Cardano's Chang Hard Fork Goes Live!

Cardano’s latest upgrade marks a significant shift in its governance model, empowering ADA holders to directly influence the blockchain's future.

Cardano, the blockchain platform launched by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson, has successfully activated its much-anticipated “Chang” hard fork. This upgrade represents a major milestone for the Cardano ecosystem, transforming its native cryptocurrency, ADA, into a governance token and ushering in a new era of decentralized control.

The Chang upgrade, which went live on Sunday, enables ADA holders to actively participate in the decision-making process for the Cardano network. Through the newly implemented governance model, users can elect representatives and vote on critical development proposals, directly influencing the platform’s evolution.

At the heart of this governance shift is CIP-1694, a Cardano Improvement Proposal that outlines the structure of the community-driven governance system. The new model introduces three key governance bodies: the Constitutional Committee, Delegate Representatives (dReps), and Stake Pool Operators (SPOs). This decentralization effort transfers the power to implement chain upgrades or "hard forks" from Cardano’s founding entities—Cardano Foundation, Input Output Global (IOHK), and Emurgo—to these newly established groups.

This transition is part of a broader trend in the crypto industry, where projects are increasingly moving toward decentralized governance. For Cardano, this shift not only aligns with the ethos of decentralization that underpins blockchain technology but also adds an extra layer of utility to the ADA token, which may help it navigate regulatory challenges.

Despite being ranked as the 28th largest blockchain by DeFiLlama, Cardano has consistently captured the attention of the crypto community. This is partly due to the strong personality and vocal presence of Charles Hoskinson, who initially co-founded Ethereum in 2014 before leaving to develop Cardano as a direct competitor.

The Chang hard fork is being implemented in two distinct phases. The first phase, now active, has established an Interim Constitutional Committee to oversee the governance process temporarily. This committee’s powers are intentionally limited to ensure a smooth transition while the broader governance structure solidifies.

In about 90 days, the upgrade will enter its second phase, which will fully activate the new governance bodies, granting them full authority over the Cardano network’s future. This marks the beginning of the "Voltaire" era for Cardano—a phase focused on achieving full decentralization, a goal that has been integral to Cardano's vision since its inception.

As Cardano steps into this new chapter, the Chang upgrade is expected to significantly impact the network’s growth and its role in the broader blockchain ecosystem. By enabling ADA holders to take a more active role in governance, Cardano is positioning itself as a truly decentralized platform, setting a new standard for blockchain governance.

photo source / Blockonome