with a gradual technical rollout
The reported upgrade process will not be a one-off, isolated event, but rather a phased rollout designed to minimize risks and maximize the participation of network validators. According to the detailed planning by the Intersect working groups and the Input Output Engineering (IOE) teams, the path to Protocol 11 is divided into two critical releases of the Cardano node software.
The first step is the launch of Node 10.6.2a pre-release version whose arrival It is estimated for the first week of FebruaryThis component has an educational and testing purpose: to allow the community and developers to interact with the new features in controlled environments like SanchoNet. The aim is to "get the ball rolling," involving stakeholders before moving to the final phase.
The second phase, and perhaps the most decisive for the Cardano mainnetwork, will be the launch of Node 10.7.0This software, scheduled for the end of February 2026, is the official candidate to execute the Hard Fork.
After passing rigorous performance and benchmarking tests, this version of the software will be the one finally deployed on the Preview and PreProd test networks, before its final implementation on the mainnet. According to experts, this rigorous testing underscores the network's commitment to stability, a hallmark that has defined Cardano since its inception.
From governance to optimization: Cardano's new chapter with Protocol 11
Despite being described as a minor update in terms of end-user impact, the internal changes in Protocol 11 are significant for the efficiency of the Cardano ecosystem. The absolute priority of this hard fork is performance. It aims to make the decentralized applications (dApps) They operate with superior fluidity, thanks to the optimization of Plutus scripts and cleaner, simplified ledger rules.
One of the most notable innovations in this update is the inclusion of new cryptographic capabilities through "built-ins" or integrated functionswhich will allow developers to run complex operations more cheaply and quickly, which in the long run will reduce the load on the network.
Furthermore, and most importantly for the ecosystem, the transaction process itself will not change. This means that wallets, asset exchange platforms, and infrastructure services will not need to rewrite their codebase, drastically reducing upgrade effort and preventing market friction.
This technical move comes exactly one year after the network activated the Hard Fork Plominwhich introduced fully decentralized governance to the network. However, while that change was social and political, the one in 2026 is purely technical and focused on optimization.
Following the announcement, experts and analysts emphasized the significant maturity of the development team, which, after handing over decision-making power to the community through dReps (Delegated Representatives), is now focused on refining the infrastructure so that this governance is supported by an increasingly powerful network.
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