Inside Midnight: The Multi-Chain Privacy Network and its Massive Airdrop to 34M Addresses

Introduction

If you have been anywhere near crypto Twitter lately, you have probably heard about Midnight. It is the privacy-first network being championed by Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson and the teams behind Cardano. Midnight aims to bring rational privacy to Web3 using zero-knowledge proofs and a TypeScript-inspired smart contract language called Compact. In plain English, it lets builders protect sensitive data without sacrificing auditability or transparency.

Below is an in-depth overview of what Midnight actually is, how the Glacier Drop works, what to know about wallets and eligibility, and how the token generation event fits into the timeline.

What is Midnight’s “ZK product” in practice?

Midnight is a privacy-enhancing blockchain that offers programmable privacy through ZK smart contracts, allowing users and enterprises to selectively disclose information. The dev stack features Compact, a Typescript-based programming language, which allows smart contracts to bridge public and private data , and an architecture that lets apps comply with real-world rules without exposing sensitive data to the whole internet. If you like the idea of privacy as a dial instead of a light switch, that is the vibe. 

Two key assets power the economy:

• NIGHT is the native token and exists on Cardano today, mirrored one-for-one on Midnight at genesis.
• DUST is the metered resource for fees. NIGHT generates DUST, which is how transactions and smart contracts get paid for.

According to their whitepaper, Midnight’s tokenomics are built around a mirrored supply system and a dual-token model, with NIGHT serving as the core asset and DUST powering transaction fees and smart contracts.

Glacier Drop: the headline airdrop

Glacier Drop is phase one of a three-part distribution designed to seed the network with a broad, real user base across chains. The phases are:

1. Glacier Drop (Claim Phase)
   The claim portal opened on August 5, 2025 at 13:00 UTC and runs 60 days until October 4, 2025 at 13:00 UTC. Eligible addresses from eight ecosystems can claim NIGHT during this window.
2. Scavenger Mine (Engagement Phase)
   It starts after Glacier ends, runs for 30 days, and is open to everyone. Think of it as an activity-based distribution that does not require special hardware.
3. Lost-and-Found
   Opens after mainnet and stays open for four years to give eligible people who missed the original claim a final chance to claim a fraction based on a transformation function.

Eligibility and snapshot basics

• Chains covered: Cardano, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, BNB Chain, Avalanche, and Basic Attention Token.
• Snapshot: June 11, 2025 at 00:00 UTC.
• Minimum balance: 100 USD worth of the native asset on the snapshot date.

Allocation by ecosystem

Glacier allocates 100% of the total 24 billion NIGHT supply for claiming in phase one. Within that pie, Cardano holders get 50%, Bitcoin 20%, and the remainder spans the other six ecosystems. Any unclaimed in Glacier roll forward and are rebalanced across phases and ecosystem stakeholders per the paper’s rules.

Wallets and address compatibility

If you are wondering whether your wallet setup is compatible, the Midnight team published guidance and has continued to add details and fixes as the portal scaled. If you hold on to a custodian, they must claim on your behalf. Direct claimers sign a message with the eligible wallet and submit a fresh Cardano address for the allocation. 

“No VC” and why the distribution feels different

Midnight’s distribution is deliberately community-first. There is no token sale in Glacier Drop, and reporting around the launch has repeatedly emphasized zero allocations to VCs. From the official updates, it’s clear that the goal is to place NIGHT directly into the hands of real users across multiple chains. The Scavenger Mine and Lost-and-Found phases are designed to broaden participation even further and ensure late claimers still have a fair chance. The whitepaper also highlights that NIGHT will eventually be transferable and suitable for exchange listings.

The TGE and the path to listings

A quick decode:

• What happens at TGE?
  NIGHT is already minted on Cardano and will be mirrored onto Midnight once the mainnet goes live. Any tokens claimed on Cardano will begin in a locked state on Midnight, allowing the system to manage unlocks smoothly across both chains.
• When will mainnet and unlocks happen?
  The team aims to launch mainnet by the end of 2025, with Q4 marked as the target. Hitting that milestone is the big focus for the Midnight Foundation, though like most things in crypto, timelines can shift, so it’s best seen as a goal rather than a promise.
• Will NIGHT list on major exchanges?
  The whitepaper makes it clear that NIGHT is meant to be freely transferable and ready for exchange listings once it goes live. That doesn’t mean exchange tickers are confirmed just yet, but it does lay the groundwork for broad listings after launch.

Why builders care

Midnight is not trying to be yet another “privacy chain”. Instead, it’s focused on programmable data protection that can still be audited when necessary. That approach has clear use cases in areas like payroll, healthcare, fintech, and even gaming. 

Recent testnet updates highlight improvements for developers, support for external block producers, and built-in upgradeability so the network can evolve without frequent resets. For builders working with sensitive data, the appeal is fewer compliance headaches and a way to avoid exposing private information in public mempools.

Quick hits and FAQs

• Who is behind this?
  Midnight is a privacy-focused blockchain developed by Shielded Technologies, an engineering spin-out from Input Output (IOG), which was founded by Charles Hoskinson after leaving Ethereum.
• How many airdrops? 
  Three big drops in total if you think in phases: Glacier Drop, Scavenger Mine & Lost-and-Found.
• Is there a token sale?
  No sale in Glacier. The focus is distribution, not fundraising, and reporting has highlighted no VC allocation.
• Which chains are eligible in Glacier?
  ADA, BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, BNB, AVAX, BAT. Minimum 100 dollars worth at the June 11, 2025 snapshot.
• When is the claim window?
  Aug 5 to Oct 4, 2025 for Glacier. Then 30 days for Scavenger Mine. Lost-and-Found opens after mainnet.
• How will unlocks work?
  Claimed tokens sit in a Cardano smart contract and thaw over a defined redemption period after mainnet, with details provided in official materials. This approach is meant to reduce volatility and align incentives. 

The bottom line

Midnight is tackling one of Web3’s biggest challenges head-on, and doing it in a way that’s easy to understand whether you’re a CFO or a privacy engineer. The token distribution is built to be fair, public, and spread across multiple chains, with no VC carve-outs. That said, with a clear roadmap ahead, Midnight is definitely shaping up to be one of the most promising projects to watch in 2025.

If you are eligible for their airdrop, make sure to claim during the window and set yourself up for Scavenger Mine. And, if you are building, start prototyping on testnet with Compact and ZK flows. Either way, keep an eye on Midnight’s official docs or join their Discord and Twitter to stay updated!