The Midnight network has entered a pivotal new era. In this episode, we break down the launch of the NIGHT token, the newly activated redemption system, and how Midnight is managing a controlled asset release through a 360 day thawing mechanism.

We explore the explosive 1,617% surge in smart contract activity, what it signals about developer momentum, and why the road to the 2026 mainnet is accelerating faster than expected.

Beyond infrastructure, we dive into key ecosystem developments — including the Creditcoin partnership for private identity verification and the launch of the Aliit Fellowship, designed to cultivate open source builders and long term protocol excellence.

This episode marks Midnight’s transition into the Hilo phase, bringing the network closer to a fully realized, privacy-first blockchain future.