Cardano’s Voltaire Era Approaches with June Hard Fork

Charles Hoskinson, the architect behind the blockchain platform Cardano, is forecasting a significant milestone for the Cardano ecosystem this June. On June 9, Hoskinson shared on social media that Cardano’s much-anticipated Chang fork is fast approaching. He indicated that Cardano Node is expected to reach version 9.0 within the month. This development signifies that the Cardano blockchain is primed for the hard fork and is currently awaiting 70% of stake pool operators (SPO) to upgrade to the new node version. Once that threshold is met, the hard fork can proceed, ushering Cardano into the Age of Voltaire, the latest phase in the platform’s comprehensive development roadmap.

The roadmap for Cardano’s development is divided into several stages, each named after influential figures in literature and computer science. These figures include Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Joseph Goguen, Matsuo Bashō, and Voltaire. The initial phases laid down the foundation of a basic blockchain, achieving decentralization and implementing smart contracts. The Basho era is centered around scaling the blockchain’s capacity and performance. In contrast, the upcoming Voltaire era aims to introduce features such as governance, voting systems, and treasury management to the Cardano blockchain.

Chang is set to be the inaugural hard fork of the Voltaire era. This significant update will introduce community-driven governance, enabling on-chain consensus among the platform’s users. Cardano stakeholders will be able to leverage their tokens to cast votes on various proposals, effectively allowing the community to have a direct say in the platform’s future. The Chang upgrade is named in tribute to Phil Chang, a pioneering figure in Cardano’s governance sphere, who passed away in 2022.

Hoskinson has high hopes for Chang, describing it as the “most significant milestone in the history of Cardano.” He believes this upgrade will pave the way for Cardano to support a “decentralized civilization” that spans the globe with millions of participants. He envisions Cardano, through this upgrade, to boast the “most advanced blockchain governance system,” complete with annual budgets, a well-managed treasury, and invaluable input from the community.

Reflecting on the journey thus far, Hoskinson expressed immense pride in the project’s progress over the past decade. “It’s been nearly 10 years for some of us on this remarkable journey. I can’t believe that in a single decade, we built a nation. I’m proud of all of you,” he remarked. He conveyed optimism for the future, stating that Cardano gives him hope for both the blockchain industry and the world at large. Hoskinson urged the community to continue making significant strides in the coming decade.

As Cardano gears up for this critical transition, the ADA cryptocurrency has faced some setbacks. Since the beginning of 2024, ADA has experienced a significant decline, dropping more than 26% from about $0.60