Midnight Network Airdrops NIGHT Tokens to 30M Wallets Across 8 Blockchains

Midnight Network’s NIGHT token airdrop is now live, marking a significant milestone for the Cardano (ADA) ecosystem and signaling broader adoption across multiple blockchain platforms [1]. The initiative, dubbed the “Glacier Drop,” targets over 30 million wallets across eight major chains, including Cardano, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, Avalanche, XRP Ledger, and Brave. Users who held at least $100 in native assets on July 11 were eligible for the airdrop [1].

The airdrop is structured to promote long-term token retention and responsible distribution. While the initial 60-day claim window runs until October 4, 2025, eligible tokens are locked and will unlock in four staggered 25% installments over 360 days. A 90-day grace period follows the final unlock [1]. This strategy is designed to mitigate market volatility and encourage sustained engagement with the NIGHT token.

Cardano users receive the largest share of the airdrop, with 50% of the total supply allocated to ADA addresses. Bitcoin holders account for 20%, while the remaining 30% is distributed among the other six blockchains [1]. The prioritization of Cardano users reflects Midnight’s broader goal to expand the Cardano ecosystem and integrate its privacy-focused sidechain with the mainnet.

Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, has described the airdrop as the culmination of six years of development, highlighting it as a “grand marathon of intellectual and practical challenges” [1]. The project has already attracted significant developer interest, with over 1,000 developers engaged on its devnet [1]. This suggests a growing technical foundation for the NIGHT token and the broader Midnight Network.

To claim their NIGHT tokens, users must follow a three-step process via Midnight’s official portal. They need to provide their original blockchain address, a Cardano destination address, and sign a message to confirm ownership. It is important to note that users must have a Cardano address to participate, underscoring the project’s strategic alignment with the Cardano platform [1].

Despite the airdrop’s smooth launch, a technical issue has emerged for Cardano users attempting to claim with Ledger hardware wallets. The problem lies in Ledger’s current software, which supports only 31-byte messages, while the required claim message is 251 bytes. To resolve this, Midnight developers and Shielded Technologies have proposed a secure workaround involving a zero-value transaction with the claim message embedded as metadata. This solution is currently undergoing audit and is expected to be operational by August 25 [1].

The entire airdrop process is designed to foster deeper user participation and avoid speculative trading. The phased distribution strategy includes a post-claim phase where unclaimed tokens are redistributed to users solving computational tasks, followed by a four-year window for late claims [1]. This multi-year approach reflects a commitment to sustainable token economics and ecosystem growth.

Source: [1] Cardano’s Midnight Airdrop Is Live: NIGHT Tokens Up for Grabs Across 8 Chains (https://coinedition.com/cardano-midnight-network-airdrop-claim-night/)