Midnight is a privacy-focused blockchain developed by Input Output Global (IOG) and founded by Charles Hoskinson, who is also the creator of Cardano.
Midnight’s main goal is to solve a big problem in blockchain:
👉 How can we use blockchain technology while keeping sensitive data private?
Most blockchains (like Bitcoin or Ethereum) are fully transparent. Everyone can see transactions. That’s good for trust — but bad for industries like:
Healthcare
Banking & Finance
Government
Identity systems
Midnight fixes this using Zero-Knowledge Proofs (zk-SNARKs).
🔐 How Midnight Works (Simple Explanation)
Midnight uses something called Zero-Knowledge Proofs.
This means:
Example:
A hospital can prove you qualify for treatment
❌ Without revealing your full medical historyA bank can prove you have enough balance
❌ Without showing your exact account amountA voting system can prove you’re eligible
❌ Without revealing your identity
This is called Selective Disclosure.
🧠 Dual-State Architecture (Public + Private)
Midnight has two states running together:
1️⃣ Public State
Smart contracts
Proofs
Public information
Visible to everyone
2️⃣ Private State
Personal data
Medical records
Financial details
Stored privately by users
Never exposed on-chain
The blockchain only sees mathematical proof — not your actual data.
🔄 How Is It Different From Other Privacy Coins?
Privacy coins like:
Monero
Zcash
➡️ Make everything anonymous.
Midnight is different.
It uses "Rational Privacy":
You choose what to reveal
Regulators can access required info
Full compliance is possible
This makes Midnight suitable for:
GDPR
HIPAA
Financial regulations
So it's not hiding everything — it’s controlled privacy.
🌉 Relationship With Cardano
Midnight works as a partner chain to Cardano.
That means:
It has its own validators
Own consensus
But connects to Cardano via a native bridge
You can:
Keep assets on Cardano (transparent)
Move them to Midnight (private)
Move back anytime
🪙 What Is the NIGHT Token?
Midnight’s native token is NIGHT.
Total Supply: 24 Billio
Interesting Mechanism:
NIGHT generates something called DUST
Think like:
☀️ NIGHT = Solar Panels
⚡ DUST = Electricity
Holding NIGHT continuously generates DUST
DUST is used to pay transaction fees
No unpredictable gas wars like Ethereum
This makes transaction costs predictable and stable
🛠 What Can Be Built on Midnight?
🏥 Healthcare Apps
Private patient verification
Insurance eligibility proof
Secure data exchange
🏦 Finance
Private transactions
Compliant reporting
Anti-MEV trading
🗳 Governance
Private voting systems
Shareholder voting
Identity verification
🚀 Launch Details
Mainnet Launch: Final week of March 2025
Announced by Charles Hoskinson
Built by Input Output Global
Partner chain of Cardano
NIGHT token already launched on exchanges like:
OKX
Bybit
MEXC
🎯 Final Summary
Midnight is:
✔ A privacy-focused blockchain
✔ Built for regulated industries
✔ Uses zero-knowledge proofs
✔ Supports selective disclosure
✔ Connected to Cardano
✔ Designed for compliant privacy
Instead of choosing between privacy OR regulation,
Midnight combines both.