Weekly Update June 12, 2026
June 12, 2026
This week saw significant progress in both Cardano’s governance and technical development, indicating a coordinated approach toward enhancing the platform. The van Rossem hard fork transitioned to the Preprod stage, the 2026 budget voting phase witnessed record participation from DReps, and the Constitutional Committee election entered its final phase. An Intersect team member also returned from a technology festival with insights aligning Cardano’s goals with global concerns.
The momentum toward the van Rossem upgrade continued to gather pace as we shifted focus from preparation to ecosystem validation. The successful enactment of the hard fork on Preprod, coupled with the increasing adoption of node v11.0.1 across the network, highlighted the need for ecosystem readiness before the Mainnet go/no-go decision on June 15. Stake pool operators, exchanges, wallets, DApps, infrastructure providers, and tooling teams played a crucial role in testing to identify and address any remaining issues prior to Mainnet progression.
Key developments included the steady increase in node v11.0.1 adoption, with a significant proportion of nodes reporting v11 and block production on protocol version 11 showing promising signs. Additionally, the working group reaffirmed the viability of using Ogmios and Kupo to support van Rossem readiness. The CPU overspend issue reported by Indigo was investigated and attributed to an older Lucid version, with no fundamental node or hard fork-related problems identified.
Following the successful implementation of the van Rossem hard fork on Preprod, attention now turns to the Mainnet go/no-go decision scheduled for June 15. Preparations, including Technical Steering Committee and Civics Committee reviews, governance action metadata finalization, and potential security audit references, are underway to support Mainnet submission readiness. The readiness tracker was also updated to include a Mainnet submission checklist, with progress indicators reflecting critical-path items necessary for Mainnet advancement.
Moreover, the Mainnet Plutus cost model protocol parameter update governance action, initiated on May 26, garnered approximately 55% approval and was expected to proceed toward enactment in the coming weeks. The significance of this update was underscored by its potential impact on the overall functioning of the Cardano ecosystem.
In a heartfelt tribute, the memory of Max van Rossem, a key figure in the Cardano community, was honored following his passing. Max’s legacy lived on through his son, Max Louis Hans van Rossem, born into a world where the blockchain technology his father contributed to carried their family name, symbolizing a dedication to a decentralized future.
As the 2026 Constitutional Committee election unfolded, four candidates had registered thus far, aiming to fill the upcoming vacancies. While the number of candidates equaled the available seats, additional nominations were encouraged to ensure a competitive election and strengthen the legitimacy of the outcome. The ensuing on-chain Update Committee governance action hinged on a meaningful election to secure support and credibility for future decisions.
Furthermore, the Constitutional Amendment Process transitioned from a closed working group to planned public testing, highlighting the community’s commitment to developing a collaborative framework for refining and submitting amendments to the Cardano Constitution. This transparent and accessible pathway aimed to streamline the process of transforming community ideas into actionable governance initiatives, underscoring Cardano’s dedication to democratic principles and community-driven evolution.
