Cardano Drops NIGHT Tokens to 30 Million Wallets

Key Notes

• NIGHT token airdrop launched with a 60-day claim window.
• Over 50% of the tokens were allocated to Cardano users.
• Charles Hoskinson confirmed 470 million tokens already redeemed.

Cardano’s privacy-focused sidechain, Midnight Network, has officially kicked off its long-awaited NIGHT token airdrop, dubbed the “Glacier Drop.” Crypto experts are calling it one of the most ambitious airdrops in crypto history.

Notably, the Glacier Drop targets 30 million wallets across eight major blockchain ecosystems, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Solana, BNB Chain, Avalanche, XRP Ledger, and Brave. It aims to onboard long-term users and encourage responsible token distribution.

The airdrop went live on Aug. 5, offering a 60-day claim window that will close on Oct. 4. Eligibility was determined based on a snapshot taken on July 11, selecting users who held at least $100 in native assets across the supported chains.

Of the total supply, Cardano wallets received the largest share at 50%, followed by Bitcoin with 20%. The remaining 30% supply is distributed among the other networks.

Related article: Cardano Price Slides 5%, Is ADA Rally to $1.5 Still on Track?Charles Hoskinson, Cardano’s founder, hailed the launch as a milestone event, calling it the result of six years of hard work. Earlier today, he shared the latest updates on the airdrop, revealing that over 23,000 redemptions have been processed so far, totaling 470 million NIGHT tokens.

How to Claim NIGHT Tokens

Users can claim NIGHT tokens with a three-step process through Midnight’s official portal. Users are first required to submit their Cardano destination addresses and sign a message to prove ownership.

After this, users have to wait for the allocation thaw when tokens are frozen initially, unlocking in four 25% installments across 360 days. Once unlocked, users can redeem tokens with a 90-day grace period.

Many users who claimed described the experience as smooth and well-guided, praising the user interface for delivering a reliable redemption process. However, many community members are not pleased with the Midnight airdrop rollout.

Some long-term supporters found their wallets ineligible for the drop despite holding ADA

ADA $0.74

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Vol. 24h: $707.13 M

for over five years. Others encountered technical glitches during the claiming process, with one common issue involving an “invalid signature” error on the Midnight platform.

Cardano users with Ledger wallets have faced issues signing the required message due to size limits. Midnight’s team, alongside Shielded Technologies, introduced a workaround using a zero-value transaction. The fix is under audit and is expected by Aug. 25.

Phased Distribution Strategy for Long-Term Adoption

The Glacier Drop follows a structured, three-phase release model. After the current claim period, a 30-day “Scavenger Mine” phase will redistribute unclaimed tokens to users solving on-chain challenges.

This will be followed by a four-year “Lost and Found” window for late claimants. The gradual thawing mechanism is designed to reduce market dumping and support steady ecosystem growth.

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